A sharpened two-rider KTM Racing Team line-up of Nathan Crawford and Kayden Minear will carry high expectations into the 2024 Australian ProMX Championship when it opens at Victoria's Wonthaggi circuit this Sunday, aiming to build strong foundations in the early stages of the season.
At 26 years of age, experienced Queenslander Crawford is entering the prime of his career as he transitions to the MX1 category for this year, READY TO RACE and determined to make his mark in the premier division of national motocross.
Crawford finished runner-up in his final year of 250 competition last year and has quickly adapted to the KTM 450 SX-F during the pre-season, hopeful that he can gain momentum as experience builds. A consistent haul of results for victory at Wonthaggi's MX Open was an ideal shakedown, however, he's measuring his expectations coming into ProMX.
Exciting young Western Australian prospect Minear is returning for his second term in MX2 as part of the KTM Racing Team and he is certain to benefit from what was an encouraging debut campaign last season. The 16-year-old finished sixth in the final standings as a rookie, now eager to challenge at the front of the pack on his KTM 250 SX-F.
KTM Racing Team will also play a pivotal role in the ongoing development of MX3 entry Jet Alsop, the capable young Queenslander graduating from the KTM Junior Racing Team last year and lining up in 2024 with increased support alongside Crawford and Minear.
ProMX will drop the gates at Wonthaggi, Victoria, on March 17, for the season-opening round before spanning a total of eight rounds and culminating in the championship finals scheduled for Queensland Moto Park between August 17-18.
Kyle Blunden (KTM Group Australia Motorsport Manager): "As we eagerly anticipate the start of the 2024 ProMX Championship, we're thrilled to unveil our race bikes ahead of this weekend's opening round at Wonthaggi. Nathan, stepping up to the premier class, brings experience and determination. He showcased his sheer speed and ability on the KTM 250 SX-F last season and, in pre-season testing, has shown he is ready to take this step. His commitment to the KTM family and his work ethic alongside our entire team make him an invaluable asset, and we are confident that he will showcase the capability of the 2024 KTM 450 SX-F in what is a stacked MX1 class this season. Equally as exciting is the continuation of our partnership with the young and talented Kayden Minear. At just 16 years old, Kayden's remarkable progress in MX2 last year demonstrated his potential for greatness. Armed with the 2024 KTM 250 SX-F, Kayden is poised to significantly impact the championship, setting his sights on race wins where possible, but to be a podium contender each weekend. In addition to our dynamic duo, we are proud to extend our support to MX3 talent Jet Alsop. Jet, a product of our KTM Junior Racing Team, represents the future of Australian motocross, and we are committed to nurturing his talents as he takes the next step towards the professional ranks."
Nathan Crawford: "I’m feeling really good coming into the 2024 season. I’m making the step up to MX1, which I’m stoked about. The KTM Racing Team and I have had a really good pre-season, we've got the bike dialled in and I’m feeling really good on the KTM 450 SX-F. The team and I have set a goal of finishing inside that top-five in the first round – we just want to kick the season off with a solid result and go from there. I’m excited to race, it’s been a fairly long break, and I look forward to the opportunity ahead."
Kayden Minear: "I'm really excited to be back at the races in Wonthaggi this weekend and kicking the 2024 season off. The KTM Racing Team has put a lot of effort into the bike to get it even more suited to me for this year, plus I'm feeling good at the moment after recovering from my arm injury that happened in supercross. I'm confident coming into this first round and I'm excited to get it underway. I’ve also changed training groups for this year which has been huge, I've moved up to Queensland with 00 Elite Rider Training, and I feel like it's changed my riding style a lot. I'm feeling a lot more confident on the bike already and I'm excited to get the new season started."