Image: Foremost Media.

Pirelli MX Nationals standout Jayden Rykers intends to line-up for the entire 2019 Australian Supercross Championship in the premier class, the Western Australian managing just two rounds of the discipline since making his debut in 2016.

Rykers, who suffered lung bruising and multiple rib fractures in a frightening crash at Moree’s MX Nationals, experienced a breakout season in the outdoor series, where he was challenging for a top five championship ranking prior to the incident.

The Suzuki-mounted contender is taking a new mindset into his maiden SX1 campaign after injuries in 2016 and 2017 cut his supercross season short after one round, while shoulder surgery last year saw him ruled out of the championship altogether.

“I plan to do the whole series,” Rykers told MotoOnline.com.au. “Obviously I’m on the backfoot after going down at Moree – I’ve been rehabbing a few injuries from that and I spent a few weeks just getting back into motocross. I think it was at the four-week mark before Brisbane that I had my first day riding supercross.

“It’s cliche, but I want to try and learn the ropes a bit more, rather than rush into learning it – I think that’s where I’ve come undone in the last couple of years and hurt myself. I think it’s important to learn it and become more versatile [as a rider] when getting approached for motocross and supercross contracts.”

Rykers, racing in a largely privateer effort, had been receiving support from KSF Racing throughout the MX Nationals, however following the team’s split with Suzuki, it’s understood he’ll be provided with a level of backing from SB Motorsports Suzuki Ecstar. The Australian Supercross Championship launches on 12 October at Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Image: John Pearson.

Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Racing’s Michael Driscoll completed his rookie campaign in the E1 category by securing a podium result at Hedley’s final round of the 2019 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) on Sunday.

The New South Welshman charged to P4 in Saturday’s penultimate round before matching a career-best performance of second in Sunday’s finals, however it wasn’t quite enough to land him on the championship podium – the number 88 falling just three points shy.

“The last couple of rounds haven’t been great for me but it was good to get things back on track here at Hedley and finish the season on a positive note,” said Driscoll. “Saturday was good without being great, then Sunday was better again, and it matched my best results for the year, so I’m happy with that.

“The E1 class was very competitive this year and the four of us were close all year. It’s been great racing those guys and I continue to learn from them as well as my team every time we race.”

Driscoll next’s appearance this season will be at the International Six Days Enduro, scheduled to take place over 11-16 November at Portimao in Portugal.

Image: Supplied.

Australian Wil Ruprecht scored his first J1 victory of the season last weekend at the Czech Republic’s sixth round of the 2019 Maxxis EnduroGP World Championship.

The Johansson MPE Yamaha rider, who forced out of the previous round with an ongoing virus, dominated the junior ranks during the opening stage before recording an eighth place result in class on stage two.

“Unreal weekend in Czech,” said Ruprecht. “Thanks to Johansson MPE Team and also Malardalens World Enduro Team for the craziest support crew ever! It was nice to share a win with such legends. The struggle with the virus is still far from over, but we are a step ahead of where we were mid-season! We will keep fighting.”

Ruprecht is currently ranked fifth in the J1 standings as EnduroGP heads to Ambert in France on 28-29 September for the final round of the championship.

Image: Supplied.

Team Great Britain has drafted in World Enduro Super Series (WESS) regular Nathan Watson for this year’s 2019 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), as well as MX2 World Championship rider Adam Sterry (F&H Kawasaki), after two of its initial three riders suffered injuries in the lead-up to the event.

Watson, a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider in the extreme enduro series, last raced an MXGP World Championship event in 2015 before transitioning to the enduro discipline.

Max Anstie (Standing Construct KTM) and Ben Watson (Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha) – the younger brother of Nathan – were named in three-rider team alongside Shaun Simpson (RFX KTM), however the duo were injured in the closing rounds of MXGP.

Watson will line-up at round six of WESS this weekend for the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country before heading to Assen in the Netherlands on 28-29 September for the MXoN.