Cameron McAdoo: “I can confirm it, last week I had something happen out of my personal control and I did fully tear my ACL. [Note: We believe this means McAdoo’s injury was caused by a bike issue]. I’m happy to be here with you guys and God willing I’ll be able to do this tomorrow. I feel like the team worked too hard and I worked too hard for this to be the way the racing portion of 2025 ends. I owe it to myself and my team to give it everything I have. Right now the goal is to get through supercross, but we’re taking it week by week for now. I think everyone knows if there’s anyone that can do this, it’s me.”
Austin Forkner: “There’s some anxiety that comes with changing teams and moving across the country. The people on the team, I met them before I did this, and my first impression was whatever obstacles we come to, we’ll figure it out. Just motivation like that. It hasn’t always been a smooth off season but we’ve gotten through everything, if it’s the bike or me. That confirmed what I thought about the team. I like working with Mike Brown, the tracks are good, I like living on the east coast instead of California. So I’m ready.
“We know the bike can do it now. So I guess that adds confidence but also adds pressure. I had a feeling we were close with the way the bike has been feeling. Pressure? Not really. The mind set of pressure has changed a little bit, now that I’m going to be a dad in a month or so. Not 100%, [because] when the gate drops, that doesn’t matter, then it’s on. But my mindset has shifted in a little way. There’s a goal to win, obviously, but I want to be there the whole season. I’m not just racing for myself I’m racing for a family and I need to come home every night. Pressure to win? I know that I can, but I have a different outlook.”
Chance Hymas: [On coming off of ACL surgery in the off-season] “I’m feeling pretty good, don’t have a lot of bike time right now, started riding before Christmas then I had a couple health issues and had to take more time off. Now I’ve done some testing with the team and I’m feeling pretty good. I hammered the rehab out and was getting my body in shape. We had a plan and the goal was to make the first round and wer’re here. At least I give myself a shot by lining up.”
Can he have a breakthrough season in supercross like he did in motocross last year?
“Right now I have to race my way into shape and don’t take more risks than I need to. Talking to the team, our goal is a motocross championship right now. They weren’t planning on me racing here. Unfortunately the last few years I’ve missed some races and valuable race experience. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can for next year.”
Levi Kitchen: [On the illness that knocked him out of Anaheim 1 and 250 West] That was unfortunate, I took about two weeks off. As everyone knows something has been going around, I ended up getting the flu and I had pneumonia. I talked to Mitch [Payton, team owner] about it and we switched to the east. I had about two weeks of riding and I feel great, and I got to drive here this morning. It's cool.
“I flew out to California Monnday before A1, rode Tuesday and I started feeling crappy. That’s when it hit me. I think that little break might have helped me. As anyone knows once you have your base it only takes a week to get back where you were. I’m feeling pretty good right now, I’m excited, and it sounds weird but maybe I got through the nerves of the first race already because I was there!
"I’ve always wanted to do East more so but I’ve always been ready for west. Last year I did feel like the tracks that broke down more, I did better. Overall I’m happy to ride some ruts.”
On the deep field in 250SX East
“Yeah it’s going to be epic. I had a good time racing with RJ [Hampshire] last year and there’s even more guys this year than there was last year. No matter what coast you line up on there’s pressure, but it’s going to be crazy, all of these guys up here can win.
Pierce Brown: [On moving to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing] “Overall the move is smooth. Everything happened quick after Vegas, flew to Tallahassee and got my house sorted in. I feel like I put in more than a full off season of riding so I’m feeling good, now I’m excited to get gate drops and see where we stack up. (Riding with teammates) that was the biggest change for me, I went from riding with one teammate, one guy, my whole career. Now I’m riding with probably 10 guys. The track breaks down and I think that’s the best way to prepare for race day. Some days you’re the fastest and some days you’re the nail. That’s been fun to navigate and keep your composure."
Max Anstie: “Same as what Pierce said, I’m doing what I’m told on the Swanny [Gareth Swanepoel] program. Definitely different for me having an off season like this. I’ve done championships all over the world and primarily trained on my own. To train with this group of guys, Cooper Webb, Eli was there for a little bit, Justin Cooper, it’s good. Off season is the off season. We all come in feeling good.”
RJ Hampshire: [On dealing with wrist injury] Yeah and it’s not just the injuries, a lot happened. But, man, I’m confident where I am now. the last few weeks have gone really well. If I had to race A1 it wouldn’t have gone well, I wasn’t in a good spot. I feel good on the bike but I’ve accepted the fact that I’m going to have some pain in my wrist, but we all have something. My injury is public theirs isn’t.
"If you saw me ride the two weeks before A1 you’d know there’s no chance. I was doubling stuff just to get back on the bike. My surgery wasn’t just a small one, they had to take the screw out and put a plate in and start the whole process we had started in June. Our plan was to race west but that wasn’t a realistic situation.
"Mentally I feel like Tom [Vialle] and I were the only ones who were able to put it together and get it done when the time comes. Last year was a great test for myself to be put in position. You don’t know if you can do it until that time comes. Man there’s a lot of good guys out here though.
"Of course it’s cool to sleep in my own bed, and this is my home town, I was born and raised 25 minutes from here. It was like last year in Seattle, everyone was cheering for Levi and no one cared what I did!
I’m paid to race my dirt bike, so if I can race at all I’m going to race. We did everything we could to be the very best on the 250, yeah we could have spent more time on it, but they gave me all the settings and it was good. The bike is good, you’ve seen what JuJu [Beumer] has done on the West Coast series. Juju looks really good and I was impressed with him. Same with Cole Davies. Deegan is going to get better as the season goes on. There’s so many factors that go into how you do on a weekend. Your bike, your family at home, the people you surround yourself with and the team. It’s a massive puzzle that has to align all season to be a champion."
Tom Vialle: “Yeah I had a great off season, everything went well, I did Supercross of Paris and that race went pretty good. Then I actually got sick like so many did during the month of January. I think I’m better than last year, I keep improving, this is only my third year of supercross. I still have the same program as last year, still training with Peter Park, riding and training with Chase [Sexton]. We work together a lot. I didn’t change a lot compared to last year.
[On the deep field] “Yeah it’s going to be pretty interesting, and I’m actually pretty excited to see how it’s going to be. We all race together in outdoors and SMX. So it’s not a huge difference and when you go to 450 you all have to race at the same time. So it’s not new, but we’re all going to see who is going to be good tomorrow, but also it’s the first race so some guys are going to get better.”
