Aaron Slight
Encyclopedia
Aaron Tony Slight is a former professional motorcycle
road racer
who has recently dabbled in car racing and now fronts the AA Torque
Show.
He was Australian Superbike
Champion in 1991, before spending most of the 1990s racing in the Superbike World Championship
, amassing 87 podiums, 13 wins and 8 pole. He is also the only rider to win the Suzuka 8 Hours
race in three successive years, having done so in 1993-1995.
He won his first WSB race in 1992
on a Kawasaki
for Team Moving Kawasaki. On a factory Castrol
Honda
he was third overall in 1994
and 1995
, taking his first Honda
win at Albacete
. The only real low note was Laguna Seca
in 1995, where a poorly-handling Honda and many local wildcards left him 18th on the grid. He was runner-up to Troy Corser
in 1996
, and third again in 1997
as team-mate John Kocinski
won the title.
In 1998
he was second to Carl Fogarty
by 5.5 points (half points having been awarded in the shortened Laguna Seca
race 1), only missing the title due to mishaps such as a last-lap engine failure at Monza
, a last-lap incident with back-marker Jean-Marc Deletang at Philip Island
, and missing race 2 at Laguna Seca due to a startline pileup on the aborted attempt to restart the first race. He did however take his first career double victory, at Misano.
He did not win a race in 1999; he crossed the line first in race 1 at Hockenheimring
after passing Carl Fogarty
on the last lap, but a red flag has been shown due to an incident elsewhere on the track, so the results were taken a lap back. Ironically, as Fogarty had already clinched the title, he did not need to win the race.
He missed the start of the season in 2000 and then made his final appearance in the Opening Round of the 2001 American Superbike Championship at Daytona Speedway. He raced in the British Touring Car Championship
, Stock Car Speed Association (ASCAR) and the British GT Championship
.
birth 14 January 1979
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
who has recently dabbled in car racing and now fronts the AA Torque
AA Torque
The AA Torque Show is a New Zealand television series about motor vehicles, mainly cars. The half-hour programme was first screened on TV ONE in 2005 and the second series is expected to be screened on Prime Television in April 2007....
Show.
He was Australian Superbike
Superbike racing
Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs modified production motorcycles. Superbike World Championship is the international superbike championship, and national superbike championships are held in many countries as well, including the United Kingdom, the United States,...
Champion in 1991, before spending most of the 1990s racing in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
, amassing 87 podiums, 13 wins and 8 pole. He is also the only rider to win the Suzuka 8 Hours
Suzuka 8 Hours
The is a motorcycle endurance race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan each year. As the name implies, the race runs for eight hours consecutively and teams are composed of two riders and one alternate.-History:...
race in three successive years, having done so in 1993-1995.
He won his first WSB race in 1992
1992 Superbike World Championship season
The 1992 Superbike World Championship season was the 5th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on April 5 at Albacete, and finished on October 25 at Manfeild after 13 rounds....
on a Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
for Team Moving Kawasaki. On a factory Castrol
Castrol
Castrol is a brand of industrial and automotive lubricants which is applied to a large range of oils, greases and similar products for most lubrication applications...
Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
he was third overall in 1994
1994 Superbike World Championship season
The 1994 Superbike World Championship season was the 7th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on May 2 at Donington, and finished on October 30 at Phillip Island after 11 rounds....
and 1995
1995 Superbike World Championship season
The 1995 Superbike World Championship season was the 8th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on May 7 at Hockenheim, and finished on October 29 at Phillip Island after 12 rounds....
, taking his first Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
win at Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
. The only real low note was Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
in 1995, where a poorly-handling Honda and many local wildcards left him 18th on the grid. He was runner-up to Troy Corser
Troy Corser
Troy Gordon Corser is a professional motorcycle road racer, the and Superbike World champion....
in 1996
1996 Superbike World Championship season
The 1996 Superbike World Championship season was the 9th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on April 14 at Misano, and finished on October 27 at Phillip Island after 12 rounds....
, and third again in 1997
1997 Superbike World Championship season
The 1997 Superbike World Championship season was the 10th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 23 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 12 at Sentul after 12 rounds....
as team-mate John Kocinski
John Kocinski
John Kocinski is a retired Grand Prix motorcycle road racer whose successes include winning the 1990 250cc World Championship, and the 1997 Superbike World Championship title.-Early years:...
won the title.
In 1998
1998 Superbike World Championship season
The 1998 Superbike World Championship season was the 11th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 22 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 4 at Sugo after 12 rounds....
he was second to Carl Fogarty
Carl Fogarty
Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins...
by 5.5 points (half points having been awarded in the shortened Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
race 1), only missing the title due to mishaps such as a last-lap engine failure at Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, a last-lap incident with back-marker Jean-Marc Deletang at Philip Island
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
, and missing race 2 at Laguna Seca due to a startline pileup on the aborted attempt to restart the first race. He did however take his first career double victory, at Misano.
He did not win a race in 1999; he crossed the line first in race 1 at Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
after passing Carl Fogarty
Carl Fogarty
Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins...
on the last lap, but a red flag has been shown due to an incident elsewhere on the track, so the results were taken a lap back. Ironically, as Fogarty had already clinched the title, he did not need to win the race.
He missed the start of the season in 2000 and then made his final appearance in the Opening Round of the 2001 American Superbike Championship at Daytona Speedway. He raced in the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
, Stock Car Speed Association (ASCAR) and the British GT Championship
British GT Championship
The Avon Tyres British GT Championship is a sports car racing series currently based in the United Kingdom, although they have had select races outside of Britain in the past few years. The series was created by the British Racing Drivers' Club in 1993 and for its first two seasons was called the...
.
External links
birth 14 January 1979