Image: Foremost Media.

Australian Supercross Championship organisers have reaffirmed their commitment to breeding the next world champion with the announcement that Junior Lites and Junior 85cc classes will once again have a place on the championship calendar.

Another huge boost for the junior riders is the news that the top 15 championship runners in both junior categories will be invited to compete on Friday, 9 November, at the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney, where both championships will be awarded.

Today’s announcement will also see the renaming of the juniors championship trophy to the Peter Melton Trophy. Melton tragically passed away late in 2017 and organisers hope to honour his memory and dedication to the industry by creating the trophy in his name. Melton was a popular, longtime motocross and supercross legend, winning four supercross crowns, three motocross titles and a pair of Pan-Pacific SX titles.

Junior Lites and Junior 85cc classes were first granted championship status by Motorcycling Australia in 2017, however 2018 will be the first year they get to contend the entire Australian Supercross Championship calendar, concluding in Sydney on 9 November.

Scott Bannan, the promoter of rounds one and two in Queensland, says having the Juniors compete in the full 2018 Australian Supercross Championship alongside their heroes is an opportunity he hopes all up-and-coming racers take advantage of.

“To have both the Junior 85cc and Junior Lites compete in the entire championship is a great step forward for the sport,” Bannan said. “Getting the opportunity to wrap up a title in Sydney, should be a huge reason to support the whole series and secure a qualifying spot.

“Giving these young riders a chance to compete at a national level, at world-class venues, alongside world-class riders will go a long way in helping produce Australia’s next Chad Reed. We look forward to seeing the future champions of our sport line-up at the gate, beginning at Jimboomba on September 15.”

For amateur riders wishing to work on their skills to build into supercross competition, an all-new Stadium-X Development Cup series will launch in 2018 on the days following both the Coolum and Port Adelaide events, on 7 October and 21 October, respectively.