The 2026 ASBK season started at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit last weekend, with challenging conditions. Riders from the factory-supported Kawasaki BCperformance Team, the Champion’s Ride Days Team and privateer Team Green all made statements as the championship began.

After limited track time and a tight turnaround preparing their machines, the BCperformance squad emerged as one of the standout teams of the weekend. Both riders aboard the new Next-Gen Ninja ZX-6R impressed throughout the three races.“We had a fantastic weekend,” said Team Manager Kelvin Reilly. “For the first time out on these new Next Gen Ninja ZX-6R’s, we had a fantastic weekend — both Hayden and Tom rode impressively in all conditions and the team did a fantastic job putting together these bikes in such a short amount of time. A big thanks must go to all our partners for making this happen.”Champion’s Ride Days Race Team Stakes Its Claim (make sure you use Champions team images here, the bikes have it written on them on the side)

The Champion’s Ride Days Race Team, a unique squad blending grassroots track-day culture with professional race support, also made an early mark in 2026’s opening round. Champion’s Ride Days has been a cornerstone of Australian rider development and track experience for more than 20 years, organising ride days and training while nurturing competitive racers into ASBK’s hotly contested Supersport 300 class.At Phillip Island, Riley Nauta was one of the standout performers in the Supersport 300 division for the team. Nauta began the weekend strongly by winning the first race and setting the fastest lap in class — a performance that showed he’s carrying excellent late-2025 form into the new season. Despite a tougher final encounter that saw him slip down the order, his early pace underlined the team’s potential.Teammate Orlando Peovitis also impressed on the Kawasaki Ninja 400, qualifying on pole and laying down competitive race pace among one of the biggest fields in the class. While wet conditions in Race 3 hampered his results, his overall weekend performance reflected the depth of talent within the Champion’s Ride Days camp.Champion’s Ride Days’ involvement in ASBK not only highlights competitive aspirations but also underscores the organisation’s broader commitment to growing two-wheeled sport — from beginner ride days right through to national racing. Their dual program approach gives young riders a pathway to professional competition while maintaining strong grassroots engagement.BCperformance and Team Green Also Deliver:

Qualifying on Saturday, Hayden Nelson delivered a stunning performance to take P1 in Supersport, with teammate Tom Edwards close behind in P3. Nelson backed up his pace with consistent results on race day, finishing second and third in the opening pair of races. Edwards was equally impressive, scoring a narrow victory in Race 2 by just 0.045 seconds and ending the weekend as the highest-point scorer for Kawasaki.Privateer Team Green rider Tom Nicolson continued Kawasaki’s strong presence in the Supersport 300 ranks, riding consistently to finish in the top 10 and marking another positive start for Kawasaki machinery in club competition.Looking Ahead:

With Round 1 in the books and valuable championship points on the board, Kawasaki teams and riders — from seasoned pros to rising stars — now turn their focus to Round 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park later next month. Motorsport fans across Australia are already anticipating more thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing as the Ninja-powered contingent looks to build on an impressive opening weekend.

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