Australian rookie Tye Simmonds finished 15th in Canada on Saturday night. Image: Hoppenworld.com.

Rookie AMA Supercross newcomer Tye Simmonds is eager to improve his speed in the 2011 title chase after finishing 15th in Toronto on Saturday night.

The 18-year-old Aussie has been qualifying for the majority of main events as JDR/J-Star/KTM’s lone Supercross Class contender aboard the 350 SX-F, however he’s hopeful of making further progress in the final five rounds of the season.

“I am definitely still off the pace of where I would like to be at this point in the season,” Simmonds said. “But this is my first year ever racing Supercross and I am learning more each week.

“I am happy to be near the tail end of the season without injury and also qualifying much easier into the mains than at the start of my season.”

In Canada last weekend, Simmonds transferred directly to the main event via an eight place result in the heat race before battling to 15th in his sixth main event appearance of the year.

The 15th place result matched Simmonds’ best of the season, also scoring the same position in Los Angeles and Atlanta. He now sits 22nd in the championship with five rounds to run.