Formula Xtreme will remain separate to the Australian Superbike Championship for at least season 2012.

Australian Road & Track Rider Promotions this week revealed that it had been in discussions to merge the FX Superbike Championship with Motorcycling Australia’s official Australian Superbike Championship for 2012. That now won’t be the case, with ARTRP confirming that it’ll now focus on expanding the AFX-SBK series after MA reportedly opted out of any merger. Here’s the press release in full from ARTRP:

All five partners in the Australian Road & Track Rider Promotions company (ARTRP) are looking forward to a third year of continued growth in 2012 for the extremely successful Australian FX-Superbike Championship Series, which will continue to be sanctioned by the AASA.

In the FX-Superbike Championship’s short history ARTRP has put together an affordable extremely high profile level playing field championship series that has grown each year, even in difficult financial times.

While ongoing expansion is important ARTRP is very mindful of the need to keep competitor costs as low as possible while still providing a professionally run championship that can be relied upon by all stakeholders. ARTRP is currently putting together a calendar for next year that will be announced in the very near future, which is likely to include an expansion into another State.

With regard to expansion ARTRP has always been prepared to canvas all opportunities providing they are aimed at improving real growth in road racing for the stakeholders.

To that end ARTRP had been from late 2010, first discussing, then entered into serious negotiations with Motorcycling Australia Ltd (MA) to find a possible way to combine the ASBK with the FX Superbike Championship from 2012 on. Unfortunately MA decided last Monday that they wished to continue on operating the ASBK separately.

The feedback ARTRP has received from competitors, sponsors and stakeholders alike, is they enjoy being involved in and appreciate and value the Australian FX-Superbike Championship Series delivers.

Plus the extensive TV coverage which, not only, includes Pay TV on SPEED but also national free to air coverage on SBS and 24/7 website downloads for all classes at all rounds. This exposure for the sport is what has been delivered over the Australian FX-Superbike Championships history and will continue to grow and improve with time.

The ARTRP Board is now 100 percent focussed on putting together for 2012 the best year so far of the Australian FX-Superbike Championship Series for all stakeholders.

For any further information on the 2012 AFX-SBK Championship Series please contact Terry O’Neill the Managing Director of Australian Road & Track Rider Promotions in business hours.