MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado's "supercross vacation" is now over, and it went pretty well. The Spanish Red Bull/GasGas rider even extended his trip by on extra race, adding Anaheim 2 to his itinerary. That meant three more gate drops and, after two full-blown mudders, a second chance to ride a dry SX (after Anaheim 1). Plus, three more chances to put his starting abilities to the test, and it worked, because he gated well throughout the night in Anaheim.
Prado went 13-7-11-12 in the first four supercross races of his career, and he did that in the premier 450SX class. Prado was testing the waters for a possible move to America full-time in 2025, and from what he's said in interviews here, it sounds like he had a great time learning the stadium ropes.
“Just finished my racing here in the U.S. and it’s been a great experience," he said after the A2 Triple Crown. "I would say that this was my second real Supercross behind Anaheim 1, because this one and A1 seemed like the track was more realistic to SX with the conditions. I’m happy with my progress, the Triple Crown today was way different again... So much speed and intensity in the first laps, and I struggled with that, especially in the first one. I dropped back to P12 quickly, so I made more adjustments for the other two. But overall, I am quite satisfied. It’s been a good experience, for sure, and with more racing I could get better, so I am motivated for the future.”
We've heard that several U.S. teams are interested in Prado, and not just the KTM Group. Both Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha and Monster Energy Kawasaki are said to be in talks with him, so stay tuned.
So how did Prado's preseason AMA run compare to others we've seen before?
In 1989 Jean-Michel Bayle really began the trend, as the reigning 125cc World Champion came to the U.S. to try his hand at SX. The Frenchman would do five 250cc rounds and finish 21-5-6-9-2-7. Then came the AMA Pro Motocross opener, and JMB ended up winning the 250 National at Gatorback, shocking the Americas. Honda invited him back full-time, but not before he dominated the '89 250cc World Championship. And when he returned in the fall, he went 2-2-3-1 in the last four 500 Nationals! In '90 Bayle was very fast and won several 250 Supercross races and 125 Nationals, but injuries kept him from those titles. Of course, Bayle then went on to have one of the most remarkable seasons ever in 1991 when he won the SX title, as well as the 250 and 500 AMA Pro Motocross Championships.
In 1992 Belgium's Stefan Everts came to the U.S. in January to try supercross on his Suzuki. At the time the teenaged Everts was the 125cc World Champion. Everts raced six rounds between January and March, with high finishes of 9th place at Houston and Anaheim. Everts of course would never actually move over to the AMA circuit and instead became a 10-time FIM World Champion and until recently held the record with 101 Grand Prix wins.
In 1993 young Mickael Pichon came to the U.S. from France to race a Honda CR125 with help from Pro Circuit. Pichon finished 7-2-1 in the first three 125 West Region rounds, winning the San Diego round. Two years later he moved here full-time and won two 125 East Region Championships. And after when Mickael went back home in '99, he added two FIM 250cc World Championships.
In 1995 future two-time FIM World Champion Frederic Bolley came over from France and raced three 250 SX rounds. He finished 14-9-11 on a Yamaha YZ250.
in 1998 it was Sebastien Tortelli's turn to make a go of it in the U.S. He had tried his hand at a couple of one-offs before, by in '98 the Frenchman was truly testing the waters for a possible move to the AMA circuit. Tortelli shocked the Americans by beating Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Emig and everyone else at the season-opener at the Los Angeles Coliseum aboard a Kawasaki KX250. He then went 8-18-4-9 in the other four races he rode, then went home to prepare for his 250cc world title showdown with Stefan Everts, which he would narrowly win. By then Tortelli had already signed a contract with American Honda, and he moved here full-time in 1999.
There should be special consideration here for David Vuillemin. He was a young and relatively unknown French prospect when he and his father began spending their winter months in the U.S. riding 125 SX before returning to Europe to race on the FIM 125cc World Championships. In 1996 Vuillemin finished fourth in his first SX at Anaheim aboard a Kawasaki KX125, then followed up with 10-5 finishes. In '97 he returned for even more winter races, only now he was riding a Yamaha. Vuillemin grabbed three podiums in six races, including his first-ever AMA win at the old Seattle Kingdome. The Vuillemin family returned yet again in 1998 and this time "LeCobra" reeled off three straight wins and very nearly beat U.S. Yamaha factory rider John Down for the 125 West title, then he went home to race the 125 Grand Prix circuit, winning several rounds and finishing second overall to Alessio Chiodi for the title.
One year later DV934 came back again, only this time in the premier 250 class. He was solid, though not quite on the podium. He then returned to Europe for the 250 GPs and finished third there. But by this time Vuillemin had proven his mettle in supercross, and Yamaha signed him to a U.S. factory deal. He rewarded them quickly, finishing 5-2 at the two Anaheims, then winning San Diego and Phoenix, and taking second in the championship behind McGrath. From there he would be a steady title contender in AMA Supercross and 250 Pro Motocross for years to come.
In 1999 Italian ace Alessio Chiodi decided to try his hand at AMA Supercross on a Fast-by-Ferracci Husqvarna. He acquainted himself well, finishing fifth and fourth in the first two 125 West Region rounds. He then went down at third round, and then went home. But later that summer he would add a third straight FIM 125cc World Championship.
Christophe Pourcel was next in the long line of French visitors who impressed in AMA Supercross. In 2007, as the reigning MX2 World Champion, he came over for three rounds and ended up battling a young Ryan Villopoto in the Lites SX West Region, finishing second at Anaheim and winning Phoenix in a thrilling battle. He went down hard at Anaheim 2 before heading home. Pourcel would then suffer a terrible back injury at the Irish GP that would knock him out action for over a year, and for a time it seemed like his career might be over. Nevertheless, Mitch Payton signed him to a Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki deal that he had promised him the year before, and Pourcel returned and immediately won. He would win two straight 250 SX West Region titles and vie for a couple of 250 Pro Motocross Championships, which he might have had if not for some bad luck.
There have been more riders to come to the states to try their hand, from Tom Vialle's father Frederic to Gautier Paulin, but we'll leave you here with one more: Ken Roczen in 2011. The German phenom was still only 17 when he spent winter in America learning SX. Riding for Red Bull KTM he steadily rode in the results until the very last round of the series in Las Vegas. Kenny ended up winning, and also stamping his ticket for a full-time move beginning in 2012 (but not before returning to Europe to win the '11 MX2 World Championship). #94's been here ever since, and he has many race wins and two AMA 450 Pro Motocross Championships to show for it.
And we can't forget one more European visitor to AMA Supercross, Roger DeCoster. Way back in 1974 DeCoster was contracted to race the Daytona SX in the 500 class, and the then-three-times 500cc World Champion won, but then went home before the second round in Houston. And later that summer he returned to race in the Los Angeles Coliseum, finishing second. Ironically, '74 was the one year between 1971 and '76 that DeCoster did not win the world title, instead handing it over to Heikki Mikkola. But he did get back on top in 1975. He was the original supercross interloper!
