The organizers of the California State Championship road racing series have finalized the dates of the three-round series, announced sponsors, a novice affiliate program and have announced plans to include a six-hour endurance race at Willow Springs International Raceway.

“With the depth of companies lined up to provide sponsorship for the racers, and with the depth of talented riders who already have signed up to race in the series, the battle for the California State Championship will be intense,” says Shandra Crawford, California State Championship organizer.

Three motorcycle road racing sanctioning bodies the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club, the AFM, and WERA West will each host a round of the championship series. Racers will compete for an Overall Championship and class championships.

The races that count toward the California State Championship will be part of the regular race weekend for each organization, and at each round, the host sanctioning body’s technical and operational regulations will be in effect. The state championship will be open to any racer with an Expert license and at least age 16 by the first event in May 2010.

WERA West will host the first round of the championship at its round at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on May 8-9, with AFM hosting the next round at Infineon Raceway on July 31-Aug. 1 and WSMC hosting the finale on Sept. 18-19. On that weekend, plans include a six-hour endurance race on Saturday, Sept. 18, with classes for Open Superbike and Superstock, Middleweight Superbike and Superstock, and Lightweight Superbike.

At this point, sponsors for the series overall or for individual classes include Sunoco fuels, Motion Pro, the Yamaha Champions Riding School, Factory Body Works, Leo Vince exhausts, the Dainese D-Stores in Costa Mesa and San Francisco, Driven, Galfer, Safari Cycle, GPR Stabilizers, Catalyst Reaction Suspension, Hypercycle Track Days, ASV levers, Intuitive Race Products frame and knee sliders, and RK Excel chains. In addition, Sunoco, Dunlop, Michelin, Bridgestone, Pirelli and Continental all are paying bonus contingency at the end of the series for top finishers on their brands, Crawford says.

While the series is open only to Expert riders, Novice racers can purchase a $20 Novice Affiliate Membership which qualifies them for sponsorship support from the companies who have signed on as sponsors of the series.

Information about sponsorship, membership, the specific class structures and links to each of the host club rulebooks can be found at www.CaStateChampionship.com.