Image: Foremost Media.

Empire Kawasaki team regular Reid Taylor will make a sensational switch to CDR Yamaha in today’s third round of the 2024 World Supercross Championship (WSX) in Perth, taking over the Craig Dack Racing SX2 entry after Kaleb Barham was injured last night.

Initially entered as a wildcard without the direct involvement of the Empire team, Taylor completed a private shakedown of the YZ250F this morning near HBF Park in Western Australia.

Taylor – currently fourth in the Australian SX2 standings with a single round remaining at Melbourne’s AUSX Open – is expected to continue with Empire Kawasaki next weekend. It’s understood that tonight’s CDR Yamaha deal is a one-off in a bid for the team to secure team world championship points.

Domestic Yamalube Yamaha Racing team rider Barham broke his wrist and dislocated his hand during the afternoon session on Saturday, scheduled to return home to Brisbane tomorrow for surgery, which will spell the end of his 2024 campaign.

Taylor qualified fifth on Saturday and then finished 12th in the opening SX2 race of the night program. He improved to P7 in the second encounter, but encountered mechanical dramas prior to the final outing, which would have effectively ended his WSX weekend.