Image: Jeff Crow.

This weekend Allphones Arena in Sydney’s famed Olympic precinct will welcome the inaugural staging of the AUS-X Open Supercross, in which Saturday’s racing will pay points for SX1 and SX2 riders contesting the 2015 Australian Supercross Championship presented by Penrite Oil.

In the premier SX1 category, arch-rivals Dan Reardon (CDR Yamaha) and Matt Moss (Motul Suzuki) are set to resume their championship battle, but at the Sydney event they will face the added competition of Aussie export Chad Reed, who has just arrived in Australia after jetting home to contest this weekend’s twin-event AUS-X Open meeting.

Meanwhile, AUS-X Open organisers have also announced American ace Cooper Webb, who is the reigning AMA Western Region 250 Supercross Champion, will make his first-ever visit to Australia to line-up in the event aboard a 450.

Plus American legend and the ‘GOAT’ Ricky Carmichael will also be a special guest at the AUS-X Open and will take part in a head-to-head clash with Chad Reed, which is sure to delight fans at the packed Allphones Arena events.

For current SX1 Australian Supercross Championship points leader Reardon, who is on a tear after sweeping all before him in the last three of the four championship rounds to date, he can’t wait to get back on the track at what is shaping up to be a truly spectacular AUS-X Open event and continue his much heralded comeback to racing.

“I can’t wait to get to Sydney and line-up for the AUS-X Open this weekend,” Reardon enthused. “There is going to be a such a big hype about the new event this weekend and with Chad coming and now to have Cooper confirmed, and Ricky at the event as well, the AUS-X Open is really going to be special.”

Reardon enjoys a 10-point lead in the SX1 standings over defending two-time champion Moss and, with Saturday’s AUS-X Open racing paying Australian Supercross Championship points, continued success will be vital to his hopes of capturing a stunning national title win in his comeback season.

“Nothing really changes for me,” Reardon explained. “I’m not one to play the Championship card and drop it back a gear just to play it safe or anything like that. I’m a racer and I like to win races and I want to put my best foot forward at this round. The competition will be tough, but we’re in a good position to be competitive, for sure.”

As for Moss, the gritty Suzuki star knows every start, every gear change, every jump and every lap will be absolutely vital in the remaining two rounds of the championship if he is to keep hold of his prized number one plate and record an historic three-peat of Australian Supercross Championships.

“There is some really tight racing going on,” said Moss. “It is going to be a good battle at the last two rounds as the Championship comes down to the wire. We are here to win the championship and know what we have to do to get it done and we have shown we have the speed to match anyone on the track. We will be working hard this week to come out ready to challenge for the win this weekend in Sydney.”

Behind Reardon and Moss, second CDR Yamaha rider Kade Mosig is placed third in the SX1 championship, after nailing down a strong third place finish last weekend at Jimboomba, while Adam Monea (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Lawson Bopping (DPH Motorsport Peter Stevens Yamaha) round out the top five standings.

Also racing for Australian Supercross Championship points in Saturday’s AUS-X Open event will be the top contenders of the SX2 class, in which American ace Jimmy Decotis (Penrite Honda Racing) has been the stand-out performer of the series. He leads by 26 points over Luke Arbon (SD3 Husqvarna) and Jackson Richardson (Penrite Honda Wilson MX).

With this weekend’s AUS-X Open featuring an innovative track design that boasts the world’s only tunnel section on a supercross circuit in 2015, a special ‘360Fly-by’ lane and steel take-off jump ramps, fans are in for an absolute feast of racing action, which will be staged alongside a world-class FMX Best Trick contest to give spectators the ultimate combination of on-track and aerial thrills.

Add into the mix a non-stop program of entertainment and a huge pre-race pit party each day, the AUS-X Open is set to be an event to remember on 28-29 November. Both events feature identical talent line-up and racing formats. With the Saturday event completely sold-out, tickets are available but selling fast for the Sunday event, via Ticketek.