The 2017 Australian Superbike Championship grid continues to grow legs, in terms of rider competition wise, as young gun Mitch Levy announced this morning that he and his Levy Racing team will make the step up to the Superbike class after spending five years in the Supersport category.

Levy, who finished in second position in last year’s Australasian Supersport Championship and fifteenth in the opening round of the Yamaha Finance round of the MOTUL FIM World Supersport Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as a wildcard rider, admitted that he wanted to race in the Superbike class in 2016. However, time and money to get a Superbike ready for the year simply held them back.

Thanks to ATR (All Types of Rubbish), who have come on board as one of Levy’s major sponsors for the 2017 season, they have brought Levy and the team a Yamaha YZF-R1 to compete on in this year’s ASBK series.

“I’m extremely grateful for the backing from ATR and this amazing opportunity they are giving us,” Levy told AMCN this afternoon.

“With ATR, Sam Costanzo from Landbridge Transport, YRD (Yamaha Racing Development) and all of our other great sponsors, I believe we will have a very good debut season in the Superbike class,” added the 22-year-old.

As you would expect, Levy is very excited to get the season underway, but at the same time he is a bit nervous.

“This year’s ASBK series is shaping up to be a tough year as there are going to be a lot of good riders on the Superbike grid.

However, I believe if we do enough testing and stay clam on the bike, we should do alright,” explained Levy, who will have his first ride on the bike this Wednesday at Sydney Motorsport Park to run in the engine.

The team are in fact still waiting on parts to come in, so their Yamaha R1 machine will still be in road trim.

Levy Racing are also hoping to have another test this coming Friday at Wakefield Park. But the main test they will have will be at the ‘Island’ on the 30th of this month before the lights go out for the opening round of the ASBK at the end of February.

“I have some good guys around me who sure do know what they are doing, so hopefully we can develop a good setup and ride the Yamaha R1 to its full potential.”

Levy’s goals for year is pretty simple – To be the first privateer past the post in every race.

“If we can be the first privateer’s home in all the races that will be a good outing I believe. By the end of year I’m hoping to get a few podiums and make a name for myself up the front,” said Levy.

The hardest thing for Levy will be learning how to look after the tyres and learning how to ride fast in the early stages of the race.

“Coming off a Supersport, it’s not really an issue when it comes to conserving tyres like it is on a Superbike.

I’ll have to work on that. But that’s all part and parcel in learning how to ride a bigger bike. I’m sure we’ll figure it out with no real issues.

With the likes of Kyle Buckley, Callum Spriggs and Troy Guenther also making their Superbike debut this year, whom have battled against Levy on regular basis in the Supersport class, just what is it going to be like for Levy taking them on in the premier class?

“It’s going to be pretty cool to race against them, that’s for sure. However there are going to be so many other riders out there, who are going to be extremely fast. It’s going to a case of just do the best you can really.

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Obviously you want to be the fastest young guy to come into it for the eyes. However we are all going for better and bigger things than just to be the best rider in the middle of the pack.”

With seven rounds on the menu this year, Levy says he is looking forward to the penultimate round in September at Sydney Motorsport Park, as it is his home round and the grand finale at Phillip Island at the start of October.

“I really enjoy Phillip Island. On top of that with a year under my belt aboard the R1, I should be quite comfortable on the bike as well. So the last two rounds of the ASBK I’m really looking forward to,” concluded Levy.

The ASBK series will ignite into action on February 23-26 at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which runs in conjunction with the opening round of the Yamaha Finance round of the 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.

Words and Photos: Russell Colvin

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