Hurley back for MX doubler header

New Zealander Daryl Hurley will make a return to local shores when he competes in rounds three and four of the Australian Motocross Championship at Toowoomba and Mackay on May 17 and 24.

After a long career in Australia, punctuated with a two-year stint in America, Hurley semi-retired at the end of the 2008 season after finishing second in the national title behind Yamaha's Jay Marmont.

Still active on the racing scene at home, the genial 33-year-old will now try his luck in Australia again, and will reunite with his former team, Shift Motul Suzuki, for the cameo.

Shift Motul Suzuki team manager, Jay Foreman, said that Hurley was keen to ride against Australia's best once again.

"He wants to come back and do a couple of races, he'll do these two rounds to start with and we'll see how he's feeling and go from there," Foreman said. "He misses racing and wants to come back, which is good for Suzuki and everybody. He's a likeable guy and we all enjoy having him around.

"There's not a whole lot of racing over there (New Zealand) right now… which is why he's missing it.

"Everything Daryl does, he does 100 percent, so he's been training hard. If he's coming back he's going to give it everything he's got so he's been riding every day, training and preparing himself and I can't wait to see him back in action."

Hurley is a two-time Australian motocross champion, winning the 125cc title in 2001 and the Pro Open in 2005. He's also been a regular on supercross podiums.

Hurley will join fellow veteran Cameron Taylor in an expanded Shift Motul Suzuki Pro Open assault in Queensland. Taylor has been consistent in 2009 without starring, with a best finish of sixth in round one.

Meanwhile, Marmont is making a solid fist of his Pro Open title defence, and leads from fellow Yamaha rider Andrew McFarlane after the first two rounds.

For more information on the Australian Motocross Championship, click here.