Aluma-Lite Racing team owner Derek Williams has blasted the Australian Superbike Championship, expressing that he’s afraid the series is on the verge of collapsing as he pulled his team out of the 2010 series after last weekend’s Queensland Raceway round.
Williams’ professionally-run Queensland-based team returned to the ASBK in 2010 with Superstock 1000 A- and B-grade points leader Ben Attard alongside Superbike veteran John Allen, however the team won’t continue at the final two rounds of the season – effectively ruling Attard out of the title chase for the season after a dominant opening part of the season.
“It isn’t because I have lost the desire to go racing – far from it,” Williams explained in a team press release. “People know of the immense passion I have for racing, particularly at the upper level of the sport but I feel there is no other option than to withdraw my participation from the sport as in my opinion the current situation has become untenable for a number of reasons.
“The current promoter has not fulfilled his obligations on a multitude of issues including the lack of prize money distribution from last year’s series, the promises of television exposure have not been forthcoming which has compromised our agreement and commitment to our sponsors and, to me, the current promoter is putting personal profit above the sport.”
Williams’ frustration is directed at series promoter International Entertainment Group after a number of stumbling blocks have affected the promoter since they took on the series in 2009, however last weekend’s Queensland Raceway round indicated a step n the right direction as the series continues to build momentum.
The experienced Queenslander also went on to comment on Motorcycling Australia’s involvement in the sport, stating that they have lost direction in the running of the series.
“My feelings are also reflected with other teams and competitors I have spoken to as the direction of the series has become lost in this current situation as schedules have been changed, promises not kept and on the whole I have no faith to continue,” Williams continued. “It is a similar scenario to why I withdrew from the Australian championships in 2005 as I feel that the governing body [Motorcycling Australia] also has lost direction in allowing this situation to reach this critical point.
“Until that changes I feel that the best option is to be honest with the sponsors of the Aluma-Lite Team to save their money and withdraw after this second home round until all parties including the national controlling body of Motorcycling Australia can gain control of this fine sport and move forward.
“At the moment it is going backwards at a rapid rate and the team feels that if this situation continues Australian championship road racing will soon be a thing of the past.”
Attard said on Sunday afternoon that he’s not certain if he’ll contest the final rounds on different machinery, while Allen indicated that the team will switch to the Australian Formula Xtreme Championship series.