Ashcourt Racing has announced Kiwi Damon Rees will line up in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship for the team next season.
25-year-old Rees, who hails from Whakatane in New Zealand, made his debut in the National 1000 Superstock series this year, impressing with podium finishes and eighth overall during his debut in the UK.
He will continue in the Superstock class under the Ashcourt Racing banner next season aboard BMW S1000RR machinery, with Johnston planning a full season of British Supersport action alongside his International Road Racing commitments.
Rees comes from a rich pedigree of southern hemisphere talent. His father Tony is an accomplished racer, winning the NZ Superbike title on three occasions, the last of which came in 2017 at the age of 49. Damon won the NZ Supersport class in the same season making it a family double.
His brother Mitch is also a two-wheel aficionado, finishing runner-up in the NZ Superbike series in 2018. All three have competed together in 6-Hour Endurance races and dad Tony also boasts 17 pure road racing victories in his homeland.
Damon made the decision to leave New Zealand at the start of this season, despite holding the lead of the NZ-SBK series to take up the challenge in British Championship, thanks to Carl Cox Motorsport, who will again be backing him in 2021.
Rees said: “I’m extremely excited that I’ll be racing for Ashcourt Racing in the 2021 season along with Carl Cox Motorsport’s support. The team’s ambitions and goals perfectly align with what I’m looking for next year, which is race wins and podiums and hopefully a championship challenge. I just want to say a massive thank you to the team for this amazing opportunity.”
Team-mate for 2021, Lee Johnston, said: “We were looking to expand the team and run someone in Superstock, and Damon fits our ‘team personality’ perfectly. He’s talented and motivated but also a nice lad and will fit in well within the Ashcourt Racing set-up. He showed this season that he can run at the front of the National 1000 Superstock class, which is packed with talent, so he’s a welcome addition to our team and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Team principal Phil Reed concluded: "Damon is a grounded lad and a quality rider who has already shown glimpses of what he is capable of in British Championship. He will fit in well here and we're looking forward to working with him."