James Murphy
FURNER motorcycle racer Dallas Skeer will kick off his 2023 Australian Superbike Championship this weekend with the opening round at the Phillip Island circuit.
A big crash in practice has left Skeer sore and injured, but with the all clear to ride he will not hold back in the series opener.
“I have a back injury, but I have clearance to race,” he said of the incident.
“I’ll have to keep that in the back of my head but I want to go out there and get some points on the board and get the first round out of the way.”
Skeer said testing at Phillip Island in January went well and he set new personal best times at the track aboard his Yamaha r6.
For a circuit he previously did not enjoy, he now enters Round 1 “quietly confident” in his bike and abilities.
“It never was a track that I gelled with,” Skeer said.
“It is a really fast track, but the last two or so years I have gotten there quite a bit and have a lot of testing under my belt.
“Now it is a track I actually enjoy quite a bit.
“Last time I raced there I was battling for podiums.”
Last year bikes troubles caused headaches for Skeer and his team, but this time around he hoped for a faultless setup.
“To be honest we probably have the best package now that I have ever had,” he said.
“We have our MoTeC electronics package which we have never had before.
“My bikes are prepped the best they have ever been from a mechanical end and are probably one of the best bikes I have ridden.”
Skeer expected his rivals to have a few tricks up their sleeves as well, but his goal for this round of the Superbike series was a podium finish.
Long term Skeer has his sights set on the Supersport championship honours.
“I definitely want to win the Australian Supersport Championship this year,” he said.
“That is my number-one goal.
“We just need to stay consistent – I haven’t had a consistent year in a couple of years.
“Staying consistent in that top five and the podium as much as we can.
“No one last year finished every race, so if you can just finish every race in that top five you could even win the championship.”
Racing kicks off today with practice sessions, with racing on Saturday and Sunday.
