Stewart has switched to KTM for season 2010.

Ararat local Lewis Stewart will be hoping for a home-track advantage when the first round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals kicks off at Horsham Motorcycle Club on 28 March.

The 24-year-old will this year line up as part of the Top Gear KTM Team after riding as a privateer in 2009.

“The biggest change is the people around me,” Stewart said. “Being on a team as opposed to being a privateer, having people around who have the same goal as you is great. I’m feeling good coming into the round, and better than I did last year, but everyone says that about the first round.

“Everyone is going to come out and set the world on fire and until you get out there and the gates drop, you’re all in the same boat – you never know where you’re at until you get the first few rounds out of the way.”

Stewart, who performed strongly at the Horsham circuit when the series last visited in 2008, was confident the club would have the track in top racing condition for the opening round.

“At Horsham if the weather is nice, every time there’s a National there or some type of Motocross race it rains, so if we get some nice weather the guys at the club will have the track looking great,” he said. “The new whoops section is technical, and will create some good racing for the fans to watch.”

With 2009 champion Matt Moss now riding for Suzuki over in the U.S, mystery surrounding Kawasaki’s Luke George’s ride for 2010 and some international riders lining up on the gate, Stewart said the field was wide-open this year in the Pro Lites class.

“This year I don’t think there’s going to be one guy that will be a stand out like Mossy [Matt Moss] was last year,” he said. “I don’t even think it’s fair to say there will be one or two riders, because realistically there are 10 guys that could win a moto, and with the changed formats if you give any one of those top 10 guys a good start they could win it. As far as the depth of talent goes, I think everyone is in it this year.”

The first round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals kicks off on Sunday 28 March at Horsham in Victoria.