While we’re still a few days away from the official start of silly season—typically reserved by October 1 on the calendar—a few things that have been well reported are beginning to become “official.”
Last week, after photos of Ken Roczen riding a Honda began to leak across social media, Honda moved up their official announcement of their three-year deal with the two-time 450MX champion.
Today, another expected announcement dropped—Dean Wilson will not return to Red Bull KTM. While the team hasn’t made an official announcement of what the full Red Bull KTM team for 2017 will be, Wilson took to his personal Instagram account to thank the team.
“I want to give a massive thank you to @ktmusa Roger and Ian for giving me a great opportunity the last 2 years. I remember Las Vegas supercross 2014 was when I signed the contract and I went out and won that night. Never did I think that the next 2 years with Ktm I would have blown out the same knee each year. But no sob story that's the way it went and I can't change it. I didn't get to show my full healthy potential with @ktmusa but I am very grateful and thankful to have been on such a brilliant team... Also a huge thank you to my mechanic who I enjoyed working with a lot @maniacwrench my bike was always spot on so thank you!
“So now I am jobless and don't have a bike. But I believe everything will turn around for 2017. Cheers everyone for the support.”
Wilson is one of many riders, and riders with 250 championships, looking for a deal for the 2017 season. He joins the likes of Malcolm Stewart, Justin Bogle, Broc Tickle, Jake Weimer and more who’ve yet to be linked to a deal for next year.
In his two seasons with Red Bull KTM, Wilson tore his ACL early in Monster Energy Supercross both years. During his tenure with the team (2015-16) Wilson missed 45 of a possible 58 races due to injury.
The former 250MX champion will move to a different team next year—but it’s still very much up in the air as to which team that will be.
Trey Canard, formerly of Honda HRC, is expected to join Ryan Dungey and Marvin Musquin on Red Bull KTM next year. That announcement has not be made official.
