Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

MEGA Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Dan Reardon and Nathan Crawford remain firmly focused on the 2017 Australian Supercross Championship, despite Carroll Motorsports this week revealing the team would be closing at the end of the season.

The decision of Carroll Motorsports to depart the sport has Kawasaki Motors Australia’s factory participation up in the air from 2018, placing both Reardon and standout rookie Crawford on the open market next year.

Reardon, who has just recently joined the Troy Carroll-managed team on a supercross-only deal, said it was a shame to see Carroll Motorsports exit. It’s understood the team was unable to maintain a viable operating budget to continue in its current state after being unable to come to terms with Kawasaki on an extended agreement.

“There are different ways you can look at it, but as a sport in Australia we don’t like to see anything close down, regardless of who’s running it or what’s happening,” Reardon told MotoOnline.com.au this afternoon. “It means there are less opportunities for jobs, whether it’s riders, mechanics or even for sponsors as well. It’s hard enough in this country as it is to make a living racing dirt bikes.

“When something like this closes it makes things very hard. I know Troy was very passionate about the whole thing, but he’s doing it for a reason and has to look after himself as well. In terms of me in the future, I guess it would be nice to retire with the same team or brand when I do decide to finish, but I don’t know when that day’s going to be – it may be a year, two, three or even four years. I only race supercross, so motocross doesn’t affect me at all.”

Upon return to Kawasaki, Reardon will set his sights on regaining the SX1 crown he last captured in 2015, however his primary priorities are fixated on securing a seat in Monster Energy AMA Supercross for next season. He finished seventh in the Western Regional 250SX standings earlier this year as part of Star Racing Yamaha and is eager to return to the US for 2018.

“Supercross, it all depends on the resources and money that are available from other teams [in Australia],” he said of his future. “I can imagine there’d be a pick somewhere if needed to be. A number one plate would help, but I guess it can be done later and my focus is going back to America, which is all I’ve really been focusing on. We’re all still doing our jobs right, we all want to win and do it properly. We’re not discouraged for this year by any means and I think everyone would like to end on a good note.”

As for Crawford, who was ninth in his rookie MX1 campaign at the conclusion of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals despite missing multiple races with a pre-season wrist injury, he too wants to put forward a strong supercross season and is believed to be on the radar of multiple front-running teams locally in the current silly season.

“It’s obviously not good for Troy, but the sport’s tough at the moment,” Crawford commented. “It doesn’t change anything for supercross, but it does affect me for next year. I mean, it’s one less team in the pits, so I guess it affects everyone. We’ve still got our goals for supercross and that’s not going to change.

“With one less team in the pits, there are obviously less spots, but I feel like I can hopefully land something pretty good – we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m actually really enjoying supercross on the 450, so I think that’s helped improved my supercross a little bit and I’ve been riding with some good people as well.”