Earlier this week, the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas team announced Caden Braswell's fill-in ride has expired, but today we've learned Braswell has found a ride for the rest of the season, with HBI Kawasaki. HBI is the same team that picked up Ty Masterpool earlier this season, and also runs with Hardy Munoz, Scott Meshey and Cole Bradford.
HBI is a relatively new team, owned my Matt Bell. It dipped a toe in the waters last year but started a full effort just in time for the start of this year's Pro Motocross Championship.
Braswell won last year's AMA Nicky Hayden Amateur Horizon Award from Loretta Lynn's Ranch, and then signed a deal with Phoenix Racing Honda. The team competed in Monster Energy Supercross, but elected not to race Pro Motocross this season, and then parted ways with Braswell.
This allowed Braswell to jump in with the TLD/GasGas squad as a fill-in for Pierce Brown. Braswell was only expected to race four rounds until Brown returned, but then Michael Mosiman went out with injury, so the squad kept Braswell alongside Brown for four additional rounds, taking him to round eight.
The team has now announced Justin Barcia will return from injury at Unadilla, and Braswell's time with the squad is complete
Braswell, who is one of the nicest and most well-mannered young racers you'll ever meet, currently sits 11th in 250 MX points with a best overall finish of 10th at Southwick. HBI will keep him in the 250 class on a KX250, and will also take him through the three SMX Playoff rounds that take place in September. Braswell is ranked 13th in the combined supercross and motocross (SMX) standings in the 250 class. The top 20 in those standings have automatic playoff bids.
