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Tom Edwards joins Hayden Nelson at Kawasaki BCperformance Racing Team
Kawasaki BCperformance Racing Team confirms a two-rider line-up of Hayden Nelson and Tom Edwards. The team is racing at the 2026 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), in the Supersport Next Gen class, aboard the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R motorcycle.
BCperformance is pleased that Hayden Nelson will return for his third season with the team in 2026. After a strong 2025 campaign - finishing fourth in the championship with 206 points - Nelson heads into the new year aiming to build on that momentum. The 18yearold has already made 42 Australian Supersport Championship starts, 31 of them with the Sydney based team.
“We had a strong year in 2025, and moving into the Supersport Next Gen class gives us the chance to find more speed from the package,” Nelson said.
His best result last season was a second-place finish at Phillip Island. “I’m excited to keep developing the Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R alongside Tom Edwards. Round one can’t come soon enough.”
Joining Nelson in the 2026 line-up is 24yearold Tom Edwards, a proven front-runner in the Australian Supersport Championship.
The 2026 season will mark Edwards’ third full-time year in the Australian Supersport Championship, with his standout performance coming in 2021 when he claimed second overall in the championship standings.
“I’m really excited to be racing for Kawasaki BCperformance Racing Team,” Edwards said. “I’m looking forward to bringing my World Supersport experience to the program and riding the competitive Ninja ZX-6R package.”
Edwards brings additional international experience to the team. He raced full-time in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship from 2018 to 2020 before progressing to the FIM Supersport World Championship, where he competed across the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. During that time, Edwards amassed 46 race starts at world championship level.
“I believe the team and I are set for ultimate success this year. I am bringing racing experience from World Supersport, and having Bryan Staring in my corner as crew chief is a huge advantage. With Bryan as crew chief and skilled race technician, Callen Robertson, as my mechanic we have a strong program.
“On top of that, I have Hayden as my teammate. He gets faster every season and knows the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R very well, so between the two of us we are poised for podiums in 2026 season.”
Kelvin Reilly – Team Owner / Manager:
Team owner and manager Kelvin Reilly says the 2026 pairing is a major step forward.
“Signing Tom is a big statement for us. He’s a proven race winner in ASBK combines with valuable international experience, and it shows our program is heading in the right direction. This season will be his first time racing the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. Tom has dealt with change and new environments throughout his career, and we are confident he will adapt quickly. Tom has the first opportunity to familiarise himself at the opening round of the Victorian Road Racing Championship at the end of January”
“On the other side of the garage, I am proud to have Hayden back with us to continue building on the 2025 season. Last year he showed solid speed and extraordinary growth as a young racer. This is encouraging heading into the new season and competition category. Hayden and Tom will work extremely well together, and it is shaping up to be a strong year for the team.”
The Kawasaki BCperformance Racing Team will commence its 2026 Australian Superbike Championship campaign at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 20–22 February 2026.
2026 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) calendar
Round 1: February 20-22, Phillip Island, VIC (WorldSBK)
Round 2: March 27-28, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW
Round 3: May 1-3, The Bend Motorsport Park, SA
Round 4: May 29-31, Morgan Park Raceway, QLD
Round 5: June 26-28, Queensland Raceway, QLD
About Hayden NELSON
Age: 18 years old
Hometown: Taree, New South Wales
Hobbies: Running, riding dirt bikes, fishing, cattle farming
Career Summary – Hayden Nelson:
2016: 65cc Australian Dirt Track Championship – 1st
2017: 85c Australian Dirt Track Championship – 1st
2019: 85cc Australian Supermoto Championship – 1st
2020: Oceania Junior Cup – 12th
2021: Oceania Junior Cup – 6th
2022: Australian Supersport 300 Championship – 4th
2023: Australian Supersport Championship – 8th
2024: Australian Supersport Championship – 7th
2025: Australian Supersport Championship – 4th
