
The following press release is from KTM:
FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM ANNOUNCES COMPLETE RETURNING 2025 ROSTER
EXPANSIVE OFFROAD PROGRAM INCLUDES FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM LANDERS
MURRIETA, Calif. – A complete lineup of returning riders will form FMF KTM Factory Racing for the 2025 U.S. offroad season, fresh from an exceptional year that saw the team achieve title-winning success nationwide with its READY TO RACE KTM XC machinery. FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers will also embark on its second term as an official program after earning multiple championships in their inaugural year together.
Next year will see the entire five-rider FMF KTM Factory Racing roster continue in orange, including reigning Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series and U.S. Sprint Enduro Champion Johnny Girroir onboard the KTM 350 XC-F with the target of defending both of those championships.
Girroir will be joined in GNCC by 2021 title winner Ben Kelley, who will be back to 100 percent fitness following an injury-affected past season. Kelley will also be equipped with the KTM 350 XC-F in the AMA National Enduro Championship, highly motivated to challenge for titles across both series.
Johnny Girroir: “I’ve had a really good year, consistent with a lot of podiums all the way until we wrapped up the GNCC title, and I’m extra excited to go racing again for 2025!”
Ben Kelley: “2024 was a difficult one with injuries, but I came back at the end of the year, and now I’m looking forward to coming into 2025 healthy, strong, and for a full season. I want to get back to running up front, win some more races, and to aim for another championship.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing will continue to field five-time National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) and West Hare Scrambles (WHS) Champion Dante Oliveira alongside younger brother Mateo Oliveira on the West Coast. Mateo will be aboard the KTM 450 XC-F, while Dante will split his time between the KTM 450 XC-F at NGPC and the KTM 350 XC-F at WHS.
Dante Oliveira: “This year was solid, we made a lot of gains, and I was comfortable from the start. I definitely want to ramp up the pace for next year, keep improving for 2025, and it should be another awesome year.”
Mateo Oliveira: “I finished this season really strong and I’m looking to build upon that for 2025. We’ll look to lead some more laps, be in the fight every weekend, and come out even better for the new year.”
Four-time U.S. Hard Enduro Champion and dual AMA EnduroCross Champion Trystan Hart will also feature on the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team, aiming to do the double once again for a third-successive year. The world-class Canadian will once again ride the KTM 300 XC-W 2-Stroke in Hard Enduro, before transitioning to the KTM 350 XC-F 4-Stroke for the tight confines of EnduroCross.
Trystan Hart: “I’m excited for 2025 and I've got some goals set out that I want to achieve. I want to get another U.S. Hard Enduro Championship to make it five in a row, and of course, I want to back up the EnduroCross Championship and make that three in a row. I’ve been on the podium at Erzberg a couple of times now, but in second and third, so I’m going to try and get on top there – I know it’s always tough, but I look forward to the challenge. I’m also looking forward to another year with the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team, we're starting to become like family since I’ve been here for so long now, and I’m definitely excited for the new year.”
Tim Weigand, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We are thrilled to announce the return of our full FMF KTM Factory Racing Team for the 2025 season. The 2024 season brought us remarkable success, with Johnny Girroir securing championships in both GNCC and U.S. Sprint Enduro, Dante Oliveira excelling in National Grand Prix and West Hare Scrambles, and Trystan Hart dominating U.S. Hard Enduro and EnduroCross. We’re also eager to see a fully-fit Ben Kelley back in action, aiming for titles in GNCC and National Enduro. Mateo Oliveira, now entering his third year in the premier class, is set to make significant strides as the team’s rising star. Each of these athletes embody unwavering dedication and give everything to be at the top of their game. With this outstanding group of riders, we’re excited to see what 2025 holds for us.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers was first introduced for the 2024 season and was immensely successful in its first year of competition together with KTM North America, Inc. Led by authorized KTM dealership owner Chris Landers, the team has retained Grant Davis, Angus Riordan and Brandy Richards for 2025 – all onboard the KTM 250 XC-F.
Chris Landers, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers Manager: “It was an honor to begin our partnership with KTM as a race team and a KTM authorized dealership in just one year. In 2025, we are thrilled to reach new heights, by continuing to grow our extremely talented roster of racers and mechanics at FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers. We are also excited to continue to grow our Monterey, TN, KTM dealership. We look forward to serving our off-road community by offering the best Ready To Race motorcycles on the market.”
After clinching a first-career GNCC XC2 Pro Class Championship and winning two rounds Overall – the John Penton and Buckwheat 100 GNCCs – Davis has established himself as one of the most exciting young riders in the sport. He will look to defend his GNCC XC2 title, as well as competing for the U.S. Sprint Enduro Pro 2 Class title.
Grant Davis: “We had a really good 2024 season, even managed to get two GNCC Overall wins, and I’m excited to defend my XC2 Pro Championship in 2025. That’s the plan!”
Teammate Riordan also firmly placed himself on the radar in making it back-to-back U.S. Sprint Enduro Pro2 Class titles, in addition to finishing runner-up behind Davis in the GNCC XC2 250 Pro point-standings, and achieving success on an international scale with a standout performance on debut in the Wales round of the EnduroGP World Championship. He will once again contest the GNCC XC2 Class, in addition to debuting in the National Enduro NE Pro2 Class for 2025.
Gus Riordan: “This year was good and we’re swapping it up for next season, switching to the National Enduro Series. I’m looking forward to that and GNCC as well, so hopefully we can get some wins and challenge for those titles.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers will welcome Richards back following an exceptional first GNCC campaign in which she finished second in the WXC category. Her move to East Coast-based competition has proven a successful one, earning the U.S. Sprint Enduro Pro Women Championship on debut, and also leading Team USA to become a four-time FIM International Six-Days Enduro (6DAYS) Women’s World Trophy Champion. Brandy will remain in GNCC, in addition to taking on the National Enduro Series in the Women’s Elite division.
Brandy Richards: “2024 was quite the learning curve, my first year on the East Coast and doing GNCCs, and by the end of the year I feel I picked it up pretty well. I’m definitely feeling confident going into next season and I’m excited to keep working for another good year.”
Antti Kallonen, KTM Group North America Director of Offroad Racing: “We have a very motivated and committed team that includes our athletes, personnel and our partnership with Landers KTM. Overall, this program was highly successful this year winning multiple national titles across North America and we are happy to continue with the same line-up to defend all our championships and aim for few new ones to keep KTM on top.”
The following press release is from Husqvarna:
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing targets offroad success entering 2025
Craig Delong, Dalton Shirey, Ryder Leblond and Korie Steede returning for new season
A sharp new Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing line-up will race into the United States offroad season in 2025, aiming to continue to challenge for championship success with Craig Delong, Dalton Shirey, Ryder Leblond and Korie Steede leading the charge.
All four riders are all returning to Husqvarna for the new year, firmly focused on making an impact across the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC), AMA U.S. Sprint Enduro, AMA National Hare & Hound, AMA U.S. Hard Enduro, and AMA EnduroCross Series.
Anthony DiBasilio, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “For 2025, our team of four is fired up to get some redemption. This past season was a bit of a struggle for us, but we have learned as a team and are motivated to win some championships! Craig Delong will be on the FX 350 and Korie Steede will be on her FC 250. They will be returning to take the top step consistently throughout the season in both the GNCC and U.S. Sprint Enduro Series. On the West Coast, Dalton Shirey will be returning to hunt down his fourth championship in the Hare & Hound series aboard his FC 450. Ryder Leblond is eager to get back on his TE 300 and take on the U.S. Hard Enduro and then he will switch gears and jump on the FX 350 to contest EnduroCross. All four riders are determined to turn the sorrows of the 2024 season into a dominant 2025 campaign, and we can’t wait to make it happen. See you at the races.”
After finishing fourth in the XC1 Open Pro standings this year, a reenergized DeLong – fresh from winning the final round this year – will lead Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's GNCC effort onboard the FX 350, motivated to reclaim the Overall title that he previously captured in 2023. In addition, the 27-year-old will enter the Pro1 category of Sprint Enduro, where he raced to P3 this past season.
Craig Delong: “This year was a little bit of a rough one with a broken hand and some inconsistencies, but I ended the season on a good note to win the last GNCC, and I’m looking to carry that into 2025. I’m hoping to battle up-front and be in the fight for the championship again – that’s my plan.”
Also in GNCC and Sprint Enduro, Steede will enter her second year with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna and is looking to position herself as a legitimate title threat across both series riding the Husqvarna FC 250. Her season was cut short this year, but Steede still managed to claim third in the GNCC WXC title race with two victories to her credit, plus she was ranked second in the Sprint Enduro Pro Women Class.
Korie Steede: “This season was really solid for the team and I, we took the positives out of it, and worked on getting better and better every weekend. It was really good to lead the GNCC Series for quite a while, even if we did have some setbacks later on in the season, and we’re excited while we get ready for the 2025 season now.”
On the West Coast, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna will be represented by three-time National Hare & Hound Champion Shirey, who will be equipped with the FC 450 as he attempts to regain the Pro Class title. Injury disrupted his 2024 campaign, however, after winning this year's finale, an off-season of rebuilding will be highly valuable for 26-year-old Shirey.
Dalton Shirey: “This season was probably about the roughest year I’ve ever experienced in my career, but I finally came through at the last national Hare & Hound. It took me a couple of races to start feeling back to my normal self again after my injury and I know I’ll be able to keep growing into next year in 2025.”
Once again in search of the podium in U.S. Hard Enduro and also EnduroCross during the second half of the year, LeBlond continues to establish himself as one of the sport's most exciting prospects. At 22 years of age, he rode the Husqvarna TE 300 to third in Hard Enduro this year and was P6 onboard a FX 350 in the EX Pro Class of EnduroCross, carrying strong momentum into 2025.
Ryder Leblond: “We’re ready for the 2025 season, where I’m looking to get some wins. I’ve got a good team, we have some exciting races ahead of us, and it’s going to be a good season ahead. I can’t wait!”
Antti Kallonen, Director of Offroad Racing: “We have very focused team with Husqvarna heading into the new race season. We have high expectations for each rider as they are all proven championship contenders and our sharpened focus and support to each of them will give the edge they need to succeed. Each rider and staff on the team have been with us at least last season or more, so we have very good platform to start the new season.”