Four-wheels tug at Robbie’s heart

Motocross superstar Robbie Maddison is the latest bike ace to want a future in V8 Supercars.

Australia's answer to Evel Knievel smashed his own word record for the longest motorcycle jump last weekend at Calder Park.

He jumped 107.29m to improve on the 98m he leapt in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve.

But Maddison is confident he can clear 128m (420 feet) at his next record attempt, scheduled for China at the end of the year.

But his win in the Celebrity Challenge at the Australian Grand Prix last month has got him hooked on car racing.

Asked if he wanted to race cars, the 26-year-old could not hide his enthusiasm.

“I would absolutely love to,” Maddison said. “I went over to the Vodafone V8 Supercar pit and talked to (Craig) Lowndesy and Jamie Whincup and got the full tour through their cars."

“Mate, they are such an awesome machine.”

He won both Celebrity Challenge races at the GP with ease. Despite his bike background, Maddison is no stranger to four-wheel action.

“It is something I have always loved,” he said. “When I was growing up I drove go-karts with (V8 Supercar star) James Courtney. I drove his kart once and I was only a couple of splits off the lap record in that class of karts."

“His dad back then offered me one of his karts to race that season but I was tied up with my motocross."

“Motocross was more important to me back then but now it's not so important to me."

“I think I could do the V8 Supercars and a couple of world record jumps a year and that would be a good year for me.”

Having jumped the distance of a football field on a motorcycle, Maddison is confident in his abilities and said they could transfer to cars.

“I'd back myself,” he said. “I don't know how well, but I think I'd do all right.”

Maddison joins fellow dirt biker Chad Reed and retiring World Superbike star Troy Bayliss in wanting to switch to four-wheels.

Reed has tested a V8 Supercar for Paul Morris Motorsport with success.

“Chad and I hang out quite a bit and race go-karts over in the states,” Maddison said.

“He'll take one race out, I'll take the next one out. So if he did all right, I should do all right.”

Maddison did not rule out an all-star bike team with his mate.

“If Reedy and I could have a run and do a team that would be a great thing. I'd trust Chad to be my teammate and I think he'd trust me to be his."

“Just need someone to supply a car, that's all.”

Whincup, the V8 Supercar championship leader, said it was hard to judge how well Maddison could adapt.

“It's a tough one,” he said. “Whether these guys can get up to speed quick enough to be competitive is the question.”