Yamaha is the lone factory team contesting the AFXC this season. Will there be more in 2011?

Australian Road and Track Rider Promotions (ARTRP) has revealed its 2011 schedule, featuring both road racing and motocross events in the Formula Xtreme line-up for next season.

Following a successful inaugural year running under the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA) governing body, the road race championships will again return to a winter and summer series format in 2011 with the Australian Formula Xtreme Championship Series (AFXC) and Australasian FX Superbike Championship Series (AFXSBK).

The AFXC will be contested over five rounds between March and November once again next season, before the summer-run AFXSBK series will be held over three back-to-back weekends in December in a series of day/night events.

All FX events will once again remain east coast-based, including New South Wales circuits Eastern Creek Raceway and Wakefield Park, as well as Winton Motor Raceway in northern Victoria.

National free-to-air and pay TV support was also confirmed in an announcement by the Australian Racing Driver’s Club (ARDC) this week.

The ARDC is a partner in the ARTRP through Eastern Creek Raceway, with Winton Raceway, Wakefield Park Raceway, the Australasian Superbike Company and TV production company AVE TV also partners in the organisation.

Eastern Creek Raceway CEO Glenn Matthews said the formation of the Australian Formula Xtreme Championship had been pivotal in raising the profile and accessibility of motorbike racing in Australia.

“The Formula Xtreme Championship aims to foster talent and provide a competitive environment for young and upcoming Australian racers to hone their skills,” Matthews said. “The Formula Xtreme Series has been critical in making motorcycle racing accessible to more competitors, by providing a cost-contained approach to racing at venues that are within close reach of competitors.

“Furthermore, with confirmation of a racing calendar and a national free-to-air television package, teams can approach sponsors with confidence in the ARTRP series. Australian Road and Track Rider Promotions is committed to growing the Formula Xtreme Championship, providing a stable foundation for the growth of motor racing in Australia.”

In an interesting addition to the FX event line-up for 2011, a single round Australasian FX Motocross Championship (AMXC) has also been confirmed on the Sunday of the summer series’ season finale at the Winton Motocross Circuit next December.

Stay tuned for more details on the addition of motocross at FX events in the coming days.

This weekend will see the penultimate round of the 2010 Formula Xtreme Championship Series held at Wakefield Park, before the finale will be held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway between 29-31 October. This year’s summer series will commence in early December.

2011 ARTRP RACE CALENDAR:
Australian Formula Xtreme Championship Series (AFXC)
Rd 1 Eastern Creek Raceway, 11-13 March 2011
Rd 2 Wakefield Park Raceway, 29 April-1 May 2011
Rd 3 Eastern Creek Raceway, 1-3 July 2011
Rd 4 Winton Raceway, 2-4 September 2011
Rd 5 Wakefield Park Raceway, 4-6 November 2011

Australasian FX Superbike Championship Series (AFXSBK)*
Rd 1 Eastern Creek Raceway, 2-3 December 2011
Rd 2 Wakefield Park, 9-10 December 2011
Rd 3 Winton Raceway, 16-17 December 2011

* All AFXSBK events are contested on Saturdays in day/night formats.

Australasian FX Motocross Championship (AMXC)
Rd 1 Winton MX Circuit, 18 December 2011.