When a championship is won, talk centers around the rider and the bike brand. No doubt, the rise to the top for Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John's/RCH Suzuki and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha makes for a compelling story, and vindication for the team owners and workers.
However these titles are just as important to the gear brands that pony up big money to associate with riders who can win titles. Believe us, they live and die by the results just like the manufacturers and teams do.
It's complicated, too, with team gear deals and other sponsorship arrangements often getting in the way. Fox has managed to say with Ken Roczen throughout his career despite him changing continents, classes and teams. On the other end, Star Racing has worn three different sets of gear in three years: MSR and ANSR in 2014 and 2015 (those two brands are sister companies) and then Thor in 2016.
For this week's List, we run through the championship gear worn in AMA National Motocross since 1995.
125/250 Class
Year | Rider | Gear |
1995 | Steve Lamson | Fox |
1996 | Steve Lamson | Fox |
1997 | Ricky Carmichael | AXO |
1998 | Ricky Carmichael | AXO |
1999 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2000 | Travis Pastrana | No Fear |
2001 | Mike Brown | Thor |
2002 | James Stewart | Fox |
2003 | Grant Langston | Thor |
2004 | James Stewart | Fox |
2005 | Ivan Tedesco | Thor |
2006 | Ryan Villopoto | Thor |
2007 | Ryan Villopoto | Thor |
2008 | Ryan Villopoto | Thor |
2009 | Ryan Dungey | Fox |
2010 | Trey Canard | Fox |
2011 | Dean Wilson | Thor |
2012 | Blake Baggett | Thor |
2013 | Eli Tomac | Alias |
2014 | Jeremy Martin | MSR |
2015 | Jeremy Martin | ANSR |
2016 | Cooper Webb | Thor |
250/450 Class
Year | Rider | Gear |
1995 | Jeremy McGrath | Fox |
1996 | Jeff Emig | Thor |
1997 | Jeff Emig | Shift |
1998 | Doug Henry | Fox |
1999 | Greg Albertyn | MSR |
2000 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2001 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2002 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2003 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2004 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2005 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2006 | Ricky Carmichael | Fox |
2007 | Grant Langston | MSR |
2008 | James Stewart | Fox |
2009 | Chad Reed | Thor |
2010 | Ryan Dungey | Fox |
2011 | Ryan Villopoto | Thor |
2012 | Ryan Dungey | Fox |
2013 | Ryan Villopoto | Thor |
2014 | Ken Roczen | Fox |
2015 | Ryan Dungey | Fox |
2016 | Ken Roczen | Fox |
Totals
Fox | 22 |
Thor | 13 |
MSR | 3 |
AXO | 2 |
Alias | 1 |
Shift | 1 |
No Fear | 1 |
ANSR | 1 |