Image: Foremost Media.

KTM Racing Team recruit Luke Clout ‘left satisfied’ with his podium result at the Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross opener in Townsville, gaining important race mileage in the lead-up to the 2026 Australian Supercross Championship – the priority of KTM Racing Team this season.

After topping superpole, Clout faced adversity early on in the first SX1 final that saw him sprint from the rear of the pack to P4 while also recording the fastest lap time of the race.

“I got a decent start, then got bumped by [Vince] Freise and [Matt] Mossy a little bit and shuffled back, but I came out okay,” Clout told MotoOnline. “Then Freise and someone got together and went down – I landed and had nowhere to go, so I went down with them.

“I had to work my way through from last and had a really solid ride – I nearly got back to second from last. My speed’s really good, my fitness is really good, and I feel solid on the bike. You’ve got to take the positives, and I think there are a few. I think I showed myself as a bit of a real deal this year.”

Second in race two earned Clout third overall in SX1 behind Christian Craig (Honda Racing) and Cedric Soubeyras (Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki), making him the highest-placed Australian for the weekend.

With the KTM Racing Team formally absent from Townsville due to prior commitments at the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (AJMX), Clout said it was of value to his campaign to piece together more of an independent structure for round one.

“Obviously, I totally respected KTM’s commitments with the Australian juniors, and I know they have a massive presence there,” he explained. “When this deal came about with KTM guys, I said, ‘Look, I think it’s going to be beneficial for me and the team as a whole to get a race under our belt.’

“It was a chance for me and the mechanic I’ve got here [Ben Lane] to work together at a race that counts, but doesn’t, I guess, however you want to look at it. I think we’ve left satisfied, and there are a lot of positives – I’ve only had a month on the bike, so give me another month now and I feel there are going to be even more good things.”

The Townsville round of the Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship sat outside of the Motorcycling Australia (MA)-sanctioned four-round Australian Supercross Championship, which instead commences at Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium on October 31 and will run simultaneously with AUSX.

“You want to win both championships, obviously,” Clout said. “The Australian championship is the one everyone’s chasing, I guess, but you want to be number one at the end of it as well.

“To salvage a podium in the first one and get some solid points, I’m happy with that. Overall, I’m stoked that the KTM guys helped me get here and do this – I think it was a positive first round, and we’re just going to build and go into Auckland better for it.”