Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

Reigning Amsoil Arenacross Champion Gavin Faith will revert back to SX2 category in his return to contest the Australian Supercross Championship as part of Penrite Honda this season.

Faith, a two-time Australian SX2 champion, competed in the premier SX1 category in 2015, recording his best result at the Sydney AUS-X Open placing second behind Chad Reed.

It is a requirement for premier class riders in the Arenacross championship to race aboard 250Fs rather than 450s, leading Faith to make a logical decision to step back down to the SX2 category.

“I don’t race a 450cc at home and I am racing 250cc again next year,” Faith explained, after clinching the Arenacross crown riding a Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki KX250F. “It doesn’t make sense for me to race something I don’t ride or race back home. Coming to Australia is the best preparation for the American championship and I need to make smart decisions.”

Faith will remain under Yarrive Konsky’s Penrite Honda outfit, a team in which he has for raced for in Australia since 2011. He will be one of four Americans contesting the series in Konsky’s squad, however the remaining three – including defending SX2 champion Jimmy Decotis – will wear Honda Genuine Parts liveries.

He isn’t ruling out the possibility of contesting both the SX1 and SX2 classes at the season finale in Sydney, however that will be determined after evaluating his championship position in the lead-up to the event: “Depending on where I am running in the championship, I don’t want rule out racing both classes in the indoor at the end of year in Homebush.”

Jimboomba will play host to the opening round of the 2016 Australian Supercross Championship, scheduled to take place next week in Queensland on Saturday, 17 September.