Image: Foremost Media.

The KTM Motocross Racing Team has confirmed American Dakota Alix will join the squad in place of the position vacated by Egan Mastin in the 2018 Australian Supercross Championship, which is set to take-off this weekend at Jimboomba X Stadium in Queensland.

The highly-rated 22-year-old, who hails from Vermont and joins SX1 contender Luke Clout on the team, will ride the 2019 KTM 250 SX-F and carries high expectations heading into the SX2 series.

“It’s really exciting to be here in Australia with the KTM Motocross Racing Team,” said Alix. “As soon as Jay contacted me about travelling over, I couldn’t pass it up and am happy to be here for the series. Our last round of Pro Motocross was just a couple of weeks back, so as soon as that ended I flew over and am getting adjusted to being here in Australia.

“The opportunity to ride with KTM Australia’s factory team is a really good one and the new 2019 model KTM 250 SX-F is awesome. I gelled with the bike super-quickly and felt comfortable straight away, so we’re all working really hard together right now and it should be a good season.”

Alix finished 15th in the 2018 AMA Supercross 250SX West standings despite missing multiple rounds through injuries, picking up a season-best result of seventh at Salt Lake City’s penultimate round.

Team manager Jay Marmont has expressed his pleasure in heading into the domestic series with the talented duo, explaining he hopes the squad can overcome what was a difficult campaign in 2017.

“We’re really happy to be heading into the Australian Supercross Championship with Luke and Dakota this season,” Marmont stated. “Last year was a difficult one for us in supercross, however moving forward as a team we are very excited to be entering Luke in SX1 riding the 2019 KTM 450 SX-F and Dakota in SX2 aboard the 2019 KTM 250 SX-F.

“Luke is looking really strong at the moment and it’s clear that he’s one of the most capable supercross riders in the country, so to have him paired with Dakota from America is a really solid line-up that should see the KTM Motocross Racing Team competing at the front of the pack from round one.

“Pre-season testing has been going to plan with the new bikes, developing them for supercross and both riders really like the package that we’re working with this season.”

Team regular Kirk Gibbs will not contest the Australian Supercross Championship after signing to a motocross-only contract, however he’ll represent Team Australia at next month’s Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in the USA.