Power Rider Line-up for 2016
18th December 2015 – Following the announcement that Team Honda Racing will run the road and off-road racing teams under the one banner in 2016, we are pleased to now reveal the rider line-up across each discipline heading into the new racing season.
Continuing on the CBR1000RR SP after winning both the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship and the AFX-Superbike Championship in 2015 will be Troy Herfoss and the undeniably skilled and experienced Jamie Stauffer.
Herfoss and Stauffer are a powerful combination onboard the Honda CBR1000RR SP and both are looking forward to renewed success in the new year.
Herfoss: “Winning my first Superbike championship is something I will never forget and to do it for such a professional team with such a great bike just made it more memorable. I am really looking forward to riding for Honda again alongside Jamie. The atmosphere in the team is fantastic and the guys always put in 100% at every event. I can’t wait to give it another crack in 2016 for Team Honda Racing.”
Stauffer: “I finished the season on a real high this year and thoroughly enjoyed racing the Honda. I’m keen to get out there for a fresh start in 2016 and battle it out for the championship. The bike was a dream to ride at the final event this year and continuing on with the same team of people behind me is definitely a bonus. Bring on the new season.”
The Team Honda Racing off-road pits will see Jay Wilson and Dylan Long lining up to race a Honda CRF450R in both the Australian MX Nationals and the Australian Supercross Series.
Wilson won the 2015 MX2 title and spent the season under the watchful eye of former world champion Josh Coppins. With 5 senior Australian and New Zealand Motorcross and Supercross titles under his belt and FIM Junior World Championship to boot, Wilson’s move into the premiere class is timely and he is very excited to be joining the Honda family.
Wilson: “Having wrapped up the motorcross title in MX2 class this year, MX1 was always going to be my next step. It’s the premiere class and I believe it is very important to push myself as a rider so I am very excited to be going racing with Honda and the newly formed team in 2016. Paul Free and Pip Harrison have both worked very hard to put a competitive package together and I couldn’t be happier to join such a successful team of people.”
Dylan Long has also had much success in his short career so far with a 3rd place in the FIM Junior World Championship and many podium finishes in the 250 class at the MX Nationals. Long finished 7th in his first year of the Pro Open MX Nationals in 2015 and joins Team Honda Racing with a clear desire to win.
Long: “I am super excited to be joining Team Honda Racing heading into 2016 and can’t wait to get started. I have seen the success the road team has already achieved over the years and to have Pip Harrison onboard with the off-road side of things is really exciting. The knowledge that both Paul and Pip have combined will make an extremely strong team. I am really driven to win and I look forward to the 2016 season starting.”
Team Honda Racing begins a new chapter in 2016 and busy with preparations for the new project, Paul Free is also extremely excited about what the new year holds.
Free: “I couldn’t be happier with our rider line up going into 2016. Both Troy and Jamie offer massive value to our road team across all aspects of the sport. Jay and Dylan are 2 young guys in the off road scene that are hungry to make their mark in the big bike class, and I am sure they will. I can’t wait to see our teams roll out of the workshop in the new year to go to their first events.”