[Racer Duck]

Organisers of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island are advising fans to book early, with Casey Stoner’s world championship win in 2007 creating unprecedented interest in the sport.

Tickets to the VIP hospitality offerings are being snapped up by committed fans eager not to miss out on the action at Phillip Island from 3 – 5 October, with some facilities already at capacity.

And there’s another reason to book tickets now: until May 29, tickets are on sale at 2007 prices.






The strong early ticket sales come hot on the heels of a record year for the Australian leg of the MotoGP World Championship, with more than 115,000 flocking to Phillip Island in 2007 – an increase of 23 per cent on the 2006 crowd.

"The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is in great shape and remains one of the country’s flagship regional events," said Drew Ward, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

"For the first time in a decade we’ve got an Aussie world champion and two other Australians in the competition. Chris Vermeulen finished last year in sixth place and Anthony West secured a full-time ride with Kawasaki.

"This year, the Spanish young guns, Lorenzo and Pedrosa, have dominated the early races and now, the Doctor, Valentino Rossi, has rediscovered winning form. Casey Stoner is not far off the pace.

"All this has set the stage for an awesome year of racing and local fans are saying they can’t wait to be a part of it."

A total of 25 points – or one race win – is all that separates the top four riders of Dani Pedrosa (81 points), Jorge Lorenzo (74), Valentino Rossi (72) and Casey Stoner (56).

While the three Aussie MotoGP stars have all had a tougher start to the season than they would have hoped for, this hasn’t deterred bike fans.

"Phillip Island can’t really sell out because of the large general admission areas around the circuit but there is a limit to our VIP hospitality and the number of grandstand seats we can offer," said Mr Ward.

"So while we can promise everyone a place in general admission, we advise people who want VIP hospitality or grandstand places to book early.

"Last year we had a record crowd and a fantastic weekend with Australia’s new world champion winning the event. We’re anticipating another big crowd this year."

"We need to increase prices modestly from May 30 to help cover the costs of staging the MotoGP, but you can avoid any increase if you buy before then," said Mr Ward.

Source: Paddock Talk