Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

The Australian Supercross Championship will be overhauled ahead of the 2018 season, with the AUS-X Open organiser assuming the commercial rights to the championship.

In a landmark agreement with Motorcycling Australia (MA), AUS SX Holdings – the parent company of the AUS-X Open – will develop a long-term strategy in a bid to cement the future of supercross in Australia.

The 2018 AUS Supercross calendar will feature five rounds, including the AUS-X Open finals in Sydney. Two Queensland rounds will be delivered by Bannan Promotions, while Victoria and South Australia’s rounds will be operated by Troy Bayliss Events.

“Having been so focussed on the delivery and promotion of the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney event since late 2013, we felt the timing was right for us to expand our operations and focus on the long-term growth of the entire Australian Supercross Championship.” Adam Bailey, director of AUS SX Holdings and AME Management, explained.

“Our goals are really simple – to grow the championship across all aspects and help develop the sport and its future superstars. We want to see the next Chad Reed burst onto the world stage, having come through the all-new supercross platform we’ll be implementing across Australia.

“We truly believe that supercross is the most exciting sport on the planet and that it leaves other motorsport properties literally in its dust when it comes to the talent and athleticism of its athletes and its ability to deliver incredible racing and entertainment in its purest form.

“We feel that there is a huge opportunity to grow the sport in the public eye and we are determined to continue doing just that. Our strategy will be focused on engaging with other promoters that have the operational capability to deliver high-quality events and a shared passion for supercross and its fans.”

In order to support the growth and commercial viability of the series, Bailey and fellow AUS SX Holdings director Ryan Sanderson will leverage from their in-house resources and sister company AME Management, which will be engaged to deliver an improved PR, media and communications strategy for the series.

“At AME we have the resources and capabilities to help maximise both the digital and mainstream news coverage of the championship,” explained Sanderson. “Our team is huge supercross fans and we’re really excited to work closely with all stakeholders.

“Supercross riders are incredible athletes and what they do on their motorcycles is absolutely staggering. We’re excited to boost the profile of the sport throughout the whole Australian Supercross Championship, culminating with the finale at the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney event!”

Instrumental to the revolutionary new plans for the 2018 series has been MA CEO Peter Doyle, who said he feels confident they have found the right direction to return supercross to the Australian motorsport mainstream and give Australian riders the best possible opportunity for future success.

“Motorcycling Australia is excited to work with AUS SX and see Supercross taken to the next level,” Doyle said. “We have spent the last few years reviving supercross and bringing it back to the forefront as a blue ribbon Australian championship.

“With AUS SX Holdings taking control of the commercial rights of the series, we expect the championship profile to continue its rise. Their promotion of the Monster Energy AUS-X Open in Sydney has been nothing short of exceptional and hopefully this success can transfer across the entire championship. It’s all about getting supercross back to the success it deserves and providing a pathway for the riders to be able to compete on the world stage.”

In addition to the Australian Supercross Championship, it’s also been confirmed that an all-new Amateur Supercross Cup will be introduced, set to run in conjunction with the AUS Supercross events spanning Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.