Source: Supplied.

Penrite Honda Racing has revealed American talent Bradley Taft will join the outfit in a bid to reclaim the SX2 crown in the 2018 Australian Supercross Championship.

Taft, who will race in Australia for the first time at Jimboomba’s season-opener next week, will join fellow American and two-time Australian supercross champion Justin Brayton for the entire series, while Brett Metcalfe is set to contest selected rounds.

“The Penrite Honda Racing team has had amazing success with [Jimmy] Decotis, [Gavin] Faith, [Weston] Peick and [Justin] Brayton,” Taft commented. “I haven’t had teammates who have won 450cc supercross and motocross national races before, so I want to learn as much as I can from this experience and am super appreciative to be part of it.”

Team owner Yarrive Konsky explained the signing as a strategic decision to challenge for wins in both categories of the five-round series, expressing his excitement to work with the 21-year-old who finished up 14th in the 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West standings.

“We didn’t need to contract someone that would compete with Justin,” said Konsky. “In the 450 class, anyone outside of the top 15 in America would find it difficult to finish on the podium in Australia, so we turned our attention to the 250cc class.

“Taft is young and really keen to prove himself and racing outside of America will be a great test for him. We are looking forward to having him on board – it’s going to be a great season of supercross.”

Penrite Honda Racing has regularly fielded a squad completed by American riders in previous years, which has proved to be a fruitful strategy, winning the last two SX1 titles with Brayton, while former team member Gavin Faith earned two SX2 titles with the Victorian-based outfit.