Three-time World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss wants to start an oil-track series in Australia.
“It’s a closer stepping-stone to road racing than dirt,” he said today at the Troy Bayliss Classic in Taree.
“The track stays the same so you get the same lines all the time.”
The Classic featured current and former national and world champions including Chris Vermeulen and Jason Crump, as well as young riders as young as six riding 50cc bikes.
“It gives the young riders the opportunity to ride in front of everyone,” Troy says.
Since retiring, Troy has supported local Motorsport at a grass roots level, putting back into the industry.
His son, Ollie, went to the first Classic last year and told his father he wanted to compete. Today he fronted up and tore up the field, perhaps a future champion in the making, although his father shook his head at the “46” (Valentino Rossi’s number) plate on his bike.
Troy has also helped organise an invitational scramble meeting at the Moto Expo in Brisbane in March which will be held on a loose surface, not an oil track.
While his plan for an oil-track series is noble, it may have some hurdles. There are only about three oil tracks in Australia and the environmental groups are likely to prevent any more being constructed.
But Troy is determined to at least preserve the annual oil track Classic at Taree.
“I’m from this town and I don’t know if it would work anywhere else. This is something that I want to do as long as I can. I want to try and help the industry. I’m not just Ducati anymore, I like all bikes.”
Click here to read about the Brisbane and Melbourne Moto Expos.
