Sorby signs for supercross future.

There will definitely be no more grands prix for Eric Sorby, following Kawasaki America's announcement that the 23-year old Frenchman has signed an agreement with Pro Circuit to race the remainder of the AMA Supercross season.

Sorby, a grand prix regular in recent years, will join the Team Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/Chevy Trucks operation for the remaining four races of the season, which will see the former European SX champ compete on both the East and West coasts of the USA.

Sorby, from Marseille, France, made his professional debut three weeks ago at the EA Sports Supercross race at the Houston Astrodome and surprised the field with an impressive third place finish in the 125 main event.

He held the lead in the early stages of the race and battled throughout to earn the podium finish, something Team Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/Chevy Trucks manager Mitch Payton sees as a sign of things to come.

"I'm looking forward to finishing out the Supercross season and getting ready for the outdoor season," Sorby said, "I had a good finish in Houston, and that's good. But if I want to continue my success, then I'll have to keep getting better each week. I'm with the best team on the best bike, so I'll have a little bit of a head start.

"I can't believe that all of this is happening to me. One week I'm getting ready to race in Europe and the next week I'm on the podium in the US, with a new team and all of the attention on me for doing good. I like it."

Sorby, who competed last year in the 125 World GP Motocross series, is scheduled to compete in the remaining 125 Eastern Region and Western Region Supercross races before transferring outdoors to contest the 125 Chevy Trucks US Motocross Championships.

"It's unbelievable that Eric can come over here and have an instant impact in US Supercross," explained Payton, who has managed Kawasaki's 125 programme to an unprecedented 13 AMA championships.

"It's hard to find young, new talent in this sport. We hope that Eric can continue to make contributions to the team and provide us with another rider who can run up front."

Sorby's only other taste of US Supercross racing prior to the Houston race was in December 1999, when he made the trip to Pasadena for the World Supercross event held at the Rose Bowl. Sorby did not compete that evening, but was in attendance to watch his fellow countrymen compete on American soil.

Sorby, who will be sporting #917 from now on, joins defending 125 Motocross champion Mike Brown - currently second in the 125 Eastern Region point standings - for the next EA Sports Supercross Series event at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Matt Walker, who won his first 125 Supercross race at Houston, will pit alongside Sorby when the Western Region series resumes in Dallas on 20 April. Team Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/Chevy Trucks' other two riders, Shae Bentley and Bobby Bonds, are currently sidelined with injuries and are hopeful to return for the outdoor season.