Currently slotted in at seventh place in the 250cc classification of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, it has certainly been a mixed bag of up and down motos for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki pilot Ty Masterpool. While Masterpool’s first motos this summer have been both impressive and solid – Masterpool went 7, 4, 4 and 8 in moto one at Pala, Hangtown, Thunder Valley and Mt. Morris, respectively – his second motos at the same circuits have all been 15th or worse. Overall, in the top 11 at all four AMA 250cc rounds thus far, Masterpool is certainly in the mix to fight for the 250cc title and has been taking steps and executing plans to place higher and more consistently in the remaining seven rounds and fourteen motos. Plagued by stubborn stomach issues and nutritional challenges thus far in Pro Motocross, the 23-year-old native of Paradise, Texas has been hard at work.
“I’m doing good,” said Ty Masterpool from down in Texas this week. “Just enjoying a half day off. I made some pretty big changes and stuff this week. And with all of that, I’m still kind of dealing with the sickness and the throwing up and all that I’ve been dealing with this season. However, it was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, I thought I could have got it done this weekend at High Point, but no, everything was still kind of new, and we were trying out the new foods on race day and all that. At least we got answers for everything, so yeah, just looking forward to the next one at Southwick.”
Masterpool continued on to address what it is that he and the people close to him have been working on regarding his racing health and performance.
“We worked on quite a bit of stuff,” he said. “I had to deal with a cold the first couple of rounds, and I’ve also been throwing up and all of that. So, yeah, I hired a different nutritionist and stuff and got answers for everything. Yeah, it’s all good. I’m just trying to give my body more than a day or so to eat all of the nutrients and all that for everything to work.
“Yeah, all of this has definitely put me behind a little bit," he continued. "Now I’m feeling good. The stamina is not too bad now. I had been throwing up every single weekend from the cold and I had to change my nutritionist and all that, so yeah, I’ve really just kind of been dealing with that stuff. It’s pretty hard to race whenever you’re throwing up and have no food in your system. But I’m going good now and I’m just ready to start racing.”
Heat, strength-sapping humidity and fierce competition have all made Masterpool’s second motos extremely challenging – and frustrating for him.
“Yeah, obviously trying to race with no food in your system, it’s kind of like you’ve got no fuel in the tank,” Masterpool explained. “Yeah, whenever you throw up on race day, it’s just kind of survival after that. Yeah, it is definitely very frustrating, especially when I feel like I’ve got the speed and I’ve kind of got everything to be up there riding with the top guys and winning and stuff. Yeah, pretty frustrating I’d say. It’s the most frustrated I’ve been. But at least we’ve got answers and know what it is. I’ve just got to give the body some time to adjust to it. It has been pretty hard and it’s frustrating for Mitch and for me and for the team.”
Signed to Mitch Payton and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team as a last second addition in 2024, Masterpool has settled in quite well with the Corona, California-based operation.
“I appreciate the team,” he said. “We’ve just been figuring it all out. I really like the team and stuff. I’m really grateful for Mitch and everyone and, yeah, it has been good. We made some good improvements on the bike after the first couple of rounds. The bike is getting better and better. I came back here to Texas last week, and so the bike has been feeling pretty good here. Yeah, I’m looking forward to everything we do this year. And all of my teammates are really cool. I actually just went to Levi Kitchen’s nutritionist. He’s the one who is helping me out now. It’s cool to work with him and it is cool that Levi let me go over there and all that. I really get along with all my teammates. There are good vibes over there. It’s really cool.”
Seventh in points and graced with the speed and skill required to run up front in Pro Motocross, Masterpool does believe that his competition is brutal. So much so that every moto and every place gained on the track calls for everything the Texan has.
“It’s gnarly,” he nodded. “I definitely feel like it is the most stacked it has ever been. It’s crazy. I mean you could get a bad start, just like I did last weekend at High Point. I got a close-to-last-place-start and went down. On the first lap I was literally dead last and coming through the pack. It is crazy. You’re back in 20th place and you’re battling with people who have won races and even championships and all that. It just shows you how stacked it is. I mean you see it in qualifying from just how close first place to 20th place is in lap times. It’s pretty crazy, but it is cool to see our sport elevating at this. Yes, it is just crazy to see how much the sport is elevated. It is just crazy stacked right now.”
And what does Masterpool think of totally dominant 250cc championship leader Haiden Deegan?
“Deegan? Yeah, he’s doing good," Masterpool said. "He’s riding really good right now, which everyone can see. Yeah, I’m just anxious to get healthy so I can get up there and battle.”
Next stop for Masterpool: The Wick 338 and the Southwick, Massachusetts sandbox come Saturday, June 28, 2025.
“Southwick?” said Masterpool. “Pretty sweet. Yeah, we will do some sand track testing this week. Yeah, bring on the sand, I’m ready for it. Then a week later will be RedBud. I really like RedBud. I’ve had some good races there in the past and I’m really looking forward to it. RedBud is going to be a sweet one. I’m pretty happy with my riding and all that. I feel like my speed has been there. Everything has kind of been there. Just been pretty frustrating dealing with the health and the throwing up and all that. But like I said, at least we’ve got answers for that. With the circumstances, it has been tough. At Hangtown I was sick and had the fever on race day. I was throwing up all day. To be racing there under the weather and in that kind of heat and keeping my head screwed on and staying off the ground and all that, I was pretty happy with it. The results aren’t really showing it, but I’m pretty happy with it. I feel like my experience is showing. Yeah, there is a lot of good to take away from all this. And there is still a lot of racing to go. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be good. I’m starting to feel better and better each day. I’m really looking forward to it.”
And of Masterpool’s goals and expectations from here on out this summer?
“Win,” he answered. “Obviously. I’m here because I believe I can be the best. I don't want to be here to participate. Yeah, I’m looking forward to going out there and doing the best I can and believe I can be up there. I’m feeling good. I’ll start training again tomorrow on the bike. Southwick is going to be a real fun one.”
