Who doesn’t know the name of Clint Seller in motorcycle racing circles? To put it simply, he is the rider who has dominated the National Superbike Series for the past decade, with an unprecedented ten titles under his belt.
Heading into the 2024 season, Clint will again be in action on the race tracks of South Africa but, this time, in the unfamiliar (for him) SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters Cup. As with so many riders who have won multiple titles, adding yet another in the same series would do little to inspire the sporting competition appetite that obviously still burns brightly inside him so a move to the impressively supported ZX10 series makes a lot of sense: he will get to prove that the talent lies within him and not only in the bike he is riding (not that anyone ever thought that, of course, but, well, you understand…!)
Even for such an experienced rider, a new series will throw up plenty of challenges, not least of which is building an unfamiliar bike that still conforms to the stringent regulations, while also making it competitive. Due to the relatively late decision to enter the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup, Clint has had little opportunity to ride his new mount in anger, as all the available time has been taken up building the bike. However, it would be a brave man who would bet against Clint and his very experienced and skilled team fighting at the front from the very first round.
As before, one of Clint’s main sponsors will be lubricant and associated product manufacturer Liqui Moly. This is a partnership that has been in place since Clint started his own team;
“I started my team in 2019 and I knew that I needed a fast bike cause I wanted to show I could win the championship as a rider and team owner,” said Clint. “In years past with previous teams I rode for, we did back-to-back horsepower tests and with Liqui Moly oil the bikes made the most power. Therefore I was either going to buy the Liqui Moly products or bring Liqui Moly in as a sponsor to make sure I won, but I was extremely fortunate that Melicia Labuschagne (head of Liqui Moly SA), believed in my team’s dream and has backed me from day one.
“Continuing the partnership into the 2024 season, Liqui Moly is a financial partner of the team as well as a product sponsor. They will also be invited to all our races to give technical advice where we need it. We give them feedback after every race and ask for advice as much as possible, which they are always willing to give. It’s a partnership that benefits both parties.”
If it seems strange that Clint is turning his back on the National Superbike Series, the answer, sadly, comes as no surprise.
“The National Class unfortunately has lost all TV coverage and spectator support. Our team was spending huge money and massive budgets to race at what felt like a track day, with little publicity return for the sponsors and partners. The SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup class races as part of the Extreme tour alongside the National car racing class. This helps to bring in large crowds and excellent TV coverage. This is not only important to me as a rider but important to our partners and sponsors.
“Another thing to take into account is the fact that there are 45 riders in the ZX10 cup series, which is by far the most riders in a single class in SA racing. I can’t wait to pit myself and my team, sponsors and partners against riders who have been in the series for years: it’s going to be a great show and a big challenge for me and the team but one we are confident of meeting.”
Clint’s King Price Xtreme racing team also hopes to continue its association with promising up-and-coming riders Blake and Cayden Robert. At the time of writing, however, these plans are yet to be finalised but we’ll be sure to bring you any news or developments as they happen.
In the meantime, do yourselves a favour and attend a round or two of the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup rounds, which will be taking place at race tracks all around South Africa (more info here).
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The first round of the championship has just taken place at Red Star Raceway and Clint showed the field just what class is by taking pole position and the win in both races. What’s more, he really stamped his authority on proceedings by setting a new lap record for the ZX10 class at the circuit in the low 1:53 bracket, while his rivals were mostly lapping in the 1:57+ bracket, only AJ Venter and Damion Purificati below that time. If he can maintain that level of superiority throughout the rest of the season, the rest of the field is going to have a thin time of it although now they know what they are up against, they are sure to up their game, which we hope they can do so that we can enjoy some close racing with the result in doubt to the last corner of the last lap of each race.
