Grand Prix legend Mick Doohan (Photo: Honda Pro Images)

New stars are destined to emerge; there are almost certainly more than a handful of talented youngsters out there just getting started now who have been inspired by Stoner's tremendous success, but it seems Australia is in for a dry spell, not entirely unlike the predicament the United States has found itself in and out of following a multi-decade run of excellence of its own (although at least there are Americans with access to factory-level equipment in MotoGP…).

But rather than dwell on an uncertain future, perhaps for the moment it's best to celebrate what has been an epic achievement.

Australia's premier class race winners by year dating back to 1986:

2012 Casey Stoner (MotoGP)
2011 Stoner* (MotoGP)
2010 Stoner (MotoGP)
2009 Stoner (MotoGP)
2008 Stoner (MotoGP), Troy Bayliss* (World Superbike)
2007 Stoner*, Chris Vermeulen (MotoGP), Bayliss (World Superbike)
2006 Bayliss* (MotoGP & World Superbike), Troy Corser, Andrew Pitt (World Superbike)
2005 Corser*, Vermeulen (World Superbike)
2004 Vermeulen, Garry McCoy (World Superbike)
2003
2002 Bayliss (World Superbike)
2001 Bayliss*, Corser (World Superbike)
2000 McCoy (500GP), Corser, Bayliss, Anthony Gobert (World Superbike)
1999 Corser, Gobert (World Superbike)
1998 Mick Doohan* (500GP), Corser (World Superbike)
1997 Doohan* (500GP)
1996 Doohan* (500GP) Corser*, Gobert (World Superbike)
1995 Doohan*, Daryl Beattie (500GP), Corser, Gobert (World Superbike)
1994 Doohan* (500GP), Gobert (World Superbike)
1993 Doohan, Beattie (500GP)
1992 Doohan, Wayne Gardner (500GP), Rob Phillis, Kevin Magee (World Superbike)
1991 Doohan (500GP), Magee (World Superbike)
1990 Doohan, Gardner (500GP), Phillis, Peter Goddard (World Superbike)
1989 Gardner (500GP), Michael Dowson, Goddard (World Superbike)
1988 Gardner, Magee (500GP), Doohan (World Superbike)
1987 Gardner* (500GP)
1986 Gardner (500GP)

*World Champions

SPEED.com Motorcycle Racing Editor Chris Martin saw Eddie Lawson win aboard a Kawasaki the first time he attended an AMA Superbike race and witnessed Ben Bostrom win a World Superbike race aboard a V&H Ducati the first time he worked one. He has written about AMA SBK, WSBK, and MotoGP for SPEED.com since 2003. Chris is now on Twitter.