Preview: Oz Supercross Championship

Supercross fans will see the sport’s deepest field of international talent with riders coming from America and Europe to take on Australia’s best.

In the SX1 class American and two-time defending Australian Supercross Champion Justin Brayton will make his return to Australia with his family after a record-breaking season in the US where the American finished 5th in the World Supercross Championship – a year where Brayton scored his maiden, main event win. Penrite Oil Honda Racing teammate Brett Metcalfe, who signed a Motocross only deal, has decided to line up behind the gate at selected rounds this year. In 2010 Metcalfe took six podium finishes on his way to second overall to Ryan Dungey in the Pro Motocross Championship. The pair will have their hands full in the premier class with the likes of Australia’s Dan Reardon, the 2015 and multiple Australian champion who has brought together his own deal of close-knit sponsors to create the best opportunity for him to take out the illustrious crown. Reardon will be backed by Yamaha on the all-new 2019 YZ450F.

Current Australian Motocross Champion Dean Ferris will be another one to watch as he looks to challenge the international talent on board his CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Racing machine. Another rider to watch out for will be USA’s Jace Owen who will contest the entire SX1 championship on-board the brand new 2019 Kawasaki KX450. American Arenacross front-runner Owen will make his first appearance in Australia during the five-round Supercross championship, recently arriving from his home in Illinois and preparing with Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing in the lead-up to round one.

“The depth of fields competing in this year’s Australian Supercross Championship is a testament to the strength of the series in 2018 and proof that we’re making a mark on the global stage, said Australian Supercross Championship organisers. Both SX1 and SX2 classes are the strongest they’ve been in many years and we’ve seen an influx of young, aspiring riders join the series as they look to develop their skills to a world class standard. The racing is going to be intense across all five rounds and at this stage it’s impossible to guess, who will leave Sydney with the number one plate on November 10.”

The international riding talent in the SX2 class sees a stacked lineup of competition with plenty of American and European athletes on show in 2018. The UK’s Gradie Featherstone is one of the featured riders aboard his KSF Ecstar Suzuki and the 2017 European Supercross Champion will be one to watch at Jimboomba this weekend. Riding for the Serco Yamaha Team is American Jacob Hayes who heads to Australia full of confidence after winning the 2018 AMA Arenacross Championship. Hayes will be joined in the Australian Supercross Championship’s SX2 class by fellow Americans Bradley Taft (Penrite Honda), Josh Osby (KTM) and Dakota Alix (KTM). Alix, who is 22 from Vermont USA, will ride the 2019 KTM 250 SX-F and look to take it to the Australian and international competition after finishing 15th in the 2018 World Supercross 250 West Championship, despite injuries early on in the season.

Of course, the international stars will have their work cut out for them with last year’s Australian SX2 Supercross Champion Jackson Richardson, on board a Penrite Honda to defend his crown. Also charging for the win, will be the 2018, 250 Australian Motocross Champion Wilson Todd aboard his Serco Yamaha 2019 YZ250F.

The opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship is a great day out for all ages and will kick off from 10 am this Saturday 15 September at Jimboomba X Stadium.