The 250 Class is deep this summer for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. How can you keep up? Use this handy guide.
Red Bull KTM
Marvin Musquin (3rd overall in 2013)
Dean Ferris (Raced GPs in 2013) - Injured
NOTES: Marvin Musquin missed all of Monster Energy Supercross with a torn ACL, but will be ready for the opener. Sources have told us that Musquin is still not quite 100 percent yet and might be building speed and fitness as the season rolls along. Dean Ferris, the team’s new edition for 2014, was injured testing in Australia and is expected to miss part of the Nationals.
Rockstar Energy Racing KTM
Jason Anderson (8th overall in 2013)
Joey Savatgy (17th overall in 2013)
NOTES: Rockstar Energy Racing will get a boost with the return of Joey Savatgy. Savatgy, the 2013 SX Rookie of the Year, missed most of the Nationals last year and all of Monster Energy Supercross due to injury. Jason Anderson, the new 250SX West Region SX Champion, will also ride the 250 Class.
FMF/Orange Brigade/KTM
Dakota Alix (Rookie)
NOTES: The highly touted rookie from Vermont will make his pro debut at Glen Helen. This is the team Savatgy rode for last summer.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Adam Cianciarulo (16th overall in 2013) - Injured
Martin Davalos (15th overall in 2013) - Injured
Darryn Durham (14th overall in 2013) - Injured
Justin Hill (12th overall in 2013)
Blake Baggett (4th overall in 2013)
Dean Wilson (Raced 450 Class in 2013)
NOTES: Both Adam Cianciarulo and Martin Davalos are expected to miss a significant amount of time due to injuries suffered in Monster Energy Supercross. Darryn Durham, who missed all but two rounds of supercross due to a concussion, suffered a tibial plateau fracture Tuesday, May 20, while testing. There is no timetable on his return.
GEICO Honda
Matt Bisceglia (29th overall in 2013. Raced final three rounds)
Zach Bell (37th overall in 2013. Missed 11 rounds due to injury)
Justin Bogle (7th overall in 2013)
Zach Osborne (5th overall in 2013)
NOTES: GEICO Honda gets back Zach Bell, who has been out since the Phoenix supercross with a broken collarbone. Rookie Matt Bisceglia, who rode the last three Nationals a season ago, will make his full-time outdoor debut.
Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs Honda
Cole Seely (11th overall in 2013)
Jessy Nelson (21st overall in 2013)
Shane McElrath (26th overall in 2013. Raced last three rounds)
NOTES: After racing the last three rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross a season ago, 2014 will mark Shane McElrath’s first full season outdoors. As noted in our 450 spotter's guide, Malcolm Stewart is riding the 450 Class.
Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha
Jeremy Martin (6th overall in 2013)
Anthony Rodriguez (Rookie)
Cooper Webb (9th overall in 2013)
NOTES: Rookie Anthony Rodriguez will make his professional outdoor debut at Glen Helen. A-Rod is returning from a broken collarbone in supercross. The team’s amateur rider, Aaron Plessinger, may make his professional debut after Loretta’s.
CycleTrader.com Rock River Yamaha
Alex Martin (19th overall in 2013)
Greg Gehrer (Did not race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2013)
NOTES: Greg Gehrer will return to the team to contest the 250 Class after missing all of supercross.
Valli Motorsports Yamaha
Christophe Pourcel
NOTES: Yes, you read that correctly, Christophe Pourcel is back. He will ride for Valli Motorsports on a 250.
SmarTop/MotoConcepts
Vince Friese (Raced 450 Class in 2013)
Kyle Cunningham (10th overall in 2013)
NOTES: Let’s make this as simple as possible: Mike Alessi and newly signed Vince Friese—who is replacing the nearly signed, but never actually signed, Jeremy Medaglia—will race Glen Helen before heading to compete in the Canadian Nationals. Alessi will ride the 450, while Friese will ride the 250. Got it? Good. But we are not done yet. The team’s other 250 rider, Kyle Cunningham, will stay and compete in all 12 rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross. He says he’ll probably pit with Team AG Motorsports and ride his MotoConcepts bike.
JAB Motorsports
Matt Lemoine (Missed all Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2013)
NOTES: After missing the Nationals last year with a torn ACL, Lemoine will return to the 250 Class with JAB Motorsports.
Gurrnaid Energy/ AG Motorsports/ Peters Auto Mall
Kyle Peters (20th overall in 2013)
Cade Clason
Aaron Leininger
Brad Nauditt
NOTES: Kyle Peters returns after missing a portion of Monster Energy Supercross with a shoulder injury. This is the team Cunningham will pit with when the MCR rig isn’t at the races.
Team Tedder/Monster Energy Racing
Dakota Tedder (40th overall in 2013)
NOTES: Tedder missed the first six rounds in 2013 due to injury.
Team Crosley Radio/RiderSurance/Bee Line/ H & O Contracting
Jake Baumert (28th overall in 2013)
NOTABLE PRIVATEERS:
Blake Wharton (18th overall in 2013) – Wharton is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in supercross. He will not contest the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and will instead try his hand in AMA Supermoto.
Michael Leib (38th overall in 2013. Raced last two rounds) - Leib raced the last three rounds of Monster Energy Supercross with an injured ankle. Leib is still experiencing problems with the ankle and may take time off to let it heal properly. In the meantime, he is still trying to work out plans on how to get to all 12 rounds.
AJ Catanzaro (Raced 450 Class in 2013) – Catanzaro will not race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2014. Catanzaro is headed to Australia to race the Manjimup 1500 in a few weeks and will then prepare for the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross season.
We haven’t been able to reach privateers Jimmy Decotis and Jake Canada but neither appears to be on the Glen Helen pre-entry list. [Update: Trail Jesters is backing Decotis for the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.]
Mitchell Oldenburg (34th overall on a limited schedule in 2013) – Will ride select East Coast races—hopefully five to seven—beginning at High Point.
Jackson Richardson (23rd overall on a limited schedule in 2013) – The Australian privateer will contest the first three rounds and then evaluate what he is doing the remainder of the season.
Gannon Audette (Only raced Millville last year) – Will not contest the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Justin Starling (35th overall in 2013) – Is racing all 12 rounds.
Gavin Faith (Did not race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2013) – Will not contest the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Jace Owen (Rookie) – Will begin his season at round 4 at High Point.
Scott Champion – Champion is riding the first two Nationals—Glen Helen and Hangtown—with help from Brap Shop Yamaha.
Zack Freeberg (100th overall in 2013. Only raced two 250 races. Competed in 450 Class) – Is not expected to contest the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Dillan Epstein (22nd overall in 2013) - Epstein is returning from an injury at Southwick a season ago that cost him the rest of 2013 and the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross season. He will ride the first three Nationals and the evaluate his program for the remainder of the series.
Ryan Zimmer (31st overall in 2013) - Zimmer will miss the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, but will return for the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross season.
Brady Kiesel (24th overall in 2013) - Kiesel suffered a broken jaw at the Monster Energy Supercross 250SX East Region season opener in Dallas that caused him to miss a majority of the season. He will return at Glen Helen.
GOING TO CANADA:
Vince Friese – See above
Austin Politelli (Did not race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2013) – The defending MX2 Canadian National Champion is headed back to Canada to ride for Leading Edge Kawasaki.
Cole Thompson (Raced 450 in U.S. and Canada in 2013) – Thompson was scheduled to race in his home country of Canada before suffering a torn ACL in supercross. He is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Jesse Wentland (27th overall on a limited schedule in 2013) – Will contest the MX2 Class in the Canadian Nationals.
Topher Ingalls (Did not race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in 2013) – Ingalls is headed to Canada to race the MX2 Class in the Canadian Nationals.