Image: Supplied.

A pair of junior categories will contest the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship, providing a platform for the country’s capable young racers to ride alongside the SX1 and SX2 championships.

The Junior Lites (13-Under 16 years) and Junior 85 (12-Under 16 years) championships will feature at select rounds of the series, which will become a pathway to produce Australia’s future internationals.

“Off-road motorcycle racing is on the rise in Australia and we’re delighted to once again see a range of junior classes on-track supporting the Australian Supercross Championship,” Motorcycling Australia (MA) CEO Peter Doyle said.

“The classes offer a pathway for aspiring riders to dream big and advance to the highest level of the sport with the ability to compete on the country’s best tracks, while rubbing shoulders with and learning from the country’s best SX1 and SX2 riders.

“We see these junior categories as a fantastic stepping stone to help develop Australia’s next supercross world champion while providing a real-life training platform for becoming a world-class athlete.”

In an effort to maximise participation numbers while making entering the championship as cost-effective as possible, each junior class will consist of three rounds of the series. Junior Lites will be at Port Adelaide, Wollongong and Melbourne, while the 85s will race Brisbane, Port Adelaide and Wollongong.

Championship organisers have also touted aspirations to host practice days and coaching opportunities specific to supercross for all skill levels in 2019 to aid the development of junior riders to make for a safe transition from motocross to supercross.

“We’re extremely committed to providing a solid platform for the development of future supercross stars, which is a huge focus for us,” commented AUS SX Holdings’ Adam Bailey. “There’s no doubt we have the talent in this country – we just need to provide the opportunity for these kids to build their experience and show what they can do on the race track and to gain valuable experience.

“Supercross is the best opportunity for young riders to gain national and international exposure to help further their careers, both nationally and internationally. The 2019 Australian Supercross Championship will be the largest and most anticipated in close to a decade. We hope to see full grids of juniors lining up to take advantage of the opportunity.”

Last year’s Australian Supercross Championships were won by Jake Cuka in the Junior Lites and Brad West in the 85s.