Image: Jeff Crow.

MAD Racing Dirt Candy Suzuki has officially announced that Australia’s Luke Clout will fill-in for injured team regular Daniel Baker for the remainder of the 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Western Regional 250SX Championship.

The team confirmed earlier this week that rookie 250SX contender Baker would miss the rest of the series with an ankle injury, giving 21-year-old Clout the opportunity to take his place on the Suzuki-backed team.

“I got a call and was filled in on Daniel’s injury,” said Clout. “They said there was an opening on the team again and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to come back and race in America.”

Clout, who previously trained in the US for a number of years at the Millsaps Training Facility in Georgia, was originally unable to find a ride in America before returning to Australia and earning himself the 2014 MX Nationals MX2 Championship.

“I left the USA because we couldn’t find a ride and it was extremely expensive being a privateer,” he explained. “I went home and accomplished some good things, a 250 outdoor title and a second in another series as well as representing Australia at des Nations twice.

“It felt awesome, but I still hadn’t reached my main goal of racing professionally in the States and I am pumped on this new opportunity. The first day went really well on the new bike and I felt comfortable right away on the Suzuki.

“We made changes and things continued to progress – I felt great by the end of the day. I can’t wait to see what I can do out there. I feel really good and the team is really helpful, which should make this an awesome run.”

Clout will make his Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX debut at this weekend’s third round of the championship in Anaheim, California.

Originally signed with the Serco Yamaha team for the 2016 Australian season, Clout was released from his contract earlier this week, with that seat taken over by ex-DPH Motorsport rider Wade Hunter.