YMF Loan and Yamaha have been revealed as the joint series title sponsors of the 2011 Australian FX-Superbike Championship that kicks off at Eastern Creek Raceway on 12-13 March.

The 2011 Formula Xtreme-based winter series will officially be called the YMF Loan Yamaha Australian FX-Superbike Championship.

YMA has been a long time sponsor for all forms of motorcycle racing in Australia over the years and has stepped up from being a multiple FX round naming rights sponsor in 2010 to the outright series naming rights sponsor in 2011.

“We are very pleased to announce the YMA has once again recognised the value of advertising its great motorcycles and industry leading finance company YMF through our series,” ARTRP managing director Terry O’Neill commented.

“In 2011 that means Yamaha will share in the massive television advertising opportunities that a sponsor and competitor receives courtesy of the AFX-SBK championship series seventy-two half hour televised shows on both the SBS network and the high profile FOX SPEED channel.

“In racing winning is extremely important for any brand but to also have a serious chance of winning in front of the biggest combined TV audience for domestic racing in the country makes it all the more worthwhile for the sponsors and competitors alike.”

As part of the sponsorship package, it has also been announced that the C and D grade series overall champions in both the YMF Loan and Yamaha sponsored FX600 and FX-Superbike Championship classes will receive a Yamaha YZ450F motocross bike valued at $12,099.

“Having four YZ450F bike prizes will be great for all the C and D graders in FX600 and our premier FX-Superbike classes,” O’Neill added.

“Now every rider in the field whether they are an A or B grader out front or a C or D grader further down the field will have the opportunity of being recognised and rewarded for winning.”

YMA managing director Steven Cotterell is pleased to increase Yamaha’s involvement with the FX series in 2011.

“YMA is delighted to increase its involvement in racing for 2011,” he said. “Having competed in the FX Superbike Championship for many years, we appreciate the benefits received from the media exposure that the series generates.

“Our aim is to increase grassroots participation in road racing and we see this series as a great entry level platform for riders to start competing. This goal is also the reason we are offering prizes for the C and D grade riders.

“The incentive of winning one of our revolutionary YZ450F motocross bikes – which we know a lot of riders will appreciate for cross training and skills honing – is designed to increase the participation level in the series.“

The 2011 AFX-SBK series will be contested over six rounds this season.