2020 GTR MotoStars Team Announced
A new team will make its Australian racing debut in 2020, with the newly formed GTR MotoStars Team to be run by former FX Pro Twins Champion and ASBK stalwart Heath Griffin and MotoStars’ founder and former MotoGP racer Damian Cudlin.
The team has formed as a Yamaha backed racing program within the Supersport 300, R3 Cup and Supersport 600 classes in the 2020 Australian Superbike Championships, and will field 13-year-old Archie McDonald on a pair Yamaha R3s, who will be joined in the garage by 16-year-old Max Stauffer on the team’s newly developed Yamaha R6.
Coming from a successful 2019, notching up lap records and race wins in the Supersport 300 and R3 Cup classes, Max Stauffer will make the jump up to the Supersport 600 class aboard the Yamaha R6 under the watchful eye of his Dad, crew chief, and multiple ASBK Champ, Jamie Stauffer.
Max Stauffer
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to race with the GTR MotoStars Team and I want to learn as much as I can in 2020. Working with guys like Heath, Damo, and of course my Dad, Jamie, is a dream come true. I’m really excited to step up to the 600 class and I hope to mix it up at the pointy end as soon as I can.”
Max Stauffer (left) and Archie McDonald (right)
Archie McDonald is a current Australian Junior Dirt Track Champion and turned to road racing just over a year ago – learning the craft at MotoStars training and coaching days. He soon became a regular race winner at MotoStars Nationals and went on to compete in the inaugural Oceania Junior Cup in 2019 – a season that featured race wins and fourth overall in the series.
Archie McDonald
“I’m absolutely thrilled and immensely proud to represent the GTR MotoStars Team in 2020. I come from a humble dirt track background and am still relatively new to road racing. I raced in the OJC last year and always maintained a strong dedication to the MotoStars training and coaching days under the guidance of Damian Cudlin. Having the opportunity to work with him again, Heath Griffin and Jamie Stauffer, while being teamed up with Max Stauffer is every kids dream. I have to thank everyone who’s helped me reach this point and I can’t wait for Round 1.”
Archie McDonald
With two very talented young riders, the aim of the GTR MotoStars Team is to bring through and develop outstanding talent within Australia, forging a pathway starting from MotoStars, to the OJC, onto 300s and eventually into Supersport 600.
Damian Cudlin
“Since the inception of MotoStars, I’ve worked with plenty of talent here in Australia that just need more opportunities to succeed. When Heath came to me with the idea of building a pathway for riders from MotoStars to ASBK, I was keen to be a part of it, and thankfully Yamaha and a host of our sponsors were too. Archie and Max have both been regulars at MotoStars events and have made an impact already within ASBK. I’m excited to see what they can achieve this year with a bit of help and support.”
The GTR MotoStars Team will compete in the R3, SS300 and Supersport classes
Heath Griffin
“I’m extremely excited to be able to offer this opportunity for two exceptionally talented young Australian riders in Max and Archie to progress their road racing careers through our GTR Motorstars Team program for 2020. I believe we have put together a great group of people to be able to support and progress our riders, and help them maximize their potential. In Damian Cudlin we have Australia’s premier junior road racing coach to assist in our rider’s development both on and off the track, as well as providing technical and strategic advice to the team as a whole. Jamie Stauffer is a crew chief that many of Australia’s top Superbike riders would love to have in their corner, and his company Doctor Mak Engines already supplies many ASBK front runners with engine building, dyno mapping and suspension tuning services. Damo and Jamie are also two of the most successful Superbike riders to come out of this country in the past 20 years, and provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. Highly experienced Brian Shields is also on board as our team mechanic. Brian has been a fixture in dirt track and road racing pit garages for several decades, firstly with his son Adam, then Jamie, and now Max and Archie benefitting from his skills, work ethic and strong attention to detail. I feel extremely privileged to be working with such a talented pair of riders, and our skillful and experienced crew in 2020, and I can’t wait to get the season underway at Round 1 of WSBK at Phillip Island”.
The GTR MotoStars Team is supported by Yamaha Australia, YRD, RS+C Precision CNC, Doctor Mak Engines, Bikebiz, Motul Oils, RK Chains, Pirelli Tyres, Racers Edge and Ricondi Leathers.
Source: MCNews.com.au