The Replacements

Travis Preston will be racing for the Monster Energy Kawasaki team and wearing Answer gear for the remainder of the SX series.

At today's supercross Press Day at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, the Monster Energy Kawasaki squad announced that former 125cc supercross champ Travis Preston has been inked to fill in for the injured James Stewart, who will be out for the remainder of the supercross series.

“Well, I want to thank Mike [Fisher] and Kawasaki for giving me this opportunity," Preston said. "Things happened kind of fast. A couple of days ago, I was at home shoveling horse poop, and I get a call from Tony [Gardea], and he says that Mike Fisher wants me to come ride a Kawasaki. I said, ‘Well, that’s pretty good because I’ve been riding a Kawi for a couple of months at home.’  I went out, rode it, loved it, and next thing I know I’m racing supercross. I haven’t ridden supercross since Daytona last year, so it’s been a while, and I’ve had two days on the bike, and it’s going good.”

Ezra Lusk? Nope, that's Travis Preston!

When asked what he expects after not coming off a starting line since last March, Preston quipped: “The bike’s so good, I don’t need training or anything. I’m just going to go right out there and do it.”

Preston's deal as it sits now is just to fill in for Stewart indoors, although he's open to further opportunities to race outdoors if it comes to pass.

Branden Jesseman is officially going to be filling in for Christophe Pourcel for Mitch Payton's Pro Circuit squad in the Eastern SX series and AMA Nationals.

After Preston exited stage right, it was announced officially that Branden Jesseman would be filling in for Christophe Pourcel for the east coast supercrosses and outdoors for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad.