Image: Foremost Media.

Sixth overall for Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Mitch Evans at Port Adelaide’s penultimate round of the 2018 Australian Supercross Championship was exactly ordered after missing the opening rounds.

Finally making his first appearance in SX1, 7-5-6 results in the Triple Crown main events placed him an inspiring sixth overall. Now, he has his sights set on improving ahead of next month’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney.

“We haven’t had much preparation,” Evans told MotoOnline.com.au. “I got in two days of testing before MXoN, straight after the MX Nationals finished. The bike’s not where we want it because I’ve only done about five days of supercross, so today’s just about getting through.

“I felt really good on the weekend considering the short amount of time I’ve been on a supercross track and for it being my first year racing supercross on a 450. We were a little off with bike set up due to not having much testing done, so I am looking forward to getting some testing done this week.

“I am happy with sixth overall. The team and I had no expectations leading in as it was my first 450 supercross race with very limited preparation, so the goal was to get three good starts and stay out of the chaos and walk away healthy. We didn’t get the best of starts and but we were able to get through the night without too many dramas.”

“The track had unreal dirt and was basic enough to keep the racing close for the fans, but still technical enough to have a few different rhythm options. I am looking forward to getting some testing in with the team and feeling more comfortable on the bike and then going home to get back into my routine of riding and training before AUS-X Open.”

After a breakout motocross campaign in MX1 where he finished second to a dominant Dean Ferris, Evans opted to focus on representing Team Australia at the Motocross of Nations during the past month. Paired with Hunter Lawrence and Kirk Gibbs, they finished fourth overall in the Nations.