Motorcycling NSW is revamping Flat Track racing to help grow the sport and has announced a new three-round series starting November 23 in Wagga Wagga.
MNSW Press Release
It’s no secret that Dirt Track racing needs a shot in the arm. Well, this series will be a shot of adrenaline like we’ve never seen before.
Motorcycling NSW has been looking at all sorts of avenues and spoken to lots of people, both in the sport and those who are currently forced out of it (and there are lots of them!), to look for ideas for things we can try to see if we can attract more riders.
The Sultans Of Slide is a chance for us to try out a whole bunch of those ideas at once and see what everyone likes. Who knows, we may even find some amazing answers and ways to grow the sport. Either way, we are planning to shake things up, challenge the old ways, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.
Here’s some of the things people suggested to us that we have tried to incorporate into the series;
· We can’t afford more than one bike for our child, so we feel excluded. TICK!
· There’s too many classes at Dirt Track. TICK!
· Dad’s sick of looking after 4 bikes all day. TICK!
· I want to be able to throw one bike in the ute and go racing. TICK!
· We don’t get enough track time. TICK!
· There’s not enough variety, it’s the same track all the time. TICK!
· We don’t ride oil tracks, because it’s too expensive to set up for both oil and dirt. TICK!
· Trials tyres are expensive and don’t last. TICK!
· We want a pathway to international racing. TICK!
· It’s the same blokes on the same bikes in 3 classes!!! TICK!
· We need a senior Clubman class. TICK!
· 250 smokers should race against the 250 4 strokes. TICK!
· We want to see some proper big bikes go around. TICK!
· There’s no prizemoney in Dirt Track. TICK!
· We want TT tracks! MASSIVE TICK!!!
The Sultans Of Slide will see riders racing in one class, using one bike, over 7 races, varying from 4 to 15 laps, on two different track layouts, on both oil and loose dirt, under sunshine and lights, at three different venues across NSW. Phew. That’s a lot of change. Oh, and we’ll also be running 19” wheels and Flat Track style tyres on everything from the junior lites and up, just like they use in the USA.
And there’s in excess of $10,000 in the prize kitty. Not bad, huh?
We also have some massive sponsors that are new to the sport. Hence the prize money. Thanks guys! We’ll tell you about them soon.
We have fresh, new ideas, that will hopefully revitalize the sport for those already in it, and attract a whole new generation of riders to come and join us in what we all know is the greatest sport in the world.
Keep your eye out for class info and entry details. Spots will be limited, so get in quick.
And even if you don’t race in it, come and watch. You may just see the future unfold in front of your astonished eyes!
And for those of you who love the old Dirt Track format, don’t worry, nobody is taking it away. The things we are experimenting with here are all about trying something new, which can be added to the sport as an additional style of event for clubs to run, not as a replacement for good old-fashioned Dirt Track. Ultimately, the riders will decide what they want. We at MNSW see it as part of our job to seek out new products to offer the motorcycle racing community, to try new things, create new ideas to grow our sport. Ultimately the riders will vote with their throttles, and that’s just as it should be.
Event Calendar
Round 1 – November 23, Wagga Wagga
Round 2 – November 30, Appin
Round 3 – December 7, Maclea