Although it is far too early to confirm the rumours, former MX2 World Motocross and AMA East Coast Lites Supercross Champion Ben Townley has been linked to a shock switch from Carlton Dry Honda in Australia race for to TwoTwo Motorsports for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship in the United States.

The buzz on the internet over the past two days and the talk around the pits at the fourth and final round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships at Taupo over the weekend was that Townley could be joining the injured Chad Reed’s team for the 2012 outdoors in the US, assuming he will be released from his contract with the Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing team in Australia.

It is believed that Townley was permitted to switch from the Australian team to TwoTwo late last week, however personal sponsorship deals were still to be finalised as of Friday afternoon before a deal is locked in. It is decision time for Townley and the managers of the Carlton Dry Honda race team in Australia and an official announcement will be made in the next few days.

Reed isn’t expected to return until late in the outdoors, if at all in 2012, with Townley long being a leading candidate for the seat if TwoTwo is to compete for the outdoor title.

If Townley does in fact move to TwoTwo and abandon his Australian MX Nationals assault, it’s expected that Honda satellite rider Tye Simmonds could be first in line to take over the team’s MX1 seat alongside Britain’s Brad Anderson.

It is envisaged, at this stage, that Townley will line up to race at least the first two rounds of the Australian nationals, the first round of which kicks off at Conondale, in Queensland, in two weeks’ time, on April 1.

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