Sadowski Brothers to Compete in New Zealand 600cc Supersport Championships David and Matthew Sadowski, sons of former Daytona 200 winner David Sadowski Sr., are set to compete in New Zealand’s upcoming 600cc Supersport Championships. Long considered one of the South Pacific’s premiere road race series, it begins in late December and includes five stops over consecutive weekends. “Kiwi” Steve Vlasblom, whom the Sr. Sadowski was teamed up with for the AMA Pro Superbike series in the ’90s, has put up the initial funding to secure the Sadowski brothers top-tier R-6 Yamahas specially prepared by Bernard Racing Motorsports Ltd. in New Zealand. With Vlasblom by his side Sadowski won the 1994 and 1997 Formula USA championships and “Ski” regularly finished in the top five in the AMA Superbike series as a privateer. “David and I were a strong pairing able to overcome all the odds as privateers to achieve what we did in motorsports,” said Vlasblom. “This will be no different, except we are now older and wiser and can coach David’s already very fast boys through what we learned together.” David Sadowski Jr., 19, has two seasons in AMA pro road race competition under his belt, while his brother Matthew, who recently turned 18, has just received his AMA Pro license after a very successful 2007 season in AMA amateur events, as well as AFM, ASRA and WERA events. Both have also logged thousands of track miles as instructors for the Pacific Tracktime. They’re looking forward to a move internationally during the U.S. off-season. New Zealand’s series has long been a popular venue for many top GP riders during the winter off season. GP greats like Pat Hennen, Randy Mamola and Greg Hansford credited it with having served as an important steppingstone to their careers in what is now called MotoGP. Hennen, recently inducted into the AMA’s Hall of Fame, won the series three consecutive years in the mid-’70s before joining the MotoGP circuit and is still a legendary sports figure in New Zealand to this day. He went on to become the first American to win a MotoGP event, the ’76 Finnish GP, finishing 3rd overall in World GP that season and again in ’77. Kenny Roberts joined Hennen on the MotoGP circuit in ’78 and the two competed head to head for the championship until a serious accident on the Isle of Man forced Hennen’s retirement from racing. MotoGP historians credit his many successes as having paved the way for all the American GP champions that followed him on to greatness. Mamola got his first taste of international-level competition in NZ, shortly after he turned 18. He credits it with having taught him the basic road racing skills that helped him to go on and record numerous MotoGP wins during his long and illustrious GP career. “We can’t wait to get on the plane and go racing in New Zealand,” said Sadowski Jr. “We owe many thanks to Pat Hennen’s brother Chip, our Dad, and especially Steve Vlasblom for making this possible. I hope to win it all down under on Brian Bernard’s team. To win the New Zealand championship and come back to the U.S. a lot stronger is now my goal.” Commented Matthew Sadowski, “I see this as a steppingstone to where we are already headed. This will help accelerate the process. I’m sure my brother and I will give the locals fits for the title. I want to ride at the World level as soon as possible and think this will help me get there.” Sadowski Sr. and Vlasblom helped to organize the Sadowski brothers trip to NZ and are seeking interested sponsors/individuals to help support the two young American riders. “Right now we have a few pledges for support, but we need some more help for the other team payments due in January and expenses like travel and insurance,” says Sadowski Sr. “This trip came about very quickly, so we are pressed for time. We’d love to see Matthew or David Jr. come out on top in the NZ Championships in their first season there. The racing environment will be quite different in New Zealand I’m told by those who have competed there. Yamaha NZ team owner Brian Bernard, who raced against Sadowski Sr. and Vlasblom in America for 8 years, tells me it’s extremely competitive, with nearly all the top riders in the South Pacific competing in it. I’m very grateful for all the support we’ve received so far,” he added. Sponsorship or individual support inquiries/pledges should be sent to [email protected]