Motocross: Rhys Carter joins champ in Suzuki colours

Mount Maunganui's Rhys Carter has landed a ride with Suzuki's Australian team for the 10-round Australian Motocross Nationals. Photo/Colin Smith

Winning form at the final round of the New Zealand Champs has given Mount Maunganui motocross racer Rhys Carter plenty of momentum as he prepares for a factory ride in the Australian Championship which begins this weekend.

Carter will step up to a 450cc Suzuki for the 10-round Australian Nationals, joining the Motul Suzuki squad as teammate to reigning champion Matt Moss.

Carter says discussions to join the team began early in the New Zealand series and the ride was confirmed a couple of weeks ago but was only announced at last weekend's final round at Taupo.

"It was first talked about at the first round (of the NZ Champs) and it all came together a few weeks ago but the team has waited to get the press releases out," said Carter.

Carter, 24, had some promising performances in the final two rounds of the 2012 Australian Champs and last year rode the full Australian series as an Pro Lites (250cc) privateer. A strong second half of the season produced sixth place in the title standings.

The step up from a 250cc bike to a 450cc Suzuki and the Pro Open class won't be an unknown quantity to Carter.

"I rode a 450 at the Motocross of Nations (in Germany) last year so it won't be completely new to me.

"And last year racing in Australia was a valuable experience and it means I know the tracks which will help me."

Carter had gone into the four-round New Zealand Champs with high hopes after finishing third in the MX2 class last year. A first round crash and riding while unwell at the third round left him out of title contention.

At the final round in Taupo on Saturday he delivered his best performance with a second, fourth and a victory in the final race of the series. He missed out on the overall round win on a tie-break decider with Hamish Dobbyn and finished the season in seventh place.

Carter's new ride means three Bay of Plenty racers will be contesting the premier class in Australia.

Back-to-back New Zealand champion Cody Cooper (Papamoa) spearheads Honda's challenge in Australia and is looking to improve from a fourth place effort last year and third in 2012 when he rode for Suzuki.

Cooper and Carter have trained together for several years.

"I'll continue to train with Cody. The best thing is he practices as fast as he races," said Carter.

The third Kiwi looking to make an impression in Australia's Pro Open series is Taupo's Brad Groombridge - who raced to third in the MX1 Championship last weekend - and has landed a ride with Melbourne's Byrner Suzuki team.

Newly crowned New Zealand MX2 champ Kayne Lamont (Mangakino), runner-up Hamish Dobbyn (Auckland) and sixth placed Hamish Harwood (Takaka) will contest the Pro Lites (250cc) series.