The World Superbikes Kiwi Connection 1988 , 89 , 90 and 1992.

The World Superbike Championship races at Manfeild Auto Course near Palmerston North were New Zealand's first World Championship road race event in the NZACU's history. But many people don't realise the role that New Zealand played in those early days getting the series started.

American Steve McLaughlin had been developing an idea since the 1970s after a discussion with the late Warren Willing ,the great Australian racer and tuner , after Willing  had mentioned about a similar series that was raced in Australia. Superbike racing in America started in 1976 with the creation of the AMA Superbike Championship. McLaughlin himself was the winner of the first event , but the Championship went to Reg Pridmore.

The idea of the Superbike World Championship series developed in the mid 1980s , with the idea to run the series along the AMA rules with a few changes. Two of those differences being overbored cylinders and the use of stock carburettors. World Superbikes would be open to 750 four cylinder four strokes and 1000cc twins.

By the late 1980s the FIM TT Formula 1 championship had largely become irrelevant.  The Superbike championship was originally going to be the four stroke championship as at that time two strokes ruled World Grand Prix racing.
 

McLaughlin managed to convince the FIM with help from the NZACU's FIM representative Ken Duncan that a series was worth it's time . There was a lot of resistance from the FIM congress , but the proposal was accepted provided McLaughlin could find enough circuits to sign up .

In 1987 McLaughlin with partners that included Kiwis Keith Jones and Brian Lawrence formed Sports Marketing Limited. Mclaughlin would receive 35% of the company's shares.Brian Lawrence was at the time working for Global Motorsports , a division of the Global Sports and Promotions company which in turn was a part of the bigger Madison Corporation who promoted other niche sports around the globe. Keith Jones was the managing director of Global Sports and Promotions.

Circuits were approached thoughout 1987 and nine rounds were locked in for the first season 1988 . Donington Park , Hungaroring , Hockenheim , Osterreichring ,Sugo , Le Mans , Estoril , Oran Park and Manfeild . Sports Marketing Limited (McLaughlin , Jones and Lawrence) funded the 1988 series itself as it was unable to attract a series sponsor. The company pledged to provide a travel fund of £25,000 at each round of the 1989 championship , to be split among the top 25 riders from the 1988 championship.

The search for funding continued in to 1989 , with Keith Jones travelling the globe in an effort to find a title sponsor at help alleviate the mounting debts. Just one week before the opening round of the 1989 series , the Madison Group called Jones back to Auckland for a board meeting. Parent company Madison Corporation had decided that , after almost a million dollars having been spent on the series and no sign of return , they would not support the WSBK in 1989. Sports Marketing cease trading in March 1989 .The NZACU and Manfeild Promotions would together run the New Zealand round in 1989 , so to help secure the future at least till the next year (1990) .

Scrambles/Motocross 1951-1972

Alan Collison leads Ken Cleghorn , Tim Gibbes and Colin Shultz 1966 Levin MX -Collison Collection.

Prior to the 1973 Motocross was known as Scrambles in New Zealand , having been a part of the national championship since 1951 . The name Moto Cross was run in New Zealand in the International series organised by Tim Gibbes between 1964 - 1970 .As was the case in most of motorcycle sport in those earlier days it was not uncommon to seen riders riding in several different catagories and disciplines. It is Interesting that each class was run at one meeting and in most cases different areas of the country at different times of the season. Unlike modern times where all classes are run at a single meeting over several rounds around the country .

Many top road racer names can be seen in the Scrambles Championship results as well , names such as Rod Coleman , Hugh Anderson , Kim Newcombe , Tom and Kevin McCleary appear among the noteable names of off road riders of the period such as Ken Cleghorn , Tim Gibbes , Morley Shirriffs , Ivan Miller and Alan Collison. Speedway stars Barry Briggs and Graeme Stapleton also appear.

Machinery was a combination of British and European makes of motorcycle. Then in the 1969/70 season the first Japanese machines started to appear on the Championship results , with Tim Gibbes taking second in the open class championship at Wanganui on a Yamaha, and Laurie Love taking the first New Zealand scramble championship on a Japanese machine when he won the 350cc championship on a Suzuki in Taranaki.

New Zealand Scramble / Motocross 

Championship Results 1951-1972

1950/51 1st V. Martick - Velocette 2nd N. Forsythe - Triumph 3rd D. Emmett - BSA

1951/52 1st P.Williams - Triumph 2nd V. Martick - Velocette 3rd N. Ricard - Dot

1952/53 No Results 

1953/54 1st B. Ferrier - Ariel 2nd K. Horgan - Matchless 3rd A.Ploen - Matchless

1954/55 1st J. Williams - Royal Enfield 2nd S.Cameron -Villiers 3rd L.Aislabie - Ariel

1955/56 

Open - (Christchurch)

1st P. Hughey - AJS 2nd J.Anderson - Matchless 3rd A. Ferguson - Matchless

350cc - (Putaruru) 

1st P. Night - BSA 2nd R.Beaumont - Dot 3rd B. Schenkel - Francis Barnett

250cc - (Wellington)

1st K. Cleghorn - Francis Barnett 2nd D. Buchanan - Dot 3rd A. Ferguson - Dot

1956/57

Open - (Manawatu)

1st K. Cleghorn - AJS 2nd P. McKegney - AJS 3rd D.Buchanan – Dot

350cc - (Wellington)

1st K Cleghorn - AJS 2nd P.McKegney - AJS 3rd B.Groucott – AJS

250cc - No Results