Benny Bloss received official word on Tuesday: he would be filling-in for the injured Davi Millsaps at BTOSports.com-KTM-WPS for the remaining three rounds of Monster Energy Supercross. The 2015 Horizon Award winner had previously never ridden a KTM, or a 450 in a professional supercross race, for that matter. It’s just the latest in a chaotic seven months since making his pro debut at the Ironman National last August. Seven months that has featured four different teams, two fill-in roles, and two classes. All for a 19-year-old rookie.
“I just felt there was no possible way that I could pass up this opportunity.” Bloss told us earlier this week. “If I have fun, and enjoy it, then I think I’ll do very well.”
The 2015 offseason was not kind to amateur riders looking for that elusive professional deal with a factory team. Many of the top prospects from last season had to go overseas, were forced to stay back one more season, or in many cases go the privateer route.
Missouri’s own Benny Bloss had a sensational year in 2015 finishing out the season at Loretta Lynn’s with the Open Pro Sport title and a third overall in 450 A. The performance was good enough to earn Bloss the coveted AMA Horizon Award, given to the most promising amateur in the A classes at Loretta’s each season.
Right after Loretta’s Bloss crashed and sustained a concussion delaying his plans to race the final rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Bloss would return for the finale at Ironman with CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha and finish fifteenth at his lone national in the 450 class.
In the offseason Bloss signed a deal to race the 2016 season on a BLUE Buffalo/Slater Skins Yamaha in the 250SX East Region. Then with just a week before the season opener in Atlanta the two parted ways and Bloss was left to fend for himself.
“The BLUE Buffalo team and I just didn’t click like we had hoped,” Bloss admitted. “We weren’t the greatest matchup, but we left everything good. We don’t have any problems now.”
After the opening round in Atlanta, Bloss was offered a fill-in ride for CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha, his second stint with the team, when Luke Renzland had to sit out due to a broken collarbone. Bloss used this chance to put in a career high seventh place finish in Toronto. But he was riding well and felt he could have gotten even more on the night.
“In Toronto I had a lot of rookie mistakes that held me back from a possible podium finish,” Bloss said. “It’s all a learning experience and I think it’ll help me out a lot next year.”
Renzland came back to action at Indianapolis, but Bloss took advantage of his relationship with the team. For the past two rounds he’s been pitting behind the team’s truck with some of their support.
“I think if I posted a video of myself on Instagram of me playing basketball I would get a lot of likes just by how bad I am."
In Bloss’ eyes his season has been just about where he expected himself to be. He believes his speed is just fine, but he would like to see more consistency out of himself. He also is trying to figure out how to make his size—6’5’’ and 190lbs— competitive in the 250 class.
“I think my weight and height kind of scares people a bit. It’s not the most ideal for a 250, but I try to make it work,” he said.
When he makes his 450SX debut this weekend, the just-turned 19-year-old will have his hands full in the veteran field. Bloss said he would be happy to make the main event and then see what happens from there.
Bloss has ridden a supercross track on a 450 before and he likes knowing that he has all of the power he needs to make the jumps. He admitted that his size makes some of the bigger jumps a bit iffy on a 250.
Regardless of what happens this weekend Bloss is going to stay focused on the goals that he and his trainer Robbie Reynard have maintained this season. The two are helping one another a lot on and off of the track, as Reynard gears up for Loretta’s this summer.
“People don’t understand that Reynard just rides every month or two,” Bloss said. “He’ll come out and go just as fast as I can! It’s frustrating but I’m glad I have a guy like that on my team.”
Away from the track Bloss likes to hang out with his training partners (and friends) Colt Nichols and Chase Marquier. The crew likes to play golf, ride BMX, and watch movies in their spare time. Yet, you would think with Bloss’ size, why wouldn’t he choose basketball?
“I think if I posted a video of myself on Instagram of me playing basketball I would get a lot of likes just by how bad I am,” he adds with a laugh. “It’s very possible that I can’t dunk a ten foot goal.”
Bloss might be a big guy for supercross, but he’s got a big opportunity this weekend. We’ll see what he makes of it.
