Teenage talent Egan Mastin is preparing for his MX Nationals MX1 class debut with Team Motul Suzuki at Toowoomba, Queensland, on 23 August after being named the surprise replacement of Matt Moss.

Mastin, 17, won the MXD title last season before training in the US this year, recently crossing the line first in a Pro Sport Open moto at the famed Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.

While Moss continues to recover from a wrist injury sustained at the Shepparton MX Nationals, Mastin will join Kale Makeham at the Toowoomba and Coolum nationals, held on consecutive weekends this month.

“It felt awesome to get the call from Jay [Foreman] offering myself the chance to race for the team at the final two rounds of the MX Nationals,” Mastin commented. “I am looking forward to racing back here in Australia.

“The last time I raced here was the final round of the MX Nationals last year and to return to the nationals with the team that has won the past two MX1 championships is a great opportunity. I am really looking forward to getting out there.”

Foreman is looking forward to seeing Mastin back racing in Australia and is glad to be able to give one of Australia’s up and coming racers the opportunity to once again display their talent on home soil.

“Mastin certainly impressed last year in the MXD class and that did not go unnoticed, but with him making the choice to race overseas this year his name had fallen off the map a little bit,” Foreman explained.

“His results at Loretta’s had his name popping up again, so we gave him a call while he was on his way back to Australia and offered him a ride for the final two rounds of the nationals and we excited to have Egan joining our team to round out the series.

“Having a rider that lives local to the team is a bonus as it will give us the opportunity to work with him in the short time we have before we head to Toowoomba in just under two weeks time.”

A return for Moss isn’t yet certain, however he is targeting the defence of his Australian Supercross Championship when the season commences at Bathurst, New South Wales, on 10 October.