Bench Racing Ammo: 2009 Teams

Has American motocross ever seen this many major team changes during a single off-season? The three biggest names in our sport today have made major moves, as AMA 450 MX champ James Stewart has jumped from Kawasaki to Yamaha and from Fox to Answer gear. AMA SX champ Chad Reed has switched to Rockstar/Makita Suzuki, but he’s still wearing Thor—as is AMA 250 MX champ Ryan Villopoto, who’s switching from Pro Circuit Kawasaki to the in-house Monster Energy Kawasaki factory team as he moves up to the 450 class.

Also, Kevin Windham will be returning to AMA supercross in 2009 aboard a GEICO Powersports Honda, but he will not be wearing No Fear gear—a brand he’s been with throughout the last decade. Instead, K-Dub will be wearing MSR. The preseason favorite in the 250F class, Ryan Dungey, is going from Answer to One Industries gear, and he’s got new competition coming in the form of GP contenders Christophe Pourcel and Tommy Searle.

Here’s an update on who’s riding what in 2009. If we missed someone, comment below.

(Photos by Simon Cudby)

Monster Energy Kawasaki
2 Ryan Villopoto
15 Tim Ferry

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San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Yamaha
7 James Stewart
38 Kyle Chisholm

Team Yamaha
8 Grant Langston
60 Broc Hepler
75 Josh Hill

Honda Red Bull Racing
9 Ivan Tedesco
18 Davi Millsaps
29 Andrew Short
101 Ben Townley

Star Racing Yamaha
41 Matt Lemoine
43 Broc Tickle
159 Darryn Durham
TBA Michael Hall

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Rockstar/Makita Suzuki
10 Ryan Dungey
20 Nico Izzi
22 Chad Reed
26 Michael Byrne
800 Mike Alessi

GEICO Powersports Honda
14 Kevin Windham
24 Brett Metcalfe
39 Trey Canard
40 Daniel Reardon
61 Blake Wharton

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki
19 Jake Weimer
46 Austin Stroupe
116 Ryan Morais
377 Christophe Pourcel

MDK/Muscle Milk KTM
31 Ryan Sipes
49 Justin Brayton
50 Wil Hahn
51 Martin Davalos
100 Tommy Searle

Motosport Kawasaki
36 Kyle Cunningham
48 Tommy Hahn
74 Branden Jesseman
87 PJ Larsen
148 Hunter Hewitt

Jagermeister/MDK KTM
11 Travis Preston
28 Josh Summey

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Spike Energy/Toyota Yamaha
21 Cody Cooper
33 Josh Grant

DNA Energy/BTOSports.com/BBMX
45 Jason Thomas
54 Matt Boni
65 Shaun Skinner
72 Bryan Johnson
130 Kyle Keylon

Atomic Racing/Cernic’s Kawasaki
35 Paul Carpenter
52 Robert Kiniry
82 Jack Carpenter

Brawndo/Solitaire Honda
55 Ryan Clark
57 Jake Marsack
58 Phil Nicoletti

Suzuki City
34 Matt Goerke
77 Steven Clarke

MotoConcepts/RXR Honda
79 Cole Siebler
801 Jeff Alessi
979 Ben Coisy
TBA Daniel McCoy 

Hart & Huntington Honda 
59 Troy Adams
67 Josh Hansen 
135 Josh Demuth

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull Honda
42 Jake Moss
47 Jimmy Albertson
63 Chris Blose