Team Tedder/Monster Energy/Lucas Oil/KTM Racing Announces 2020 Supercross Team
Last month, Racer X learned that Team Tedder would be announcing its roster for the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Last week, we ran an interview with team owner Matt Tedder, who confirmed his son Dakota Tedder and Martin Davalos would race for the team. Today the team was officially introduced as Team Tedder/Monster Energy/Lucas Oil/KTM Racing.
In April, following his 250SX East Region main event win at the Nashville Supercross, Davalos said his goal for 2020 was to get a factory 450 ride:
“I just want a 450 ride, man. I’ve been in this class for a long time and I just want a shot. I know what I’m capable of doing on that bike, outdoors [on a 450] was good for me on the Husky in 2017. I believe in myself, I know I can do it. The 250, last year that first-turn pileup was terrible for me, so I told myself [for this year] you’ve got to give yourself a fair shot, and that’s what I did. But all I’m searching for is that 450 ride. I want it so bad. I want a shot, I want to show what I can do.”
Davalos, who raced the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in 2018 and 2019 with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, suffered an injury at the 2018 Arlington Supercross in a large first-turn pileup that caused his year to end early. In 2019, Davalos finished fourth in the 250SX East Region of supercross and 18th in the 250 Class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
He raced on a Kawasaki KX450 over the weekend at the Geneva Supercross. Davalos finished second in the SX1 (450SX) class to now six-time King of Geneva Justin Brayton.
Now that he has officially pointed out of the 250SX class and was unable to get an official 450 factory ride, Davalos has gotten the next closest thing: factory support from KTM.
Following the last main event in Geneva, our Steve Matthes caught up to Davalos to talk about his weekend and his new ride with Team Tedder.
“I’m thankful for Team Tedder because there’s no rides out there,” he told Matthes. “I’m thankful to have this opportunity.”
“I’m sure there’s a few things here and there, but I think to be honest with you, this is the best motorcycle I’m going to have without being under the factory tent,” he continued. “I’m blessed about that. I have a great boss [Matt Tedder]. He’s an awesome person. Dakota is kind of helping out until he gets better with his wrist. I just want to come in and have fun. It’s my rookie season. I’ve got a lot to learn. It’s a long season. I want to be consistent.”
Unfortunately, Dakota was unable to lineup for a race in the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships due to a nagging wrist injury that took longer to heal than anticipated.
The team announced both Martin and Dakota will be aboard their Factory KTM 450 SX-Factory Edition Racing Bikes.
