Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing announced updates on Michael Mosiman and Nate Thrasher today, with injuries that will sideline them presumably for the rest of the AMA Pro Motocross campaign. Mosiman signed with the team and joined them briefly for the Seattle Supercross before going down with another injury. When Mosiman's signing was announced, the team said it was a multi-year deal, so he has time to heal and and race, even if it's for the 2025 season.
It's been quite a rollercoaster ride for Mosiman, who just two years ago was so fast that he was battling Hunter and Jett Lawrence at times both indoors and out. Early in the 2022 season he and Hunter Lawrence appeared as the riders most likely to challenge Christian Craig for the 2022 250SX West Region Supercross Championship. He started to struggle with crashes, though, and never really got going during the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross campaign, failing to even record a top-five finish. He came back for Pro Motocross and injured his shoulder badly. Then, his tenure at Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull GasGas ended, and he was left without a ride for a bit. Although he was linked to, for a bit, with rumors of a Triumph deal.
Instead, he was spotted riding with Star Yamaha, and then the team finally announced a deal prior to Seattle. Mosiman has proven speed and showed it again with his fast qualifying time in Seattle (which he did log in the B group session, separate from the top riders in points, who practice in the A group). However, he's been unable to find any consistency over the last two seasons, and that struggle continues as of now.
Mosiman has talent and speed and that's no doubt why Star is still investing in him, and hoping he can finally put together a run of health.
Seattle - 250SX West Combined Qualifying
March 23, 2024| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Michael Mosiman | -- | 51.803 | Sebastopol, CA  | Yamaha YZ250F | |
| 2 |  Levi Kitchen | +0.995 | 52.798 | Washougal, WA | Kawasaki KX250 | |
| 3 |  Jo Shimoda | +0.083 | 52.881 | Suzuka, Japan  | Honda CRF250R | |
| 4 |  Lux Turner | +0.128 | 53.009 | Gardnerville, NV | KTM 250 SX-F | |
| 5 |  Jordon Smith | +0.226 | 53.235 | Belmont, NC | Yamaha YZ250F |
Thrasher posted on his social media earlier this week that he had bent the plate in his collarbone, and now we have a timeline on his recovery. Also, the team listed Stilez Robertson as continuing his recovery from a tough arm injury that has cost him his entire season thus far.
A Yamaha press release is below:
Mosiman and Thrasher Focused on Returning to Full Fitness
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman and Nate Thrasher sidelined with practice crash injuries
MARIETTA, Ga. – June 6, 2024 – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman and Nate Thrasher will be sidelined in the upcoming months to focus on returning to full fitness from their respective injuries.
Right before the opening round of the outdoor season, Mosiman sustained fractures in his neck in a crash while preparing for the Fox Raceway National. The Californian will sit out the Pro Motocross season with an anticipated return to riding in 12 weeks. His teammate Thrasher was also injured while preparing for an outdoor national, breaking his collarbone and bending the plate from a previous repair. The Tennessee rider underwent surgery yesterday to repair the injury and aims to return to riding in eight to 10 weeks.
Their teammate Stilez Robertson also continues to work on returning to full fitness after breaking his arm in the off-season.
Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager
“We’re bummed to see both Michael and Nate sitting out of outdoors, especially with all the hard work they put in, but that’s racing. Hopefully, Nate can come back at the end of the season, but our main concern is having them both back healthy.”
Michael Mosiman – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #76
“It’s super disappointing to get injured so close to the start of the outdoor season, especially feeling as good as I was. The team had put in so many hard hours to give me the best bike possible, and I hadn’t felt that comfortable and confident in a long time. It’s heart-wrenching for us both to have put in so much work and not be able to show what I can do at the races. That being said, God has never wasted any of my injuries in the past, and I’m confident he won’t let this setback go to waste. In times like these, it always makes me think about how crazy the story is going to be and how much sweeter it will make the victories ahead. Thank you to Bobby Regan and everyone at Star Yamaha for continuing to support and believe in me despite this challenge.”
Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #57
“It’s not how we wanted things to go this season, but we’re looking ahead. I had the surgery yesterday, and I’m ready to start the recovery process and to be 100% healthy.”
