Image: Foremost Media.

Popular Victorian Dylan Long will return to racing this weekend at Murray Bridge’s fourth and fifth rounds of the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals in South Australia.

The Empire Kawasaki challenger suffered an elbow injury in turn one of 2019’s season-opener at Appin, forcing him to withdraw from the following two rounds at Wonthaggi and Broadford.

Murray Bridge will mark the first double-header of the year, making for a challenging weekend ahead for Long in his racing return, although he hasn’t placed expectations upon himself as he endeavours to race himself back into shape.

“The elbow is good as new,” Long declared to MotoOnline.com.au. “It’s why we missed the last two rounds, I probably could’ve pushed it and gone back for Broadford, but I wouldn’t have been really ready for it.

“We decided to wait, and obviously not being in the points I could get the elbow sorted, and now it’s sweet and I’m ready to go racing. I’m just going to go out there and do my best, I haven’t got too many expectations on myself and see how I go.”

Long’s replacement for Wonthaggi and Broadford, Lawson Bopping, is understood to be remaining with the Empire Kawasaki outfit for this weekend’s event.