Troy Dog
Notice that this column now has a sponsor? That’s right! Troy Dog joined the Blu Cru and you should too! I have one in my garage right now and I can’t wait to go shred it! Thank you to Yamaha for believing in my ELITE columns on this dirt bike website enough to sponsor me. What a dream come true! BTW: Have you seen the all-new YZ450F? OH. MY. GOODNESS. I can’t wait to test that bad boy.
Silly season. I’ve never liked that term. Sure things get silly and mixed up, but can we call it something else? How about the “Preposterous Period”? This year we have a lot of questions on who is going where and it seems like just about everyone’s contract is up. Below is a breakdown on how I THINK some teams are going to end up looking. Mostly it’s just a blog to start a conversation about possibilities. I want to make it perfectly clear that I don’t have any insider knowledge on any of these rider decisions and this is just me speculating. I’ll add to this list as more information becomes available.
The First Tier – Tomac at the Top
No one is going to be signed until Eli Tomc decides what he wants to do next season. Does Tomac decide that he’s like NBA great Vince Carter and that he’s “Got one more in him?” Or, does he realize at the end of this season that he’s accomplished all that he wants to in this sport. To be honest, when Eli signed his Star Racing deal for SX only, with an option for MX, I assumed he’d just do SX this season and be finished. Then the SuperMotocross changes were announced and that’s a lot of money for a guy like Tomac to pass up. So, he’s in, but what is next for one of the sport’s all-time greats? Does he retire or return to Star Racing? He will need to make his decision before the rest of the chips fall.
The 2nd Tier – The Superstars
It’s a weird world where a guy like Cooper Webb has to wait on another rider’s decision before he can sign a deal, but that’s where we are. Webb has to wait for Tomac to sign or retire to figure out what he wants to do next year. If Tomac retires, will Webb go back to Star Racing, head over to Monster Energy Kawasaki, or stay with KTM? Where will Jason Anderson ride next year as he awaits for the Triumph 450 that’s coming in 2025? I think Malcolm will re-sign with Husqvarna. Sexton has been rumored for about a year now that he will be on a Red Bull KTM next year. Also, I truly believe that Hunter Lawrence will be on a 450 come next motocross season, so Honda is pretty much set on the future with Jo Shimoda (credit Steve Matthes for that scoop) and Chance Hymas on 250s. They may need a Supercross-only guy if Hunter stays on 250s until outdoors. Does Justin Barcia stay at GasGas? I think he does. Ken Roczen’s deal is up at the end of the year with HEP. I think he will re-sign. The elite of the elite have some decisions to make.
The 3rd Tier – The Complimentary Riders/250 Teams
The next level is where the majority of the Silly Season magic happens. This is the tier that has all of the 250 teams and rounding out the factory teams. Kawasaki and Husqvarna are set with Adam Cianciarulo and Christian Craig. Where does Aaron Plessinger end up if he doesn’t return to KTM? His decision will depend on whether or not Barcia stays with GasGas in my opinion. Also, how cool would AP look on a Kawasaki? I think that bike would suit him very well. Steve Matthes reported that Jo Shimoda will be going to Honda HRC and he also reported that Levi Kitchen could be heading to Red Bull KTM. Pro Circuit will be looking for a few riders to add to the roster and Ryder DiFrancesco could be going elsewhere. Ryder D would be a great fit at Star. I believe that Nick Romano will have another opportunity to show that he has what it takes with the team, but you never really can be certain. Max Vohland’s deal at KTM is up so I think he will end up at Pro Circuit and that will be a great fit. RJ Hampshire should have an option to move to the 450 class after his Daytona performance. Triumph will be making their debut in the paddock with two 250 riders. Michael Mosiman and Jalek Swoll have been linked in those conversations by multiple media outlets and I will credit Vital MX’s Michael Lindsay with that scoop. If that’s true then GasGas will need a 250 rider. It’s a lot of moving parts in this tier.
RELATED: A Way Too Early Look at Supercross Silly Season
The 4th Tier- Small Teams
This level is filled with riders that have the speed to be on a team, but maybe didn’t get signed by that factory team again. These are your AJE, PRMX, Team Solitaire, and Ti Lube teams. All good programs that are going to have a great opportunity to sign some great talent for next season. It’s too early to know who will be left in this tier.
The 5th Tier – Privateers
This last tier happens two weeks before Anaheim 1 and it’s not a fun one to be in. It’s a lot of last minute scrambling and unknowns. God bless you privateers. Fighting for any support you can get is no easy task.
Main image: Yamaha
