Image: Keith Muir.

New Motorcycling Australia (MA) president Braxton Laine has identified the Australian Superbike Championship as one of the current major issues the MA board is facing.

In a detailed statement posted this week on the MA website, Laine noted the ASBK series as one of two current challenges, alongside the ongoing saga that has been the governing body’s purchase of the McAdam Park motocross facility at Barrabool, VIC.

2015 will be vital in the recovery of MA’s ASBK series, which has been one of domestic motorcycle racing’s most topical matters in the past five seasons under the management of outgoing promoter International Entertainment Group (IEG). MA will host the final round of 2014 at Phillip Island next month.

“Work is currently underway by MA to put together several options for 2015,” Laine wrote. “We have the perfect opportunity to get this right so that we can showcase our talent and provide the premier road race championship that befits its national status. Getting it right means that talks are occurring with all the stakeholders, including state bodies, promoters, factory teams through to the privateer riders.

“Winning an Australian title provides credibility and for many of our past recipients it has led to international rides, so it is imperative that this element is factored into the model that is developed for 2015 and future years. Juniors are another element that must be considered as they are a crucial part of repopulating our world paddocks in future years. So as you can see there is much to consider when putting this Australian championship together to ensure that the championship benefits all parties involved and grows in the future.”

The future of the ASBK is a pivotal step in Australian road racing, with recent MA board meeting documents indicating that the 2015 series will be coordinated by MA with each round hosted by individual clubs and promoters. According to the report, “the CEO is not aware of anybody with the appetite to take on the promotion of the championship as a whole”.