Image: Foremost Media.

Lawson Bopping will make a surprise return to the Australian Supercross Championship at round two this weekend in Coolum, Queensland.

Bopping was forced to step away from racing in 2016 after battling a mystery illness, which is still yet to be officially diagnosed, however a long course of medication this year as promoted a boost in health for the talented number 70, allowing him to comfortably return to riding.

Equipped with the all-new 2019 Kawasaki KX450, Bopping is hopeful of getting through the weekend’s round cleanly, and is eyeing off contesting the remainder of the championship if the feeling is right on Saturday.

“I completed a long course of antibiotics that started in January went for eight months,” Bopping explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “I was hoping to feel better, and I did [laughs] – so I bought a bike and eased back into it. Here we are – I’m lining up for round two. It’s just a privateer gig – I’m not saying I feel the fittest I’ve ever felt, but I feel better than when I raced last.

“I’ll get this weekend out of the way, I don’t really have any goals or expectations – I’m straight up behind the eight-ball. I just want to get through the weekend, have some fun and hopefully everything goes as smooth is it can.

“If I’m feeling good, I’ll race the last couple of rounds – I definitely want to. My goal it to keep racing – I never wanted to stop racing, but in the last few years I haven’t even been able to circulate properly.”

The New South Welshman has previously ridden for outfits such as CDR Yamaha, DPH Motorsport and the now defunct Team Motul Factory Suzuki, plus he’s also completed a number of privateer stints in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, earning a season-best result of 16th at the Phoenix stop in 2016.