Features 25 Sep 2013

Cycle Central: 38

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It’s a big week for Next Gen Motorsports who are currently en route to the United States for the Laguna Seca round of the World Superbike Championship.

Behind the scenes this has been a massive exercise for the team, and with all the preparation and logistics handled, it’s now time for them to have a bit of fun and for Glenn Allerton to show just how fast he can be in that class.

He of course did the WSBK wildcard at Phillip Island, but the team, and the bike, have come along in leaps and bounds since then. He’ll have more power at his disposal, and a machine that is much lighter and more nimble with the weight reduction and various mods that have been done.

He could be a real sleeper in the US. His knowledge of the track is good. In fact, it’s probably better than most, as he competed there in an AMA Superbike race last year.

There’s also the current injury factor to consider amongst rival riders. With a number of big names out, this is a chance for him to score some good points and no doubt he will show up a number of riders with his speed on the Pirelli package.

It’s also an important exercise for the team as they consider their options in fielding a full-time entry in the championship next year. Dorna is keen to get more Australians involved in the series and Laguna Seca will offer a good chance for Glenn and the team to mingle with some influential people within the paddock.

Next Gen Motorsports' WSBK-spec BMW will be in action this weekend at Laguna Seca. Image: Toby Lynch.

Next Gen Motorsports’ WSBK-spec BMW will be in action this weekend at Laguna Seca. Image: Toby Lynch.

We wish him and Next Gen the best of luck this weekend!

Australian riders are a versatile bunch. If we didn’t know that before it has been illustrated more than ever over the past few weeks.

Cases in point…

Damian Cudlin has a long racing resume but this season has shown just how highly-regarded he is. His full-time gig has been the BMW in the IDM German Superbike Championship, but he’s also raced the bike for the French factory BMW effort on the WEC stage too. And he’s been the front-running choice for a number of teams when they need a dependable pilot.

FIXI Crescent Suzuki placed him on standby for their bike when it was unclear if Leon Camier would ride due to injury, and more recently, Cudlin has been drafted in to race World Supersport on a Honda.

His next big opportunity will come this weekend in the MotoGP paddock where he has been slot in as a piece of the puzzle revolving around Ben Spies’ injuries. Cudlin will race the PBM in-house machine, running as teammate to Michael Laverty who moves to the ART bike. An added bonus is that Damian will also be on the grid at Phillip Island, increasing our local rider tally in the premier class to two.

Damian Cudlin will return to the MotoGP grid for the first time since 2011 (pictured).

Damian Cudlin will return to the MotoGP grid for the first time since 2011 (pictured).

Mark Aitchison has definitely gone under the radar lately. Drafted in as a replacement rider at Team Pedercini, he’s delivered plenty of strong points finishes in the most recent World Superbike rounds, adapting to the challenge of riding what was a very different machine in the new ZX-10R.

Last weekend he made an unannounced appearance in the German Superbike Championship on the bike of Matej Smrz, and carded 7-4 finishes on a Yamaha R1 which he would have been also unfamiliar with.

Add into the mix Josh Waters, who capably piloted the BMW Motorrad France machine in last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and helped the team build a considerable lead which was only lost due to a mechanical problem. As far as I’m aware, that was his first ride on a BMW, and the Michelin tyre, so that was a super consistent effort on his part.

There is of course a number of other riders who rate a mention in that category including the likes of Alex Cudlin and Jason O’Halloran. Regardless of what comes of the rides, it’s very clear that Australia is a pretty deep and dependable talent pool for teams on the world stage to turn to.

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