Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing press release:

Leading national dirt bike racing outfit Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing is all set to fire into the 2019 season, with a two-rider line-up that will contest all major MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championship events.

Headlining the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team is top gun MX2 championship contender Kyle Webster, who roars into his fourth season with the powerhouse CRF Honda Racing team, which is owned and operated by longtime Honda motocross race team principal Mark Luksich.

Joining Webster in the Penrite Oils and Pirelli tyres sponsored Honda team for 2019 is NSW young gun Rhys Budd, who continues his rise through the Honda ranks and will attack the MXD category this year.

Meanwhile Sydney youngster Nick Luksich will enjoy support rider status with the team, as he maintains his push up the ranks of the hotly contested MX2 category.

“The 2019 season is shaping up to be an exciting one for Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing,” enthuses team principal Mark Luksich.

“Kyle is a proven outright contender who has already enjoyed success in the MX2 class, while Rhys is a graduate of Honda’s rider development scheme and will be a strong performer in MXD.

“Behind the scenes we are excited to be investing in the team’s infrastructure this year, by hiring experienced race mechanic Craig Bolton as a full-time employee working with Kyle, and having Damo Budd working with Rhys, while Mick Lillis will be assisting with the logistics of driving the race transporter and race event support.

“Sponsorship support, of course, is vital to operating a national race team,” Luksich continues, “and we are delighted to announce the continuing support of major team sponsors Honda Australia, Penrite Oils and Pirelli tyres from Link International.

“McLeod Accessories through FMF exhausts, Sidi boots and AMX Stores continue their support of the team, while new team sponsors include Gas Imports and their Thor, SPY, Neken and Stompgrip brands, alongside 6D helmets from Steve Cramer Products, which was a major sponsor of ours in the 1980s when MX legend Glen Bell was lead rider on our Honda race team.

“Finally, Autolite spark plugs, Gabriel shock absorbers, Promoto Suspension, SK Designs, RK Racing chains and sprockets, Polisport plastics, VP Race Fuel, XPR Performance, Rekluse clutches, Vortex Ignitions, MCD, ProPegs and Race Performance Filters are all continuing their support for 2019, for which we are extremely grateful.”

With the prestigious MX Nationals kicking off at Sydney’s Appin Raceway on March 17, Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing riders Webster, Budd and Luksich are right now ramping up preparations for the season opener.

After finishing seventh in the MX2 class in last year’s MX Nationals, which included mighty overall wins at the Wonthaggi and Coolum rounds, KYLE WEBSTER has just jetted out to New Zealand to click top gear on his 2019 season preparations.

“I’ll be racing selected major NZ events over the next couple of weeks, which will really help me to prepare and be as ready as possible for the start to the Australian season,” enthuses Webster.

“2019 is set to be a big year: it will be my fourth season with the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team, and having Craig onboard as my team mechanic will give me added support to chase race wins and championship victories. I want to be as consistent as possible and be there at every race, every weekend, chasing wins all season long.”

New team rider RHYS BUDD is one of Australia’s most decorated junior motocross competitors, with a swag of junior championship wins and podiums to his name since he began racing in 2009.

In 2017 Budd raced as part the Honda-sponsored Building Champions Program staged by legend Australian racer Lee Hogan – who is another protege of Luksich’s teams in the 1990s – while last year he rode with the Honda Red Riders. Needless to say the western Sydney-based 17-year-old is excited to have ‘graduated’ to the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing outfit.

“It’s early days yet, but from the very outset the connection with the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team has been really positive and I’m looking forward to the season starting with the MX Nationals at Appin in March.

“2019 will be my final year racing in the MXD class, so I want it to be a special one. My goal is always to win and be in the front pack and consistently make the podium, so that’s what I’m aiming for this year.”

Heading into his second year in the MX2 category, 19-year-old NICK LUKSICH is hopeful of putting the injury woes that dogged his 2018 campaign behind him.

“2018 was tough,” Luksich explains. “I suffered a broken wrist at the start of the season and then had more injuries through the year and that really wrecks your confidence and you’re not as fit as you want to be when you finally get to line up.

“This year is shaping up a lot better and I’ve had a really good pre-season and have been doing a lot of riding and training with Kyle, which is so beneficial when you can ride with someone faster and who is so into training. I can’t wait for the season to start at Appin next month!”

The March 17 MX Nationals series opener will formally kick off the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team’s 2019 calendar, which will include all ten rounds of the MX Nationals, followed by the Australian Supercross Championship in the second half of the year, along with selected other major race appearances.

To keep up to date on the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team’s activities, be sure to follow their social media accounts:
+ Facebook: CRF Honda Racing
+ Instagram: crf_honda_racing