Redux: 250SX East Preview

GEICO Honda 

#1 Justin Bogle | 2014: 1st | East Region
The 2014 250SX East Region Champion is back to defend his #1 plate. Bogle underwent shoulder surgery this off-season but is expected to be close to 100 percent. “Well, I am as healthy as you can be in this sport. Every one has issues they are dealing with, so as long as I’m on the gate I am healthy,” he told Racer X recently. In nine rounds last year, Bogle had two wins and seven podiums. He is one of only four riders in this division—Marvin Musquin, Jeremy Martin, and Martin Davalos—to have previously won in 250SX.

#80 RJ Hampshire | Rookie
The 2014 AMA Horizon Award winner will make his professional Monster Energy Supercross professional debut this weekend. Hampshire rode the last three rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross last summer, with a best finish of eleventh (moto one at Unadilla and moto two at Utah). Hampshire’s previous experience in stadiums—he previously won in Amsoil Arenacross and the Monster Energy Cup Amateur All-Stars Class in 2013—could prove beneficial early in the season.  

#126 Jordon Smith | Rookie
Another high-profile rookie making his debut in Arlington. Smith graduated from Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross earlier this year. Unfortunately, he’s been saddled with more than his share of injuries, and just sustained a broken hand that required a plate and six screws last week. He will miss this weekend.

Rockstar Energy Racing Husqvarna

#47 Martin Davalos | 2014: 2nd | East Region
Davalos was painfully close to the 250SX East Region Championship last year. He held the points lead before sustaining a season-ending leg injury during a test session prior to East Rutherford. “It’s been one of the hardest things to swallow,” he told Racer X earlier this year. Last season with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, Davalos won twice and had six podiums in seven rounds. He rode practice in 450SX at Anaheim 2 and raced Oakland to get ready for the East Region. Although this is his first year on Husqvarna, he did spend two years with Rockstar Energy Racing (on Suzukis) in 2011 and 2012.

Red Bull KTM

#25 Marvin Musquin | 2014: Injured
Musquin returns after missing the entire 2014 Monster Energy Supercross season with a torn ACL. In 2013, Musquin won four races and had seven podiums, coming up just shy of Wil Hahn in the East Region Championship. In what is likely his last year in 250SX, Musquin is a title favorite. He is the only member of Red Bull KTM on the East Region. 

Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha

#6 Jeremy Martin | 2014:10th  | East Region
Jeremy Martin’s first two seasons of Monster Energy Supercross have been very Jekyll and Hyde-ish. While he’s failed to qualify for three main events in two years (including the first two rounds a year ago), he also has three podiums and a race win (Las Vegas 2014). The reigning 250 Motocross National Champion enters his third year as a title favorite, but must be able to manage the opening round first.

#62 Anthony Rodriguez | 2014: 37th | East Region
Rodriguez’s blazing speed leads to some exciting racing. It also leads to brutal crashes. The Venezuelan missed all but two rounds last year due to a shoulder injury. He is entering his second season with the team.

Smartop/MotoConcepts 

#45 Vince Friese | 2014: 3rd | East Region
Last year Friese became the first privateer to finish top-three in 250/125SX standings since Greg Schnell in 2000. He also grabbed his first 250SX podium in East Rutherford and had eight top-tens in nine rounds. After spending last year with Factory Metal Works/Club MX, he’s reunited with Smartop/MotoConcepts—where he spent four years early in his career. As per usual, Friese spent some time on a 450 out west and made the main each time he competed.

JAB Motorsports

#43 Matt Lemione | 2014: 11th  | East Region
The eight-year veteran was another first-time podium performer last year—his coming in Detroit. Lemoine, back with JAB Motorsports for another season, had six top-tens a year ago, including a podium and two fourths.

CyleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha

#254 Greg Gehrer | 2014: Injured

#343 Luke Renzland | Rookie
Renzland has two titles from the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur Nationals at Loretta Lynn’s. He also has a first-rate supercross track at his Dreamland compound in Florida, so he will be as ready as any rookie—but with any rookie, you never know. His peers out West, like Aaron Plessinger and Chris Alldredge prove that.

#337 Nick Desiderio | Rookie

AG Motorsports/Gurrnaid Energy Racing 

#35 Kyle Cunningham | 2014: 4th | East Region
After spending last year with Smartop/MotoConcepts, Cunningham enters his eighth season with a new team—his third in as many years. Last year, he had eight top-tens in nine rounds and had three fourth-place finishes. He is seeking his first podium since 2011.

MotoSport.com/GPI Honda Racing

#986 Colt Nichols | Rookie
Another Ricky Carmichael Road to Supercross graduate making his Monster Energy Supercross debut this weekend. Nichols finished tenth in the Arenacross class last year with Team Babbitt’s before contesting the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Championship where he finished second behind GEICO Honda rookie RJ Hampshire. 

#55 Kyle Peters | 2014: 18th | East Region
After two years with AG Motorsports, Peters joins Nichols on the East Region. A year after a podium in Indianapolis, Peters had zero top-tens last year before sustaining a season ending shoulder injury in Toronto.

Team Tedder/Monster Energy Kawasaki

#59 Dakota Tedder | 2014: 12th | West Region
One of the few West Region riders in 2014 to move east. Tedder, a four-year veteran, had one top-ten out west last year.

FMF/KTM Orange Brigade

#88 Dakota Alix | Rookie
Yet another rookie making his Monster Energy Supercross debut this weekend. Alix, a longtime Red Bull amateur athlete, raced Lucas Oil Pro Motocross last year but missed significant time with injury.

Arma Energy/MotoSport.com Yamaha

#52 Mitchell Oldenburg | 2014: 14th | East Region
Entering his third season, the Minnesota native by way of Texas, arguably has the most support he’s had in his career to this point. He had four top-tens a season ago in the East Region on a privateer effort.

Riverside Harley Davidson/Trail Jesters/SOB MX

#49 Jimmy Decotis | 2014: 7th | East Region
Jimmy DDDDDDDDDDD! Everyone’s favorite rippa from the Mass is back with support from Riverside Harley Davidson/Trail Jesters/SOB MX. Decotis had seven top-tens in nine rounds on the East Region last year. 

RSR (Rick Schugel Racing)

#74 Zack Williams | 2014: 24th | East Region
The Minnesota native is entering his third season in Monster Energy Supercross. His career-best finish is a twelfth in Houston in 2013. 

#84 Jesse Wentland | 2014: 20th | East Region
Wentland is expected to miss the entire East Region after having a “plate, twelve screws, and a bone graph” in his shoulder.

Team Legends and Heroes 

#73 Gannon Audette | 2014: 17th | East Region
The former Star Racing prospect finished his first complete season since 2011 last year. In 2012 and 2013, Audette sustained season ending injuries at East Region opener in Dallas. He had two top-tens in 2014.

Traders Racing Kawasaki 

#95 Nick Gaines | Rookie
Stop of us if you’ve heard this before—a rookie making his debut. Yep, Gaines, who surprised many by making the top fifteen in both of his Lucas Oil Pro Motocross appearances last year, will make his debut this weekend.

Blue Buffalo/Slater Skins Yamaha 

#244 Ryan Zimmer | 2014: 30th | East Region
The veteran made three mains on the East Region last year—while WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB DURING THE WEEK. Pretty cool if you ask us. 

HRT Racing

Vicki Golden | Rookie
Golden, a graduate of RC’s Road to Supercross, Golden will attempt to become the first female to make a 250SX main in Arlington. She is getting help from HRT Racing, a team that has been around the block.

Team K1 Speed/BWR Engines/SSi Decals

#137 Austin Coon | Rookie
Coon is from West Virginia and has competed in Amsoil Arenacross the past few years.

#89 Brady Kiesel | 2014: Injured | East Region
In his second year last year, Kiesel broke his jaw at the opener, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.