TM Racing Australia has unveiled a brand new factory team on the eve of the 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals, which commence at Raymond Terrace on Sunday, 14 April.

The Italian brand will step on to the national race circuit full time in 2013 with a two-rider line up at all 10 rounds of the 2013 outdoors.

Cross Country Action, who have been importing TM into Australia since 1992, will give their full backing to Simon Thompson and Ryan Ziepes.

Cross Country Action owner Andrew Franklin is aiming to lift the profile on the TM machinery.

“Really, what better way to go racing and show your support for racing than to go racing as an importer,” Franklin commented.

Leading the team’s charge in the MX1 class in 2013 aboard a TM MX 450Fi will be Queensland’s Simon Thompson, who has spent the past few years racing the off-road circuit, focusing on some of Australia’s big one off races like Finke and Hattah.

Thompson is no stranger to the national motocross scene, having spent previous years racing the national circuit with some strong results along the way, including top 10 moto finishes in the Pro Open class.

Franklin sees, Thompson as a solid top 10-15th place rider heading in to the 2013 season.

“Simon contacted me late last year and said though the off-road racing was fun, he felt that there was a lot he still could and wanted to achieve racing motocross,” Franklin continued.

“Being a small team and with a small budget in our first year of racing, Thompson is the perfect fit for our team and shares the same goals as we do going racing.”

Ryan Ziepes has a steep tradition with TM, racing aboard the blue and white bikes for his entire junior career and early in to his senior career. The closure of Ryan’s local TM dealer a couple of years ago forced him to look elsewhere for support until now.

“Ryan and his dad saw what we were doing last year and were impressed with the direction we were heading,” added Franklin.

“After spending most of his life racing TMs he wanted to come back and race for TM at a national level and we offered him the opportunity to come and race with us in our first year.”

Ziepes will compete in the MX2 class for TM Racing Australia aboard a TM MX 250 two stroke.

The new-look 2013 TM Racing Australia team will debut at the opening round of the 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals on 14 April at Raymond Terrace.