Because one title run changed the look of his motorcycle, his team, and himself, Dylan Ferrandis is the 2021 Racer X Rider of the Year

WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
PHOTOS: ALIGN MEDIA

The news in early May was shocking: Eli Tomac would shun an offer to stay at Monster Energy Kawasaki, with which he had won 60 races and four titles—far more than any of his rivals—to race a Yamaha YZ450F. For Star Racing. Tomac left the brand with the longest sustained run of success in the sport, stretching nearly unbroken from Jeff Ward to Jeff Emig, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto, and then Eli himself.

Well, it was shocking news back then, at least. A few weeks later, Dylan Ferrandis began his run to the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on a YZ450F, with support from a team that was in its first year in the 450 Class. He even topped, yes, Eli Tomac on a KX450.

Over the course of one summer, everything looks much different—to Ferrandis, to Star Racing, to the entire industry. That’s how impactful this title is. And that’s why Dylan Ferrandis is the 2021 Racer X Rider of the Year.