Sometime during the summer, a press release announced that Blake Baggett was riding the Monster Energy Cup on a 450. And that was the plan all along, until reality set in.

"We actually had one built," said Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki bossman Mitch Payton. "But when we got back from des Nations, we only had a week and a half to get ready. He felt like that wouldn't be enough time."

"Yeah, well, especially since I haven't even ridden a 450 since '09!" said Baggett. With a smile on his face, he hopped on his 250—complete with his new national number four, and headed out for practice. For a brief time, his 250 attempt looked promising, but then it all washed away. Baggett endoed in a rhythm section and came down on his arm, breaking his wrist. "It was just slick and muddy and I couldn't get over it right," he explained.

A few hours later, he was back at the PC truck.

Initial reports are that Baggett suffered a broken wrist at the MEC.
Simon Cudby photo

"Hey, did you see that?" said the new 250 National Motocross Champion. "I was up there with some big names! I was fourth in practice at one point on that bike! Had some big names behind me. I was pumped!"

But Baggett was sporting a splint and wrap on his wrist. He was still relatively upbeat, but that was partially the work of some pain meds—word is he was in some real pain when the crash first happened. He'll get some more updates this week as to his time table for returning, but surely the break will have an impact on his supercross schedule. Not at all the night he wanted, but he at least seemed happy to have given it a shot against the big bikes.