Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki MX Lineup, Forkner and Hammaker Updates

The year has not been kind to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, which started losing riders to injuries as soon as the opening round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross back in January. That’s when Austin Forkner tore up his knee in a first-turn crash. The hits kept coming, with 250SX East Region contenders Seth Hammaker and Jo Shimoda going down in the same week, and then Cameron McAdoo suffered a shoulder injury, also.

The team is hoping for a reset in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Shimoda returned for late rounds of supercross and is ready to go outdoors. Hammaker, Forkner, and McAdoo aren’t ready to return quite yet, though. So, supercross fill-in Carson Mumford will remain with the team through motocross, and in comes rookies Jett Reynolds and Ryder DiFrancesco. Reynolds’ pro debut has been on hold for awhile now after he crashed out of supercross press day in last year’s 250SX East opener and hurt his wrist. DiFrancesco jumped into a few Pro Motocross rounds last year while also racing the MX Sports Scouting Moto Combines and SX Futures. Reynolds and DiFrancesco are long-time buddies and part of the “Bakersfield Bunch” of California minicycles prodigies that also includes Stilez Robertson. It’s been a long road from their Team Green days through now, but they’re finally debuting as full-time pros, together this weekend.

Whenever the injured riders do return, Pro Circuit plans to have room for them all under the tent.

“We have been very busy at the race shop preparing for the outdoors. Austin and Seth have been cleared to begin riding again this week. With Ryder and Carson joining us for the motocross season, we will eventually have six riders once everyone is back and healthy. We'll start the series with Jo, Jett, Ryder, and Carson. Seth and Austin will come in when they're ready. We have a local race to kick off the season, and it's looking to be a nice day with a high in the mid-70s,” said Iain Southwell, Team Manager, in a press release.

Forkner posted photos of himself back on the bike this week, so there’s hope to see him back before the season ends. 

Main Image courtesy Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki and Octopi Media