Experienced international Dylan Walsh makes up part of KTM Racing Team’s MX2 roster for the upcoming 2026 Penrite ProMX Championship, intent on making an impression from the outset as he targets a long-term career in Australia. With the season-opener set for next weekend, Five Questions gets the 28-year-old’s thoughts ahead of round one at Wonthaggi.

Image: Supplied.

Dylan, you’ve signed with the KTM Racing Team for 2026. Take me through that decision and what led you to race in Australia this year?

Yeah, so as you said, I’ve signed with the KTM Racing Team for the full year in Australia in 2026, which is really awesome. I get on with the whole team super well, so to sign on and race down here was a no-brainer for me. I was kind of just looking for that next step in my career – you know, I wanted to be closer to home and my family in New Zealand – and then not travelling as much as well. It all ended up just being the right time and right place, so yeah, I’m stoked on it and just ready to get going with it, honestly.

You raced the Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship in SX1 with the team last year – was this year’s deal almost an extension of where your relationship ended in 2025?

Exactly, that was exactly what it was. I always wanted to come back here and race in Australia – that was my first choice, so both KTM and I were talking a lot before Supercross last year, and then from there, it was kind of easy to transfer what we were doing over to this year. Obviously, the big difference is that I am in MX2 this year, which I like the 250, but I would ideally like to be on the 450. The deal was all a little last-minute for us, and a 450 spot just wasn’t available in 2026, but it’s good because I get to figure out the series and all the tracks in MX2 this year – everything is really new for me, you know?

Image: Supplied.

And then with each respective series, are you excited to go racing in Australia across a full season?

I’m just excited to have the Australian life! There’s good food, good coffee, and then getting used to the new tracks and schedules – it’s a bit more relaxed for me than what I am used to, as we kind of go racing once per month. That’s new for me as well, but racing-wise I’m excited to get going. I’d say that my expectations coming in, if I’m being really honest, are kind of win or bust. I’m only coming here to win races with the end goal being the championship, and we want to hit the ground running from the get-go. I’ve got a good team behind me now, and I believe in my skillset too, plus my training is pretty dialled in down at Beaton’s Pro Formula in Inverloch – we’ve got a good crew, and Jed [Beaton] has been a close friend of mine for a long time now – so everything is in place for us to execute.

How does it feel to be part of the KTM Racing Team? Looking back, I’d have to say it’s got to be one of the more established programs you’ve been part of.

Yeah, man. Everything we get to try and be involved with is epic, and then I have some good relationships globally too, so I can also send some messages to find out more information about the bike, settings, and whatnot. I have been part of satellite teams in Europe as well, so there are some similarities there, but for sure, being part of this team and program is really confidence-inspiring. But I want to build a long-term base here in Australia now, so to start this chapter with the KTM crew is really, really good.

Round one is approaching in Wonthaggi. How are you feeling entering the opener, and what has the preparation been like leading into it?

The preparation has been good! We’ve been at it for a couple of months now with training and testing, so I’m feeling ready to go entering the new season. I feel like we have a good base setting, although that’s more in sandy conditions than the hard-pack, so we’ll still need to develop it as we go, but we’ll get there. I quite like Wonthaggi as a race track, though, and I’m pretty used to the 250 again – it only really took me a couple of days to become familiarized, and then I actually ride both the 250 and the 450 throughout the week in training – it depends on the day. But yeah, all in all, I’d say I’m just pretty stoked and ready for these gates to drop and get things underway.