Jack Miller will join the Alpinestars Superbike class upon his return to the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) for its 2022 finale at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia on the final weekend of November.
The announcement comes after the three-time MotoGP World Championship winner hinted at a return to the ASBK Championship following his surprise entry into the race last year.
"If it fits, I'll be back for sure," he said on the podium in 2021.
"You know I love riding motorcycles. I'd love to come back and do it again."
Miller's pending return to the International Circuit at Tailem Bend cause some unease amongst his competitors, despite current leader Mike Jones, who is 29 points clear at the top, and second-placed Wayne Maxwell coming off strong seasons, the latter having scored a round-perfect 51 points at the most recent event at Morgan Park.
Jones has finished every race and secured a number of critical wins aboard his Yamaha this year, but Miller's return could pose a serious threat to his podium hopes at The Bend during the crescendo to the 2022 season.
CEO of Motorcycling Australia, Peter Doyle, said that the inclusion of Miller in this year's championship finale will be a major draw-card for the event.
“Last year, we saw huge interest in the ASBK Championship event at The Bend and Jack’s return will be exciting," he said.
"Not only did he bring enormous domestic and international attention to the racing on offer but brought attention to the high quality and standard of the ASBK championship we have here in Australia.
"We are really looking forward to seeing him arrive at The Bend in November and hope that like last year, he can have some fun and put on a great show for the fans.”
The Bend's Managing Director, Sam Shahin, was equally enthusiastic about Miller's return, particularly after the success of his surprise 2021 appearance.
“Jack is an icon of the sport. It is wonderful to see Aussie riders maintain an interest in the sport in Australia and be willing to come back and thrill crowds here as they do around the world," he said.
"It is an endorsement of the health of motorcycle racing in Australia."
South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, praised The Bends for securing the 27-year-old at the event, despite it arriving not long after the culmination of the MotoGP season.
“South Australia has a proud history of putting on great events and I am pleased to see another great event planned for The Bend this November," he said.
"Australia has produced many world-class champion motorcycle riders over the years but South Australians have rarely had the opportunity to see them compete on our soil. This will be a terrific opportunity for many enthusiasts to see Jack Miller in action at the Australian Superbike championship scheduled for November this year.
I congratulate The Bend for pulling a coup in securing his Jack's appearance at their event.”
The final round of the Australian Superbikes Championship will be live and free on SBS and SBS On Demand.
