The news has been out for a while, but last night it was made official—Matt Bisceglia and Daniel Baker have signed two-year contracts with MAD Racing to compete aboard Suzuki-supported Yoshimura/Dirt Candy Graphics RMZ 250s. Bisceglia will race the 250SX West Region in 2016, with Baker competing in the 250SX East Region. Both riders will also race Lucas Oil Pro Motocross for the team.
"With Matt and Daniel, I feel like we can contend for race wins right out of the gate," said MAD Racing owner Mike Davignon. "And it should be noted they have both signed two-year contracts, so we're behind these two young riders 100 percent."
The team also announced that two-time World Champion Sébastien Tortelli will serve as a trainer and tutor to both riders.
"We are giving them the very best equipment on the market thanks to our new partnership with Suzuki, and I've also hired Sébastien Tortelli to train and tutor these guys to make them the very best they can be," added Davignon.
Bisceglia, the 2013 AMA Horizon Award winner, joins the team after spending two years as a professional with GEICO Honda.
"I'm pumped for a new start on a fired-up team, and I already feel amazing on the bike after just the first few days," Bisceglia said. "This is a very focused group of people, and I'm proud to be with them. Mike and Mary Kay Davignon are so supportive of everything we are doing, and I'm honored they are showing so much faith in me. It will be exciting to see where this year takes us."
Davignon said his current plan is for Bisceglia to spend two more seasons in the 250 Class before moving to the 450 Class in 2018.
"I've always been impressed with Matt," Davignon said. "I've had my eye on him since his early amateur days and he's impressed me at each step. He's shown tremendous starting-line ability and he's led enough laps to prove he can ride with anyone."
Baker turned pro last year at the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season opener with KTM Orange Brigade. The team folded this off-season, leaving Baker searching for another option heading into his first season of Monster Energy Supercross.
"Until two weeks ago I didn't even know if I'd be racing Supercross because the team I was with folded after motocross," said Baker, who hails from Crittenden, Ky. "But I got a call from Mike and he blew me away by flying to Kentucky and signing me to a sweet two-year deal. I'm so psyched and I want to do everything I can to pay him back. The best way to do that is ride hard every second I'm on this bike.
"I'm already training with my new teammate Matt out here in California. Yesterday was my first time on an SX track, and Matt and Sébastien have been awesome helping me out. I'm glad I'm riding the East series because that gives me some more time to practice. I want this to be a great season."
