Levi Kitchen Confirms Two-Year Kawasaki Deal
On last night’s PulpMX Show, Levi Kitchen confirmed his new Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki is a two-year deal. The Washougal, Washington, native officially joined the factory Kawasaki 250cc team October 2, although his move to the team was anticipated the last few months. Kitchen will debut with his new team as #47 in the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, which is his new career number. He confirmed his deal with the team is a two-year deal for 2024 and 2025.
Kitchen said the following on his change from the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad:
“I just needed a change, it was nothing…I wanted to try something new and kinda focus a little more on myself a little bit more as far as the training aspect goes. And just get a little more freedom. Which Mitch [Payton] was super down with as long as I put in results for him, he pretty much said I can do whatever I needed to do.”
He continued:
“It’s obviously a gamble, just as much for them [the team], as it is the rider. We’ve seen it in the past. Usually, the guys who make it work, they end up being really good, not just like good, you know what I mean. All the guys that are on their own are winning right now. That’s just kind of where I was at with it. I wanted to work in silence a little bit more.”
He also confirmed he will ride at the Moto Sandbox in Florida during the week.
Kitchen did also state he expects to be physically ready to race the 250SX West Region, which he said is “always the goal,” but the team will make a decision later once the new calendar year is closer.
On last night's @PulpmxShow, Levi Kitchen confirmed with @pulpmx that his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki deal is a two-year-deal (2024 and 2025). #Supercross #SX2024 #SupercrossLIVE #Motocross #ProMotocross #MX2024 #SMX #SMX2024
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) October 10, 2023
For the full interview with Kitchen, listen to PulpMX Show #561, around the 1-hour mark below.