Dunlop

Dunlop: Here and Now with John Bowe (Aug 09)

The two-plus-four (Australian Superbikes plus V8 Supercars) concept is back for the first time in decades at the Phillip Island round of the V8 Supercar Championship from September 11-13, and I can only see it as a good thing for all involved.

I remember racing back in the eighties at events that featured both the cars and bikes, and they were always a great success bringing together some of the countries leading motorsport drivers and riders at one action-packed weekend. With Dunlop the tyre of choice in both the V8s and the Superbikes, it is a great fit for their motorsport platform as well.

At the end of the day though, motorsport is in the entertainment industry so anything that adds value for the spectators can only be a good thing. In addition, the Superbikes will benefit from the added exposure they will receive from the huge audience that the V8s have, and the V8s will have an added feature on their undercard for the fans to enjoy. It really is a win-win situation and Phillip Island is the ideal location with the track great for both forms of racing.

One of the biggest challenges to the concept is that not all tracks are suitable to host both categories, primarily due to safety requirement differences such as fencing. There are quite a few facilities where it is possible though, and if it works there is no reason why this won’t become a regular fixture on the calendar next year.

Tags: Australian Superbikes, John Bowe, V8 Supercars