In the new year, the racers will revert to standard track racing mode and resume their bids for national championship honours on purpose-built race circuits.
The latter four rounds of the national series will be run early in 2023, with only the Hampton Downs-promoted Star Insure MotoFest confirmed for the first weekend of March, as always. Like the Suzuki International Series, MotoFest has become a marquee racing event and has been headlined by the superbike nationals for the past five years, and that won't change.
The remaining three national series venues are still to be confirmed. They are likely to include South Island tracks such as Ruapuna in Christchurch; Teretonga in Invercargill; Levels near Timaru; and a potential finale back in the North Island in Taupō in March.
Suzuki International Series promoter and organiser Allan "Flea" Willacy said he was thrilled when Motorcycling New Zealand approached him with the idea to unite the two series.
"It is great that we are combining forces to help motorcycle racing in the current climate. The sport deserves this ... riders, fans, sponsors and other stakeholders too," Willacy said.
"Nothing changes as far as the Suzuki International Series is concerned. The classes and format will remain the same. It is just that points collected at the first two rounds [at Taupō and Manfeild] will go towards the tally for anyone going on with the nationals.
"By combining these two series, riders will benefit financially and, from a logistical standpoint, it will boost competitor numbers at all the events.
"We already have many internationals indicating that they want to come back out to New Zealand to race, so that should also add extra spice and dynamics to the racing.
"Everyone, including the cream of Kiwi talent, many of whom are world-class riders in their own right, will be fiercely keen to get back to some action. Our sponsors have stood by us and we are hugely grateful for that too."
Motorcycling New Zealand road race commissioner Andy Skelton was similarly upbeat.
"This is a great opportunity in these challenging times for us to work together for the betterment of the sport as a whole," he said.
"Bringing all of this together is a huge financial challenge, so we have to slice and dice things a little differently. Over the past few months, we have been in productive dialogue with Suzuki New Zealand, the Suzuki International Series organisers and others. We all agree it just makes so much sense."
Whanganui's Simon Meade, Suzuki New Zealand's general manager of motorcycle and marine, said he was "super-happy" with the arrangement.
"It's great to see the competition has even more strength and significance," he said.
"Suzuki has always tried to provide opportunities through event support for bike riders to compete, and to have the two series combine like this is an awesome way to kick off a new season. It's very special."
Organisers said the street racing event on Boxing Day remained a keystone in the Suzuki International Series.
The Whanganui event is highly regarded internationally and has been a must-do for some of the world's most famous "street fighters", such as British and Isle of Man legends Michael Dunlop, Guy Martin, Peter Hickman and Richard Cooper, among others.
It is anticipated that international stars heading to New Zealand for a "working holiday" over the Christmas period may even stay on and continue racing at the national championship rounds.
The Cemetery Circuit event also includes the famous Robert Holden Memorial feature race, a trophy that is perhaps among the most coveted of prizes in the road racing world.
The pandemic resulted in the annual New Zealand Superbike Championships series being cut short in 2020, reduced to just three rounds last year, and unable to be raced at all this year.
