Image: Foremost Media.

MX1 contender Kirk Gibbs is eager to extend his Australian motocross career through the 2024 season, as the former national champion looks to race-on in Penrite ProMX next year.

Gibbs, 34, was reunited last year with the KTM Racing Team in which he won the 2015 premier class title with and maintains the drive to keep challenging at the front on a domestic level.

Six rounds into this year’s series and Gibbs is fourth in the premier class standings, 11 points from defending champion Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) in P3. While he has admittedly taken longer than he would like to adapt to the latest 450 SX-F, an overall podium at Wodonga, plus top three moto finishes at Appin and Gillman show that he is still capable of running at the front.

“I am definitely getting older and it’s not getting any easier,” Gibbs told MotoOnline. “I definitely know that time is coming. Obviously, with KTM bringing out the new bike and trying to get it sorted for me and what I want, it has probably taken a little bit longer than what I expected.

“I would like to go again and see how everything pans out. I think that in such a deep field, I am still there or thereabouts – obviously no race wins yet, which is a little disappointing, but I’ve been on the podium once and had some moto podium results. I still feel like I am there and can battle with them guys, so until that day I can’t do that, that’s probably when it’s ready to hang the boots.”

Gibbs has been on a motocross-only contract in recent years and it is understood that the KTM Racing Team’s current MX2 rider Nathan Crawford is on a two-year deal with the team that will almost certainly see him step up to the premier class full-time next season. It’s unclear if that will affect Gibbs’ prospects with the team, which currently fields three riders between Gibbs, Crawford and 250 class rookie Kayden Minear.