Image: Jeff Crow.

South Australia’s international motocross export Brett Metcalfe will bolster the opening rounds of this year’s Motul MX Nationals after agreeing to a deal with SD3 Husqvarna to compete in the first four events of the 10-round season.

Metcalfe will be reunited with the team he finished runner-up with at last year’s Adelaide round of the Australian Supercross Championship, campaigning a factory-supported FC 450.

SD3 Husqvarna owner Stephen McKinnon and Husqvarna Australia brand manager Jon Hafey began looking at alternatives after the departure of Jacob Wright from the squad a fortnight ago. Metcalfe will still compete in Canada later this season.

“When I first got the call from SD3 Husqvarna owner Steve McKinnon I was optimistic, but unsure if it was possible,” American-based Metcalfe explained. “I’m always excited about the opportunity of racing, especially after Wayville SX last year on the Husqvarna FC 450. I had a great time with the crew and things went smoothly.

“We both had a few targets to hit and went to work on it immediately and came up with green lights, so I’m excited about it and also happy that I’ll get to bring my wife and my two boys down to enjoy a little Australian lifestyle and visit my family.

“I’ve been training and riding since January so I hope to be up to speed quickly once I arrive in Australia for the SD3 Husqvarna team this weekend. The field in the 450 class is going to be intense. The list of riders is long and it’s great to see it finally build up. I have a feeling the racing is going to be amazing for the fans in both classes.

“I’ve already spent good time with my new teammate Luke Arbon and his chief mechanic Andy Pringle in the past month here in California, so I know the SD3 Husqvarna team is prepared and ready to compete.

“I’d really like thank Steve and Dimity McKinnon from SD3, Jon Hafey and Jeff Leisk from Husqvarna, Lincoln McFayden at Mcleod’s Accessories, Kelso at Rockstar, and give a special Thanks to Andre Laurin from Rockstar/OTSFF for allowing me to come down, my longtime agent David Evans and of course my family for the love and support.”

Husqvarna brand manager Jon Hafey commented: “I’m very excited and I have had the pleasure of sharing two Motocross des Nations experiences with Brett and he is the consummate professional. Knowing Brett he would be under no illusion as to the level of competition at the pointy-end of the field here, but I would expect him to be very competitive. Brett is a fan of the Husky 450 after riding it to second place in the Wayville Supercross last year, and he was more than willing to come back for these selected MX Nationals appearances.”

Steve McKinnon, SD3 Husqvarna team owner, added: “Following Jacob Wright’s departure from SD3 Husqvarna we have managed to pull together a very exciting 11th-hour deal to have Brett Metcalfe race the opening four rounds of the MX Nationals. Brett was an amazing and very popular competitor when he last visited Australia for the third round of the Australian Supercross Championships in October last year.

“Brett recently spent a lot of time training with SD3 rider Luke Arbon over the pre-season and he fits effortlessly into our team structure so I think it’s going to be good for SD3 Husqvarna and great for the sport to have Brett back in the country for these opening four rounds of the MX Nationals series. I can’t wait.”

Metcalfe’s inclusion will now mean that Husqvarna Australia will field a two-rider MX1 assault for at least the first four rounds of the championship, with young Queenslander Jesse Dobson looking in strong form during recent events after shaking off any signs of last year’s knee injury.