Motorex KTM’s Kirk Gibbs will resume his rookie SX-Open season at Phillip Island. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

South Australian Kirk Gibbs escaped serious injury in a heavy main event fall at Mount Gambier last weekend, motivated to return racing at this weekend’s Phillip Island Australian Supercross double-header.

Cleared of a suspected punctured lung, but still carrying a cracked rib and plenty of bruising, Gibbs will face a fitness test before proceedings commence this Saturday for round four.

After missing last weekend’s Phillip Island event through injury, 2013 will mark Gibbs’ debut racing alongside the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

“The goal was to win in Mount Gambier and in trying to do so I took some risks that didn’t come off,” Gibbs reflected. “When that happens, you end up fighting up from the back and that’s when things go wrong.

“I’ve got a sore neck and back and I’m pretty stiff, but I should be pretty right. There’s no major risk so I’ve just got to get a clearance from RACESAFE on the morning and then I should be good.

“I’m not scaling back expectations because of this, I just want to go there and ride well. If I can do that I’ll be happy. Being at the GP is great, I love watching it on the TV and to see it in real life and the speeds they travel is pretty crazy.”

Motorex KTM team manager Rob Twyerould is also confident Gibbs will board his 450 SX-F come race time this weekend.

“I’ve been speaking to Kirk this week and it’s looking pretty certain he’ll be able to ride,” Twyerould added. “It will just be a matter of managing the pain. Obviously he hasn’t been riding, he’s just been resting but he’s moving reasonably well.”

Despite his DNF in South Australia, Gibbs sits ninth in the standings at the halfway point.