The New Zealand Superbike Championship has cancelled its 2022 season.
Organisers have cited uncertainty surrounding the traffic light system as well as the loss of the Motofest round as key factors behind the cancellation.
The series had already postponed the first two rounds of the series to an unspecified date before the traffic light setting change forced the cancellation of the championship.
“Motofest (Hampton Downs) informed MNZ on Monday that they cannot risk running the Motofest meeting and sustain heavy financial loss,” the series said in a statement.
“Over the past few years, the COVID situation has decimated the NZSBK Series and placed some huge financial burden around the model. With Motofest withdrawing from the series and unless there are a minimum of 4 rounds plus sponsorship and a paying gate, the series cannot exist.”
Organisers were working on putting together another round to continue this year’s championship.
“The NZSBK Director and the team were trying to pull a fourth round into play with the help and supportive nature of the team in the far south, but with the news around Motofest the financial risk is too high, compounded with the Covid dynamic.
“So, with this news we have taken the decision to cancel the series for 2022. As we alluded to earlier, the financial risk is too great given the impact of Covid on sponsorship, plus the series needs spectators, however we are talking to clubs to see if we can pull individual meetings together that represent some form of racing that supports the clubs and potentially builds a sounder foundation for the future with more club involvement.
“We have some options, and we will work through the possibilities.”
Main image: NZSBK, MelanieSmyth76