Related: Read more about Kordel Caro.

Kordel was on a mission to deliver this trophy when he flagged me down as I wandered the pits, looking for fan and rider interactions. My media vest and camera slung around my shoulder made me an easy target for what Kordel was after: a photo of his impressive trophy he designed and made, dedicated to Jett for his 2024 Supercross Championship. Kordel wanted to highlight this accomplishment in his own way, because in the weeks that the riders had transitioned their training from Supercross to focus on the Nationals, Kordel had been putting in work of his own: “The idea just came to me in my head,” Kordel said. Happy to snap a couple photos for him, he suggested we head toward the Honda tent to meet with Christian Kapoukranidis, an employee at Alpinestars who helped coordinate with Kordel to drop off the trophy for Jett.

The trophy that Kordel designed took many hours to make and features woodworking, meticulous glass painting, and half of a full-sized Alpinestars helmet set into the glass. This blending of different art styles and techniques really highlights what a good trophy can be. As a helmet artist, Kordel featured his own passion and skill set in the trophy with the fully custom, hand-painted helmet being the main feature of the design. Small details throughout the piece include Jett’s finishing position of each race on the backside and a handcrafted wooden base, completed with the help of a family member. So on the first race of the Pro Motocross season, he drove the trophy to the track and carried the heavy work of art into the pits, looking to gift the trophy to Jett. Kordel was able to share his creation with people equally as passionate about the sport.

After snapping a couple of photos inside of the Honda tent of the trophy, Christian met with Kordel to take the first look at the trophy. A moment later, Christian stepped away, and Jett’s parents, Darren and Emma, came out of the truck, immediately taking interest in the trophy. With a personal understanding of hard work and humble beginnings, they looked at all the details up and down, appreciative of the time and effort that Kordel put into the project for their son's recent accomplishment. They were impressed to say the least. After talking about the details of the trophy with Kordel, they discussed the logistics and care it required to get this trophy back home in one piece. It can be tricky for athletes after race day to figure out how to get their trophies from the series and gifts from the fans back to their homes across the country. It’s common to see custom paintings, drawings, and personal photos all given to the riders on race day as fans wait in line to get a photo and autograph from their favorite rider, capitalizing on the one chance they might get to see them all year. After reflecting on the trophy Darren said “It’s sick! It’s unreal, the craftsmanship and time they put into it. It’s humbling that someone would do that.” It wasn’t long before Jett himself came out of the truck to admire the handiwork and talent that went into it. Jett, not expecting what was waiting for him, walked out of the truck and over to Kordel and Christian. According to Jett, “I was just told a guy had a gift for me. I was like ‘ah ok.’” Jett’s reaction was great. Kordel got to share the story of the trophy with him. Jett took several minutes to appreciate every detail in his few minutes of free time before the races began. Jett mentioned he got a few custom gifts from people but said “So far this has been the coolest this year, I like the helmet paint job. That’s sick!” So many people admire Jett for his capabilities on a dirt bike, it was awesome to see Jett give that same admiration for someone else's work.

The sport of Motocross is one of very few sports where fans can still have unrivaled access to the premiere athletes. This unique and under-appreciated part of this sport is one of the aspects that makes it so special: a small community of like-minded people all coming together to make some amazing art, gifts, and memories. Kordel commented that “The most satisfying part would be the process and seeing it come to life. Also, I understand it was race day, but them seeing the piece was cool as well.” Any fan can walk into the pits, talk with their favorite racer, and get a photo and autograph. For the dedicated few like Kordel where motocross consumes their life, they can express themselves with artwork that marks accomplishments that the riders will cherish for the rest of their lives. For Kordel, this includes not just the trophy for Jett, but also custom helmets for other riders and teams in the paddock. Every person at a motocross race, from team personnel to track crew to even the food vendors, are true fans, and fans truly are the core of the sport. Motocross fans of all ages always have, and always will, go above and beyond for their favorite riders, and that’s what makes this community a great one to be a part of.

Jett brought the trophy back to the team shop for the rest of the Factory Honda personnel to see it as they figured out the best way to get it back home in one piece. Jett may be the one racing, but it really is a team that makes everything work on race days. It was fitting for Jett to bring the trophy back to the shop to share with the rest of his team as the accomplishment belongs to everybody who helped make the championship a reality. It’s the rider’s hardwork and dedication to continue to push themselves to be better that makes the sport so entertaining and appealing to its audience, a true working man's sport. And it’s the passion and dedication of people like Kordel, a previous racer, helmet painter, and massive fan, that keeps the love of the sport alive. His work gives the riders another reason to push a little further on those tough days, knowing that there is someone out there sacrificing their time to participate in the sport we all love. 

Anybody that is looking to help support Kordel, or wants to get a custom helmet, feel free to reach out to him on Instagram @korsace - His work speaks for itself.