Townley will be back on a Honda CRF450R with TLD Honda in 2010.

New Zealander Ben Townley has signed for the Troy Lee Designs/Lucal Oil/Honda team to contest the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, beginning in Sacramento, California, next May.

The former MX2 Motocross World Champion and AMA East Coast Lites Supercross Champion will return from injury to contest next year’s outdoors series, opting to sit out Supercross in a bid to remain injury free.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” said Townley. “This team has surrounded themselves with really good sponsors and people that I trust. I think we are going to do great things together in 2010.”

Townley, who has recently been spotted riding Kawasakis, will remain in New Zealand to ride until the nationals commence, joining the TLD team aboard a Honda CRF450R at the season opener.

It’s also expected that Townley will contest selected rounds of the MX1 Motocross World Championship in the lead-up to the AMA series, while speculation is building that he’s also considering competing in select rounds of the MX Nationals Australian Motocross Championship.