Image: Foremost Media.

A resurgent Luke Clout left Redcliffe’s AUSX season-opening rounds motivated to take the SX1 title ‘down to the wire’ against Honda Racing imports Dean Wilson and Joey Savatgy, managing to go 3-2 across the double-header weekend and picking up the first final win on Sunday.

Clout finished the Fox Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) on a high last year by winning Melbourne’s final round, but defected from CDR Yamaha to Empire Kawasaki directly afterwards ahead of the 2024 season.

Despite enduring a largely quiet season outdoors amid his transition to the KX450, the 2019 and 2023 SX1 runner-up was back to his fighting best in Moreton Bay, firmly establishing himself as top of the Australians in the early stages of the five-round series. It’s a point that the 29-year-old was certain to address and one that could define the narrative of this year’s series.

“Just been riding really good,” Clout told MotoOnline on Sunday night. “Yesterday was just a little bit rocky and just figuring out my bike set-up… And, you know, I obviously haven’t raced supercross on the Kawi – we made some really good progress yesterday and I felt really good today. Just got off to an awesome start in that first one – my start’s have been killer lately – and just rode my own race.

“And then I made a few mistakes in the whoops and the boys got me. And then, man, the last four laps was just like, it was sick. I could hear the crowd cheering me on and, you know, Joey was really riding aggressive and I gave it back to him. And then Deano was coming back as well. So, man, to be that Aussie guy that’s fighting with these guys, you know, I’m stoked with that. I never stopped believing and I knew that was going to be me.

“It was going to be like, I don’t know, everyone just – not everyone – you know, a lot of the people are quick to forget what I’ve done in supercross – last year I got second in the championship and won the last race, only one to beat Deano. And, you know, I pretty much got written off coming into here, so I never stopped believing that and I’ve worked my arse off to get to this point.

“I think a big thing for me is just coming here and not being injured. Every championship I’ve led into, I’ve had an injury and just had that momentum… We knew we were going to be strong and, you know, there was a few little bumps in the road yesterday, but today was a really clean day.

“We’re only five points off this championship lead now. I believe I start gaining momentum through the series and this championship is going down to the wire. I said that at the start of the year, I’m all in on this, and I think I proved it tonight.”

Clout is currently positioned third in the SX1 standings following rounds one and two in Queensland rounds. The Australian will also line up for Rick Ware Racing in the upcoming World Supercross Championship (WSX), which will take off in Vancouver, Canada, next Saturday, October 26.