There's a tantalising new goal for seven of the country's top racers going into the third round of the Star Insure New Zealand Superbike Championship.
For the first time, competitors will be racing for the Aaron Slight Trophy in honour of Aaron Slight, who achieved legendary status during his years racing for Kawasaki and Honda in the World Superbike Championship.
This new trophy will be contested by each class in the feature race on Sunday morning, this weekend at Hampton Downs.
"Not only are we restoring the mana of the Grand Prix and TT titles at specific rounds, but we're adding another prestigious award, which means this year riders will now be chasing the additional bragging rights of a 'Triple Crown'," NZSBK promoter Mike Marsden says.
"It has always been our intention to have a feature race at each round and I cannot think of a better person to honour in terms of their past and continuing contribution to the sport of road racing.
"Aaron was not only a fantastic, colourful, gutsy and successful competitor at world level, he has also subsequently given of his time to be a wonderful supporter, mentor and backer of a new wave of Kiwi racers.
"We had the GP titles at the massively successful Ruapuna round, we have the TT at the final round at Taupo and now we have the Aaron Slight Trophy at Hampton Downs."
Those in the running for the triple crown are Grand Prix winners from Ruapuna: Rogan Chandler (Superbike), Jake Lewis (Supersport), Zak Fuller (Sportbike), Dennis Charlett (Protwin), Hunter Charlett (150 and 300 Supersport) and sidecar pairing Phil Law and Angus Ravenwood.
But the focus for superbike riders doesn't end there.
The final six championship races, fought out over two consecutive weekends, will crown the Superbike Series champion and the first recipient of the Aaron Slight Championship Trophy — a striking, lifelike sculpture capturing Aaron in his prime.
From this year, the Trophy, is to be presented annually to the top points scorer in the premier class of the New Zealand Superbike Championship.
"I am so proud to be asked to put my name to the trophy that goes to the country's top superbike rider," says Slight, who has recently "modelled" for the three-dimensional award.
