Don’t cry for Ty Masterpool. He’s not on a factory team, but he gets the opportunity to show up each weekend, on his own bike, and prove why he deserves one (not to mention our front cover). He’s thankful for that, and making the most of it by battling for podiums against the factory bikes every weekend. Plus, he just loves racing, anyway, so he smiles and laughs when you ask about anything.

“I would love the factory support,” says Ty, who rides his own Sport

 Clips-backed Kawasaki KX450. “I have a completely stock motor with an FMF pipe, suspension, and different motor mounts. Bars and grips, that’s it!”

The Masterpool family doesn’t want to do it on their own, as they have huge respect for the knowledge and wisdom of the teams around them. But these are the cards they’ve been dealt, and as they’ve done before, they keep pushing forward the best that they can.