Bikers head into the unknown

Both the 2013 national Superbike and 600 Supersport title chases will be run at the Red Star Raceway near Delmas. The four-kilometre circuit, situated next to the N12 highway towards Witbank, has not hosted a national championship event before and its 13-corner layout will be unknown to many competitors.

Clinton Seller (Race! Kawasaki) will go to the meeting already crowned this year’s Superbike champion. With no title pressures to worry about he will probably set his sights on achieving the circuit’s overall two-wheeler lap record.

Others will have bigger fish to fry. Nicolas Grobler (Pta North Toyota Kawasaki) and Chris Leeson (Motorrad BMW) will be fighting for the year’s runner-up spot, with little to choose between them in terms of sheer pace.

The local racers will be joined by some eminent overseas entries led by three-time champion Greg Gildenhuys on his international Superstock Gold Bet BMW. David Mac Fadden will ride a Kawasaki in the Superbike races, while Sheridan Morais will be in the country and might make an appearance on a Brother Yamaha R1.

Others who could interfere with the front battles should include Ryan Ottens (Motorrad BMW), Dylan Whyte (Brother Yamaha), Ryan van Aswegen (Gem Auto Kawasaki), Robert Portman (Brother Yamaha) and Anthony Shelley (Full Throttle Kawasaki).

Cameron Petersen (Liqui Moly MV Agusta) will be the favourite to clinch the 600 Supersport title. His only championship rival is veteran Lance Isaacs on his Pta North Toyota Kawasaki, who will need to win both with Petersen failing to score any points.

However, stranger things have happened in motorcycle racing, and Petersen will not go to the Red Star Raceway in a complacent frame of mind. Also able to fight for victories will be Nicholas Kershaw (Race Bike Rentals Kawasaki), Dean Vos (Brother Yamaha), Brent Harran (Liqui Moly MV Agusta), Anthony Shelley (Full Throttle Kawasaki) and Sharl Wasserfall (Berlux Lamps Kawasaki). Joining the fold will be youngster Darryn Binder, who won at Phakisa on his IndyOil Yamaha, and possibly Morais, on a Yamaha R6.

Heading up the midfield battle should be riders like Gareth Davidson (TK Imports Kawasaki), Nicole van Aswegen (GEM Auto Triumph), Rhyno Stander (Moneystart Kawasaki) and Ricky Weare (Brymaine Kawasaki).

Both categories will tackle two 12-lap races with the 600 Supersport contingent forced to tackle both races, and the morning’s official qualifying session, on the same set of control Pirelli tyres.

“The Red Star Raceway is unknown territory for us, and it is difficult to predict handling characteristics,” said Pirelli’s Wayne Doran. “As always, the more experienced riders will find better race settings.”