Sydney’s Josh Brookes has spoken about his shock last minute call-up to replace countryman Broc Parkes on the Echo CRS Honda team at this weekend’s Superbike World Championship season opener at Phillip Island, looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.

Brookes will take the reins of Parkes’ Echo CRS Honda CBR1000RR, on a circuit where he was a prolific winner during his domestic racing years, and also where he won the 2004 World Supersport round as a wildcard after a stirring battle against fellow Australian Kevin Curtain.

Brookes now competes in the British Superbike Championship with the factory HM Plant Honda team, where he was fourth as rookie in 2009.

“I got the call up by the Echo-CRS team to replace Broc after he got injured so I got straight in touch with the HM Plant Honda team and asked if I could do the race and they said yes,” said Brookes. “So from then on it’s been a mad rush trying to get things organised. I am at Phillip Island for the test which is great because I don’t know a single thing about the bike or the team. This test will allow me to get to know the bike and the guys I will be working with before the race weekend.”

Although Brookes has won at the Island before as a wildcard, he’s more than aware that the task for this weekend on a privateer Superbike will be a difficult one against the many factory-backed efforts.

“I’m excited to be in WSBK again, but I really don’t know what to expect just yet because history tells us that jumping on someone else’s bike at the last minute doesn’t always make a good race result,” Brookes explained. “I always try my best and I have had great success at Phillip Island before so you just never know what will happen. Also to ride in front of the Aussie fans again will be amazing. I have lots of support here at home and they obviously haven’t been able to come and watch me race at the track when I am in the UK so they have been missing the JB action recently.”

Brookes was 19th quickest with a 1:33.7 lap yesterday in his debut with the team, missing this morning’s session due to a technical difficulty with the CBR1000RR.