These days, the top 450 riders generally sign multi-year deals, and the 2022 and 2024 seasons witnessed the big moves in the class (like Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson’s big moves in ’22, Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton switching teams for this season). Now a lot of 450 riders are set with deals that run through 2025.
In the 250 class, last night Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team owner Mitch Payton called into the PulpMX Show and said he had re-signed Seth Hammaker and Cameron McAdoo. Fresh new contracts (which we believe are multi-year deals) take some of the sting out of seasons filled with ups and downs for McAdoo and Hammaker. At one point McAdoo was running the red plate in 250SX East Region, only for it to blow up in heartbreaking fashion a few weeks ago in Nashville. Don’t cry for Cam, he will be back with several more chances to get that title.
“Levi’s [Kitchen] got a deal and that’s solid and I’m really happy about that,” said Payton about signing Kitchen for this season. “But Seth’s contract was up, and Cameron’s contract was up, and I just re-signed both of them. I’m really happy about that. Some teams, they flush guys real quick. For me, the biggest thing is, if I feel like they’re giving me 100 percent and they’re not winning, then we need to help them. Once you get to know them, and you know they’re giving you everything they can do, what else do I want from them? Yeah, their speed might not be there that day, but we can work on that. Or maybe they got a little tired. We can work on that. Flipping guys all the time, you might get a guy that looks fantastic, and then you realize, he’s worse than the guy you had.”
With McAdoo leading the points in 250 supercross several times in his career, and winning a race this year, the value was pretty obvious. For Hammaker, Payton is attuned more to his attitude and potential.
“He was one of the kids that, even on minibikes, he wasn’t a silver spoon kid who had everything, but he ripped!” said Payton. “I was like ‘This guy is pretty good! Who is this kid?’ He works hard and he’s not a flake. That’s the kind of kid that I like, so I’ll stay with it.”
One of the misunderstood parts of factory contracts is the bonus structure for podiums, wins, and championships. A good salary is nice, but every rider has a chance to multiply that income several times over based on strong results. The top salaries in the class generally fall in the $150,000-$300,000 range. A season with a title or two, and multiple race wins and podiums, can quickly add up to one or even two million dollars for a 250 rider. Then you can add in the potential purse paydays in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) at the end of the year.
So, when it comes to switching teams, really, performance is what pays.
“I understand that, if there’s a guy that’s really fast and you really want him, then probably Star is going to want him, KTM is going to want him, but there’s probably a limit to how much you’re going to spend to get him,” said Payton. “The bonuses are worth way more than the contract. So, find the guy that wants to make a lot of money [in bonuses]. We’ll make you a fair offer but we’re not just gonna double it [your salary] just because you seem cool.”
With McAdoo and Hammaker off the market, who else is available? Max Anstie has been great the last two seasons with the privateer Firepower Honda squad, notching two wins and also holding the red plate earlier this season. Max is rumored to have signed a new deal with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing for 2025, although he’ll have to sit on that news for a while, as he’s still contracted with the Firepower Honda team through this fall’s Australian Supercross Championship (where he is the defending champion in the 250 class). For now, all Max could say about his future was that, “We’ve got some exciting things coming.”
Max raced for Star Yamaha way, way back in 2010. He and the team have come a long way. Anstie on Star for 2025 could be a potent combination.
As for Payton, he’s ready to keep working with the riders he already has and trying to make his bikes and their performances better.
Says Payton: “If the grass ain’t greener, water your own grass.”
