Image: Octopi Media.

Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki has drafted in Canadian Cole Thompson for rounds three and four of the 2025 Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship, with the experienced Canadian set to contest the SX2 division for the Victorian-based team.

Thompson, 32, finished second in last year’s domestic SX2 championship, having competed as part of Honda Racing. For 2025, he’s scheduled to contest the entire World Supercross Championship series with Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki.

“Cole is a rider we have been in talks with for some time, and his international schedule this year made it difficult for him to compete in the entire AUSX championship,” commented team owner Tyson Cherry.

“We are committed to being competitive across both the SX1 and SX2 classes, and we believe that Cole can run up front on our KX250. He has proven his track record here in Australia, and his schedule this year continues to prove his value as a supercross specialist.

“Currently, Cole is contracted for round three at Cronulla and round four for the AUSX Open at Marvel Stadium, and we will assess his availability with pending international races before the championship final in Adelaide”.

For Thompson, a return to AUSX onboard the KX250 is a prospect that he is excited about leading into the third round. Earlier this year, he finished 11th in the 250SX West division of Monster Energy Supercross with Team Solitaire on a Yamaha, before joining AEO KTM in the SMX Finals.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to Australia to race AUSX and to be joining the Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki team,” he said. “I have always enjoyed racing in Australia, and to see the growth of the championship – along with the growth of the Empire Kawasaki team – has made me excited to return to be competitive in the international field of SX2 riders.”

The credentials of Thompson in AUSX have been exceptional over the course of the past three seasons, finishing runner-up in 2022 and 2024, as well as third in the 2023 SX2 championship standings.