(HAMILTON, ON / May 12, 2010) Steven Nickerson will race a Honda CBR600RR in the Amateur Sport Bike division of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship this summer. Primary sponsorship for the effort will come from DeWildt Honda Powerhouse in Hamilton. The 15-year-old Nickerson is coming off a championship season in the Honda CBR125R Challenge, his first national road racing title. “I am excited about the upcoming season,” said the Hamilton racer. “I am still learning the Honda CBR600RR but enjoying every minute of riding and having fun doing it.” Nickerson has already been busy preparing for the new race season. He attended the Kevin Schwantz School at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama March 20-21. The legendary Schwantz enjoyed a stellar career at motorcycle racing’s highest level, winning the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship in 1993. Nickerson had his first track experience with his new bike on April 18 at Toronto Motorsport Park in Cayuga, ON, and was also part of a test day with Elka Suspension on April 29. The Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que., near Montreal, May 28-30. Despite his young age Nickerson already has six years of racing experience under his belt. He got his start on dirt ovals, winning the Welland County 50cc championship in 2003 before claiming back-to-back Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA) 65cc National Dirt Track titles in 2004-05. He was also the ’05 Ontario 65cc champion and placed second in the CMA national 85cc dirt track rankings in 2006. Nickerson has been no less successful since making the switch to pavement. In 2008 he claimed the RACE SuperSeries Amateur 125cc road racing title at Shannonville Motorsport Park, near Belleville, ON. In last year’s Honda CBR125R Challenge Nickerson enjoyed a season-long battle for the title with Warman, Sask. youngster Bodhi Edie. Nickerson won three of the nine series rounds and never finished worse than third in clinching his first national road racing title. Nickerson will enter the 2010 Amateur Sport Bike series as one of the favourites for the crown. The series has been a stepping stone for a number of Canada’s up and coming road racing stars, including Saskatoon’s Brett McCormick, who recently landed a prime seat in the AMA Pro American SuperBike Series. “I’m looking forward to the Amateur Sport Bike series but I think the competition will be tough,” Nickerson admitted. “Fortunately I’m now familiar with the race tracks we will be visiting and with more seat time I’m getting more confident in the Honda.” Scott Laidman and Brian Cranston will make up Nickerson’s crew. Additional sponsorship for his 2010 race effort comes from Nexo Sports, Elka Suspension, Inside Motorcycles magazine, Motovan, Zox Helmets, Essential Image, Motoconcepts, Taylor Steel, Ultimate Cycle, Bullivant and Associates, Tech Spec, Pirelli, Mimic Bodywork, Hindle Exhaust, Performance Under Gear and Impact Racing Components.