Luke Clout has confirmed he will depart CDR Yamaha Monster Energy ahead of the 2020 season, strengthening speculation that he’ll join Penrite Honda Racing with an opportunity to contest the opening rounds of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship next year.

Clout, who finished second in the Australian Supercross Championship after a difficult night at the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne on Saturday, has been in public over the last two rounds that he’ll race at least the opening six rounds of the American series.

Following his seventh overall placing inside Marvel Stadium, the New South Welshman elaborated on his 2020 plans, indicating the opportunity to race overseas was key in luring him away from the powerhouse CDR squad after what has been his most successful campaign in the premier class.

It was revealed in October that Penrite Honda Racing will expand to the US in 2020, understood to be bringing an Australian rider over for the first portion of the 250SX West championship.

Clout has been widely-linked to the role, which is understood to see him return to Australia for the MX Nationals aboard a CRF450R alongside Brett Metcalfe, while it’s tipped Kyle Webster will join the outfit in the MX2 category.

“It’s kind of sad to say, but this will definitely be my last ride for CDR tonight,” Clout revealed to MotoOnline.com.au. “I just want to take the time to thank everyone that’s involved – Yamaha, CDR, Dacka, and just everyone in the team – I really appreciate everything they’ve done. They’ve helped me out tremendously and I’m really thankful for what they’ve done.

“I want everyone to know that from the bottom of my heart – they’ve kind of mentored me in who I am today. But, I’m moving on and I’m going to something that I think is the best fit for me because there are opportunities for me to head back to the US.”

The popular SX1 contender entered Melbourne’s season-finale with a one-point lead in the championship and went onto set the fastest time in qualifying and claim Superpole, however a series of unfortunate events in the triple crown main events denied him the chance of challenging Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing) for the crown.

“I’m happy with how the year went, and I was stoked with how today went,” Clout continued. “I felt like when the track was at its best, I was probably the best rider out here. Those three races, just whatever I did, it seemed to go wrong.

“I had about four or five riders fall on me, I had a guy stall when I had the hole-shot in front of me – it was just chaos. It was just not my championship to win – we started off great today with qualifying fastest and Superpole. My speed is there, I just need to finish it off in the end.”

An incredible victory at the 2019 Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne has granted Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing) his fourth-straight Australian Supercross Championship.

It was an eventful start to race one as Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) secured the hole-shot, as it was red-plate holder Luke Clout (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) who went down on lap one.

Chad Reed (Penrite Racing Mountain Motorsports Honda) made an aggressive pass on Anderson for the lead on lap one, the American going down – Clout also got caught up in the ongoing carnage, and took the Repco Shortcut lane as a result. It wasn’t to be though, as he went down a third time just a matter of laps later.

Anderson went down again while making a pass just before the finish line, as Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing) maintained second for much of the outing, ultimately passing Reed to clinch victory.

Reed was second ahead of Josh Hill (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy), who attempted a pass on the final turn, while Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda Racing) and Dan Reardon (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) locked out the top five.

Riche Evans (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) finished sixth ahead of Anderson, Dylan Long (Empire Kawasaki), Joel Wightman (Honda), and Clout.

Anderson rocketed to the hole-shot in main event two with Clout in tow – the New South Welshman momentarily earning the lead prior to clicking over lap two.

He was passed back by Anderson, while Brayton used his opportunity with the shortcut lane to overcome both of them, earning and maintaining the top spot for much of the outing.

Anderson passed him with two laps to go, securing victory as Clout earned third. Hill was fourth ahead of teammate Reardon, while the top 10 was completed by Metcalfe, Reed, Jackson Richardson (Honda), Evans and Jesse Madden (Honda).

The start to main event three was chaotic as Anderson couldn’t brake in time for the opening turns, causing the entire field to be held up. Clout crashed in the chaos, further damaging his title hopes.

Anderson rode flawlessly in what was mainly an uneventful outing – minus the start – while Hill put in an incredible ride to advance to second ahead of Brayton at the chequered flag.

Metcalfe was fourth over Reed, while positions six to 10 were taken out by Reardon, Clout, Evans, Todd Waters (Husqvarna), and Long.

Overall, Brayton was victorious over Anderson and Hill, who earned his first podium across three appearances in Australia. Brayton was crowned champion over Clout and Reardon, while it was Anderson who lifted the S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship.

Detailed results

Penrite Honda Racing’s Chris Blose has been crowned the SX2 champion in the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship, while it was teammate Mitchell Oldenburg (Penrite Honda Racing) who claimed victory at the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne.

It was Jett Lawrence (Geico Honda) who grabbed the hole-shot in race one while on debut, although his time at the front was short-lived after being passed by Chris Blose (Penrite Honda Racing) at the end of lap one.

Mitchell Oldenburg (Penrite Honda Racing) got by the rookie one lap later before engaging in a thrilling battle for the lead with Blose, ultimately securing victory over his teammate and fellow American.

Defending champion Jay Wilson (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) put in a stellar ride, making a number of passes throughout the encounter – his most impressive coming at the last turn on the final lap, passing Lawrence for third.

Lawrence was fourth ahead of points leader Josh Osby (Raceline KTM Thor), while the top 10 was rounded out by Connor Tierney (Serco Yamaha) – who was the first to take the Repco Shortcut lane – Darian Sanayei (Kawasaki), Geran Stapleton (Honda), Regan Duffy (Raceline KTM Thor), and Rhys Budd (Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing).

It was another hole-shot for Lawrence in race two as Oldenburg and Kyle Webster (Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing) went down, but it was Blose who stole the lead at the halfway mark.

Tanti advanced to third, however later went down heavily while battling Wilson – he was stretchered off the track with the Racesafe medical crew.

Wilson managed to advance to second, once again passing Lawrence in the dying stages. Lawrence was third ahead of Osby and Oldenburg, followed by Duffy, Tierney, Bradley Taft (Empire Kawasaki), Morgan Fogarty (Davey Motorsports KTM) and Budd.

Osby claimed the hole-shot in race three, however is woes on the night continued as he later went down. Blose quickly earned the lead as Lawrence pulled the trigger on the shortcut lane, passing a number of people to position himself in second.

He passed Blose and led the remainder of the encounter until the last turn, where Oldenburg jumped the quad in the last rhythm lane – the only 250 rider to do so – to earn the win ahead of the debutant.

With the championship essentially in hand, Blose evidently relaxed his way to fourth across the line behind Wilson, earning the title in the process.

Budd was highly impressive fifth over Duffy, with the top 10 completed by Stapleton, Taft, Tomas Ravenhorst (KTM), and Tierney. Osby 12th.

Overall, it was Oldenburg from Blose and Wilson, while in the championship, Blose claimed top honours ahead of Osby and Oldenburg. The S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship SX2 title went to Blose.

Detailed results

An emotion-charged Chad Reed will make his Australian farewell as a full-time professional on home soil in tonight’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne.

The 37-year-old formally confirmed in Friday’s pre-race press conference that the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season will be his last, marking the end of a spectacular 20-year career.

With AUS-X Open taking centre stage at Marvel Stadium in what is being regarded as the biggest and most important race in Australian supercross history, it is a fitting opportunity for Reed to race at home as a professional one last time prior to hanging up his helmet next year.

Despite sitting out the Monster Energy S-X Open Auckland two weeks ago with a rib injury sustained in Paris, Reed has healed further since and is confident he will be fit to line up this evening. A special send-off will take place during the night show.

“I feel like if I really, really had to race in Auckland I could have and would have been far less than my 100 per cent, but this one for me is the main one and it was more important to have a shot at it tomorrow night,” Reed explained.

“Pretty much, what you see is what you get at this point [for 2020]. Mountain Motorsports has been amazing in helping and supporting everything that I’ve been doing – the goal is to go racing and I’m pretty confident that we’ll make that work. Sponsors, how we look and feel is all a moving target, but I’m excited.

“2020 will be my final season, so it’s a big one and I’m excited. I need to race this weekend for that reason… to do it this long and see where the sport’s been, to be at this stadium, I’m just excited for everyone involved.

“I think this will be my final race in Australia as a full-time racer, but my goal is to do off-season races – I really enjoy those. I’d love to keep my roots strong and come back, which you want to race, but maybe a year from now I don’t know if I’ll want to put the work in to do it, so maybe I’ll just come and race Ricky like BT does.”

Reed is currently working on a deal that could see him contest the entire American championship one final time, however, at the very least he’s expected to be behind the gates at Anaheim 1 on 4 January for his historic 250th milestone.

Once the longtime international does hang up his helmet, current S-X Open FIM Oceania champion Reed is almost certain to become an event ambassador in a similar role to the likes of Ricky Carmichael and Ben Townley.