Chase Stallo: Privateers always seem to play a big role in 250SX—specifically the East Region. In the past, teams have overloaded the West Region, leaving the East vulnerable. The past two years, privateers have taken ten spots inside the top ten in the final point standings. (Six in 2013; four in 2014.) We could see much of the same in 2015.
One name to watch is Vince Friese. Last year, Friese became the first privateer to finish inside the top-three in 250/125SX since Greg Schnell in 2000. More Bob Hannah than Ryan Dungey, Friese has ruffled more than a few feathers during his career. For better or worse, Friese is who he is: an aggressive rider that is tough to pass. But Friese has also produced. Since 2013, he has sixteen top tens, three top fives, a podium and finished fourth (2013) and third (2014) in points. The east is once again expected to be loaded, but don’t overlook the Missouri native.
According to Twitter and Matthes, Friese is not a big enough “sleeper.” It’s a testament to the results he’s put in over the years. So, let’s look a little further down the list but stay in the same region of the country. Keep an eye on Jace Owen next year. The two-time Loretta Lynn Champion and former Rockstar Energy Suzuki amateur rider was injured most of his rookie season, but he could have a breakout campaign next year. In 2011, he beat out Yamalube/Star Racing’s Anthony Rodriguez and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Chris Alldredge for the Schoolboy 2 (13-16) title. He has the speed, if he can find a way to put it all together.
Jason Weigandt: I'm going to the West Region and selecting Scott Champion as my dark horse. I feel like the eastern dudes are already established—Friese is known, Lemoine is known, Jimmy Deeeeeee is definitely known. I submit Champion as a guy who is set to really step up and have a career year. Last year he made every main event for the first time in his career—he only made half of them in 2012 and 2013. He also scored a career-high eighth in San Diego, and his twelfth in points was a career-best, too. Champion got a big boost thanks to his deal with the Strikt Slaton Yamaha team, which isn't a full-on factory team but is much more stable than the privateer scrap heap he was living in before. He's back on that team again, so he's in familiar, stress-free surroundings, which is a huge step compared to living hand to mouth.
Do I think Scotty will podium? No? Will Champion be Champion? No. I also think there are some privateers that can go a little faster than him. But if you're looking for the biggest year-to-year improvement and some "Hey, how about this guy!?" moments, look no further.
Steve Matthes: Going by Chase's logic, I'm going to pick Marvin Musquin as my sleeper. He didn't race supercross last year, so he's very under the radar. I know by Chaser picking Friese we can't possibly be using past results to determine sleepers because Vince finished third in the 250SX East Region last year. So I'll go with a guy that got no results last year and name him as the sleeper. Red Bull KTM's "Moving Marvin” AKA "the Martian" AKA "Marv Attack" Musquin. Suck it, everyone.
Aaron Hansel: After seeing entries from Chase and Steve I nearly went with Jeremy Martin, seeing as how he didn’t qualify for the first two rounds of the season last year. But, I guess winning the finale in Vegas and locking down the 2014 250 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will put a guy on the radar, so I had to look elsewhere. Plenty of names to see too—Jesse Wentland, Landen Powell, Jackson Richardson, Justin Starling, Mitchell Oldenburg, Dakota Tedder, AJ Catanzaro, Michael Leib, Topher Ingalls, and so many more could all come out and notch some career bests.
We had to go with one guy, though, so I went with Cole Martinez. He raced a few races in 2012, but 2013 was going to be his first full year—until he got hurt and missed the whole season after having surgery on his shoulder. He came back last year, though, and did pretty well, especially for a guy who had very little experience racing pro supercross. He made the first four 250SX mains of the year before breaking his wrist at A3, with his best finish, a tenth, coming in Phoenix. Martinez will be back this year out west with the Strikt Slaton Yamaha team, and I’m looking for him to pick up where he left off in 2014.
Jason Thomas: I am going to go with Austin Politelli. I really had him pegged for a breakout year in 2014, but a mid-week engine malfunction left him with a broken femur before he even got started. Politelli is still young and has tons of upside. The one bugaboo is his size on the 250. He is a big kid and is giving an advantage to virtually everyone in the class. If he can overcome the power/weight disadvantage and find himself near the front on the starts, look for Politelli to impress.
