Today in motorcycle history, February 28, 2010

  

  

  

  The 2010 Superbike World Championship season kicks off at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia.

 

  Phillip Island hosted its first Superbike World Championship (a.k.a. SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) in 1990, taking over from Sydney's Oran Park Raceway as the Australian round of the series.

  Oran Park was established by the Singer Car Club in 1962 and closed in January of 2010 when it was sold to the Government of New South Wales with the land to be used, sadly, as a housing development.  The circuit was known for where London-born, 45-time Grand Prix race winner, six-time World Champion, James "Jim" Albert Redman MBE reigned supreme.

  The season will end at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, ex-home of the Bol d'Or 24-hour motorcycle endurance race.  Magny-Cours is located in beautiful central France, about 160 miles from Paris.