MOTORCYCLE
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The Illawarra's reputation for producing top-shelf motorcycle racers is growing.
First it was the Wollongong Whiz, Wayne Gardner, and then two-time world champion Troy Corser. Now, Oak Flats' Mitchell Carr follows in 2013.
Carr will join the prestigious World Superbike circuit from February, riding in the 600cc Supersport category with a new Australian-owned team.
"I am so excited because we've been chipping away at the Australian title for so many years and now that we've won that, the team and myself just want to go bigger and better," Carr said.
"To have the opportunity is awesome, really, because you've got so many talented Australian riders and they just struggle to get overseas, just because of the money commitments.
"I'm just lucky that I've got a team that wants to go and that I've been given the opportunity."
After winning the Australian Supersport championship with a privateer set-up in October, Carr is confident he has what it takes to be competitive.
The 24-year-old is the sole rider in Australian team Aark Racing, funded by West Australian electrical company Aark.
Carr gauged his potential against the world's best in October, when factory Supersport invited him to ride at the iconic Magny-Cours in France.
"That experience confirmed that if we were to go, we would do a better job with our own set-up and with a bike we have already thoroughly tested," Carr said.
"I'll be riding a Triumph 675R - similar to the one we won the Australian title with but up to world spec.
"We've been developing the bike all year down to the Pirelli tyres and all the motec electronics with traction control and all that sort of stuff.
"Everything's up to speed, it's just now a matter of getting it over there."
The six-member team will be complete with a full semi-trailer set-up tailormade to travel the predominant European leg of the championship.
All going well, Carr is hopeful of becoming a consistent top-10 force, but admits it's not going to be easy.
"Jess, my fiancee, and I will be motor-homing it a lot of the time and doing it that way. It is a bit tough and it is the best way of doing it," Carr said.
"We're going through all the finer details now. I'm drumming up some personal sponsors now, some helmet sponsors and other sponsors to help me with living expenses - any bit of help I can get from the Illawarra community is greatly appreciated.
"We just want to go over there and showcase ourselves as best we can, and simply go from there."
The 2013 championship gets under way at Australia's Phillip Island round on February 22-24.