The standard factory racing contract in the U.S. begins October 1, so riders switching teams have to wait until then to announce the news. Deals are actually signed well in advance of that, and word of team switches usually leak out, but you won’t hear a word from teams or riders until that date. If a rider is seen in public with his new logos before that date, his old team could hold the last paycheck, or worse.
So we all have to wait until October 1, which is today. As such, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki has just announced its 2020 lineup, welcoming two new faces to the team in Jordon Smith and Cameron McAdoo. Austin Forkner and Garrett Marchbanks will return to the team. Martin Davalos is out after pointing out of the 250SX ranks, and Adam Cianciarulo is moving to the 450s with Monster Energy Kawasaki.
Smith turned pro with GEICO Honda, but spent three seasons with Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM. His first season was a great one, with two wins and a clear shot at the 250SX East Region Championship. For a moment at the 2017 Las Vegas finale, Smith appeared headed to the crown while championship rivals Joey Savatgy and Zach Osborne were down. Then Smith crashed huge, ending his night and his championship bid. He was a contender again in 2018 and won another race, but Osborne got the best of the field again, topping Smith by eight points in the final rankings. This year Smith was keeping pressure on a fleeing Forkner in the East until a crash led to a wrist injury that nagged him for the rest of the season. The hope is that a change of scenery will finally provide the boost to get Smith his first title.
Smith went to Instagram to thank the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM team.
As for McAdoo, it’s been a tumultuous run, but he’s shown enough potential to get on the radar of several teams. He turned pro with Bullfrog Spas/SmarTop/MotoConcepts Honda, which normally doesn’t run a 250 team but wanted to help the hard-working McAdoo make the transition. GEICO Honda soon needed a replacement rider and came calling, and McAdoo competed with that squad in 2017 and 2018. The team didn’t have a spot for 2019, so McAdoo was close to signing with Trader’s Racing, until GEICO offered yet another fill-in slot for supercross. McAdoo took it and finally logged a breakthrough ride at the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown in Las Vegas, where he finished third. Right after that, his supercross-only deal with GEICO deal expired, but a month later it was Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM that came calling with a replacement ride (ironically, Smith was one of the team riders dealing with injury).
McAdoo rode well for Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM, starting with seventh overall in his debut for the squad at the High Point National. However, he made the move to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki for 2020, now a much more established player than he was an underdog out of the amateurs a few years ago.
“We have a great team for the 2020 season,” said Mitch Payton, Pro Circuit owner. “It is a great balance of veterans, combined with youth and new talent to our team, and we will provide all the necessary tools to help them reach their full potential. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team has high expectations and I know they will all perform their best each weekend.”
Smith and McAdoo aren’t the only riders moving on from the Troy Lee Designs team. Stalwart Shane McElrath is moving to Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha. McElrath, who was essentially “discovered” by the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM team and manager Tyler Keefe, also took to Instagram to look back on the years together.
[Update]: Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha has now made the McElrath deal public.
Also, RJ Hampshire's much-rumored deal with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna is now official.
“Big changes for me this offseason, which brings a lot of excitement and motivation,” said Hampshire in a statement. "Everyone’s been awesome and I’m very impressed with the Husqvarna FC 250, the bike seems to fit my riding style well and I am very thankful for this opportunity! The expectations are high for myself and the team, we are looking forward to this fresh start!”
“We’re looking forward to working with RJ for the next two season,” said Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team manager Bobby Hewitt. “He is an experienced rider with great potential and we expect a bright future with him and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team.”
Hampshire announced he was leaving the GEICO Honda team earlier in this off-season.
It’s a whole new year, starting today, the real New Year’s Day of the American racing circuit.
