Three Sussex riders are making an impression in Supermoto, the fastest growing form of motorsport.

Dave Heal, Richard Freshwater and Gus Robbins are just three of the many names who have switched to Supermoto racing this season.

The NORA (National Off-road Racing Association) Championship has seen a threefold increase in entries for this unique discipline which combines road and off-road racing.

Heal, from Heathfield, is a former British Supersport 600 and British Superbikes privateer champion.

When no deal was forthcoming to ride in this season's British Superbikes Series, Heal decided to give Supermoto a go. Three months later, he is challenging in the top ten of the NORA Championship and trying to spread the word about the sport.

This weekend Heal, Freshwater and Robbins are at Beaulieu in Hampshire taking part in an exhibition to promote the sport.

Freshwater, from Peacehaven, said: "It started in America, then the French took it up big time.

"The French do it at indoor arenas and they regard it in the same class as Superbikes. People who do it in France are national heroes.

"It is taking off big time over here and is dragging road racers in but many of the competitors are motocross people.

"It is only just coming south of London. Every race we have done, apart from one in Portsmouth, has been in Lincolnshire or north of there.

"BEMSEE (a Southern racing club) are thinking of doing a winter championship at Lydden Hill and Brands Hatch. That would be great for us."

Competitors at a Supermoto meeting normally take part in four races over a weekend, competing in different level groups. Courses combine tarmac and dirt areas.

Freshwater, last year's BEMSEE Powerbike champion, said: "We do the open class and there are groups A to E with about 30 riders in each. You have to finish in the top four to go up and if you finish in the bottom four you go down.

"It is more fun than road racing and you aren't paying a fortune."

Heal, who travels to meetings with Freshwater and Robbins, who is from Hastings, said: "I took it up because I didn't get a deal in road racing. I like motocross anyway so it is a bit of a halfway house.

"It has a bad boy image to it. Racing wise, I love it. I have had more fun doing this than anything else. It has the elements of everything.

"If you do a burn-out or a wheelie on the track, you get a slapped wrist or a fine. This sort of behaviour is endorsed in Supermoto. They like stunt riding.

"It is cheap too. You can get a competitive Supermoto bike for £4,000. With road racing, you would pay another £25,000 on top of that.

"I must have fallen off 15 times already and I have spent £100 repairing the bike. That would probably have cost me £5,000 a time with road racing."

Heal believes Supermoto racing could be the future of the sport, providing it can attract interest from sponsors and the media. It enjoys widespread television coverage in France but none in Britain yet.

He said: "Spectator wise it is exciting to watch. The races are very close with a constant stream of riders dicing for the lead.

"With Formula One it is a two-horse race and it is down to whoever gets the pit-stop right or who breaks down.

"Superbikes seems to be following in the same footstep. money has become such a big part of the sport. If you have the money behind you, you will get the ride. Every team has two riders, they have a No.1 guy and the No. 2 guy pays for both of them. Consequently, the guys out there are not the best.

"All the industry is talking about Supermoto and a lot more competitors are getting involved.

"Hopefully it will get to a point where there will be a proper ACU British Championship at all the major circuits. If that comes off, I can't see it failing. If that happens it will just escalate."