Image: Jeff Crow.

With an increased international audience anticipated for this weekend’s AUS-X Open round of the 2015 Australian Supercross Championship in Sydney, Penrite Honda-mounted American Gavin Faith sees it at a timely opportunity to turn his season around.

The reigning SX2 champion has had a difficult debut year in the SX1 ranks down under, but a podium at Bathurst’s opening round proved that he has what it takes to run at the front of the premier 450cc division.

After an unfortunate run of results through rounds two to four, Faith enters this weekend’s fifth stop of the season in a lowly ninth overall – determined to climb atop the podium once again in the Allphones Arena. His Arenacross experience – finishing third in the US this year – will be vital come gate-drop.

“Obviously it’s been pretty rough,” Faith said. “Round one was good to get on the podium, but round two I struggled a little bit and ended up going down in the final. Wayville was pretty good until I got a friendly bump from Moss and I ended up with a DNF after that.

“Last weekend it was a little bit of the same story, with a mechanical issue on my front wheel. It was no fault of the team, just a racing incident, and I’ve been kind of unlucky. It hasn’t been my year over here, but I think it can only get better from here.

“I’m looking forward to Sydney. It’s a tighter track and I’m used to racing Arenacross, so it will be good on that type of track this weekend, and racing a few guys from the States. I’m looking forward to it, for sure.”

Prior to his Australian commitments this season, Faith fought his way to third in the American-based AMSOIL Arenacross series, highlighted by a first-career win inside Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena.