Reason For Being
When Dylan Ferrandis emerged victorious (somewhat surprisingly) at the season-opening Dirt Bike Kidz Fox Raceway 1 National at Pala, it ended a very long dry spell in the sport. By winning the opener, Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing’s Ferrandis became the first Yamaha rider in nearly 15 years to lead the points in the 450 Class of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross. The last Yamaha rider to do it? NBC Sports color analyst and 2007 AMA 450 MX Champion Grant Langston. Ferrandis’ win meant that his #14 blue Yamaha would carry red plates at the next round, Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Colorado. How and why it took Yamaha so long to get back up front is a long story, but for this column I want to address a simpler question: where did those red plates come from anyway?
We are deeply rooted in Moto—We’ve been here all our lives. Back in 1998 when we turned an underground newspaper into a shiny color magazine, it immediately changed the game with its unprecedented depth of coverage, sense of humor, and access to the sport’s biggest names. Today, our readers know they can go to Racer X Online for all the news, race results, and event coverage they need, and then enjoy even more detail and perspective in the pages of Racer X Illustrated. The mag offers a chance to learn something new on every page and stay connected with the people and personalities that shape our sport—the competitors out on the racetrack, as well as the ones behind the scenes—through our exclusive deep-dive stories and columns.
Our trademark has always been insider knowledge from the experts who are at the races and around the sport. We have long prided ourselves on our unparalleled race reporting and detailed storytelling. We go deep with the riders and teams to provide comprehensive coverage you won’t find anywhere else—all with first-class photography and design. It’s a full education in motocross past, present, and future.
Davey Coombs
Editor-in-chief & Founder
Racer X Illustrated
Subscribe Now
to continue reading Reason For Being
and other premium content from the pages of Racer X magazine
Get immediate access to this issue + 12 more issues
Subscribe or Renew for your FREE 2026 Racer X Calendar! (Subscribe now!)
Already have a subscription?
Login to your Account