From start to finish: Clinton Seller

With all motorsport in the country currently taboo, regular contenders face tough psychological and financial challenges.

Even reigning champions, like current South African Superbike title holder Clinton Seller, cannot escape the working from home blues.”I manage and lead the King Price Extreme team, and we employ top technicians. With no racing in April, we will not be able to pay them, which is tough,” says Seller.

“We can only hope that motorsport will resume as soon as possible after the lockdown is lifted. Through our main sponsor, King Price Extreme, are very understanding and said they will remain right behind us, we can only give them real value for money while gaining exposure on the track.”

The King Price Extreme consists of Seller, on a Yamaha R1, Dino Iozzo on a Yamaha R6, and Sifiso Themba, who competes in the Red Square Kawasaki Masters championship with a Kawasaki ZX10.

“We are all trying our best to remain positive, focused and fit – when I am doing a workout, I must believe the reason for the sweat is to ride a racing motorcycle,” Seller adds. The lockdown has also impacted on Seller’s plans to swap his Yamaha for a Honda in the near future.

“For one thing, we simply do not know when our country’s ports will be open again, and when I will be able to lay my hands on the Honda. For another, I have only ridden the bike on stock standard form. It is fast, very fast, but I will have to turn that fast bike into a quick bike before it can become competitive on a racetrack.

“I believe the local motorsport powers that be will try to run the entire season, which will mean cramming a lot of races into a short space of time. Testing and developing a new machine in between will be extremely demanding,” he adds.

“Even so, I cannot wait to face a riding challenge, as opposed to a waiting challenge, again. I have watched every motorcycle racing DVD in my collection at least twice, and it simply confirms one thing – I need to ride.”

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