Image: Foremost Media.

Bannan Promotions’ Scott Bannan has addressed the company’s absence in the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship, which comes after playing a prominent role in the discipline’s resurgence by hosting Queensland-based races in the series since 2015.

Bannan indicated it’s decision to step away followed a change in direction of the championship with commercial rights holder AUS SX Holdings – promoter of the AUS-X Open – who assumed the rights from Motorcycling Australia ahead of the 2018 season.

The operation made up two rounds of Australian supercross for four successive year at various locations in the sunshine state, with it’s very own Jimboomba venue being the landmark Queensland stop each year.

“It all started last year when Motorcycling Australia sold the commercial rights to AME (AUS SX Holdings),” Bannan told MotoOnline.com.au. “We knew nothing about it, and when we were notified, that’s when Scott Anderson and Mark Gilbert pulled out immediately. We toughed it out for another year and would see how it would go, but it didn’t go the way we though it would.

“We just didn’t like the way it was going and we were continually not agreeing on a lot of things, so at the end of the day, we just couldn’t come to an agreement. I don’t want to promote if we can’t promote the way we want to.

“We’re obviously not doing anything this year, we might do a few practice days so the privateer guys can get some practice in, but that’s probably about it. It’s a hobby for us – we have other businesses that pay the bills.”

Entering the Australian supercross arena last year, Troy Bayliss Events has stepped up its efforts by hosting three rounds in 2019 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Gilman Speedway and WIN Stadium in Wollongong, marking rounds one through to three.

The fourth and fifth rounds will be operated by AUS SX Holdings with the S-X Open Auckland in New Zealand, and AUS-X Open Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.