Who Moved, Who Stayed
RacerHead
RacerHead
WHO MOVED, WHO STAYED
O

ur sport’s annual game of musical chairs hit snags for a few teams—namely JGRMX/Yoshimura Suzuki and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM—but drama behind the scenes is nothing new during contract season. Here are ten key elements to the new season.

1. WHITHER JGR
Hits keep coming for Joe Gibbs Racing MX/Yoshimura Suzuki. The squad has been without a title sponsor for a year, and now Suzuki wants to scale back its monetary support. JGR might still go racing, but with a smaller staff, budget, and rider lineup—unless a sponsor finally surfaces.
2. JOEY
The JGR situation leaves Joey Savatgy without options despite showing good speed in his rookie 450 season with Monster Energy Kawasaki (which replaced him with Adam Cianciarulo for 2020). Joey might have to take a low-pay, skeleton-crew JGR Suzuki ride just to get onto the racetrack.
3. TWO-HEAD RED
Savatgy was once linked to a Team Honda HRC deal, replacing the retired Cole Seely, but Honda chose to secure a future with Chase Sexton. So Justin Brayton got the call-up from SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda for a year of supercross. Sexton takes over the 450 spot starting at Hangtown.
4. ANOTHER JUSTIN
A flameout of a 450 rookie season with JGR left Justin Hill looking for a ride, and he’s found one with MotoConcepts, who had a spot after Brayton’s bump to the factory team. Can the talented Hill thrive under team manager Tony Alessi’s hands-on approach? The same program has paid dividends for Malcolm Stewart.
Who Moved Who Stayed Justin
5. SMITTY SEASON
A switch from GEICO Honda to Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM almost got Jordon Smith over the hump, but he ended up frustratingly close to titles each year. (Did you know he was ahead of Chase Sexton in 250SX East Region points when he went down with a wrist injury this year?) Is a switch to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki finally the step he needs to win a title?
6. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
The TLD team gave Shane McElrath his first break, and they did him a solid by helping him skip races and get an extra year of 250 eligibility. But now he’s using that year to race for someone else: Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha. Will Shane use his new team to beat his old one?
Who Moved Who Stayed Memories
7. YOUTH MOVEMENT
With veterans McElrath and Smith gone, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM restocked the cupboard via the amateur system. Derek Drake is the 2018 AMA Horizon Award Winner from Loretta’s but still hasn’t raced supercross. Neither has recent grad Pierce Brown. There’s going to be a learning process here for both rookies.
Who Moved Who Stayed Movement
8. FRENCH FIND
Also new at TLD is Frenchman Brian Moreau, who came recommended from Europe via KTM/Husqvarna racing boss Robert Jonas. Moreau got hurt early in the GP season, so KTM is banking that his talent is underrated. Will TLD get a badly needed diamond in the rough?
Who Moved Who Stayed French
9. LIFE RAFT
Brandon Hartranft is only entering his third full season, but the 21-year-old is now the old man of that extremely young TLD lineup. Brandon was pretty solid on Cycle Trader/Rock River Yamaha but hopes full factory status will boost him to podium status.
10. STAYING PUT
Perhaps the biggest news is who hasn’t moved: perennial 450 contenders Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin all signed new deals with their old teams.
1. WHITHER JGR
Hits keep coming for Joe Gibbs Racing MX/Yoshimura Suzuki. The squad has been without a title sponsor for a year, and now Suzuki wants to scale back its monetary support. JGR might still go racing, but with a smaller staff, budget, and rider lineup—unless a sponsor finally surfaces.
2. JOEY
The JGR situation leaves Joey Savatgy without options despite showing good speed in his rookie 450 season with Monster Energy Kawasaki (which replaced him with Adam Cianciarulo for 2020). Joey might have to take a low-pay, skeleton-crew JGR Suzuki ride just to get onto the racetrack.
3. TWO-HEAD RED
Savatgy was once linked to a Team Honda HRC deal, replacing the retired Cole Seely, but Honda chose to secure a future with Chase Sexton. So Justin Brayton got the call-up from SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda for a year of supercross. Sexton takes over the 450 spot starting at Hangtown.
4. ANOTHER JUSTIN
A flameout of a 450 rookie season with JGR left Justin Hill looking for a ride, and he’s found one with MotoConcepts, who had a spot after Brayton’s bump to the factory team. Can the talented Hill thrive under team manager Tony Alessi’s hands-on approach? The same program has paid dividends for Malcolm Stewart.
Who Moved Who Stayed Justin
5. SMITTY SEASON
A switch from GEICO Honda to Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM almost got Jordon Smith over the hump, but he ended up frustratingly close to titles each year. (Did you know he was ahead of Chase Sexton in 250SX East Region points when he went down with a wrist injury this year?) Is a switch to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki finally the step he needs to win a title?
6. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
The TLD team gave Shane McElrath his first break, and they did him a solid by helping him skip races and get an extra year of 250 eligibility. But now he’s using that year to race for someone else: Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha. Will Shane use his new team to beat his old one?
Who Moved Who Stayed Memories
7. YOUTH MOVEMENT
With veterans McElrath and Smith gone, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM restocked the cupboard via the amateur system. Derek Drake is the 2018 AMA Horizon Award Winner from Loretta’s but still hasn’t raced supercross. Neither has recent grad Pierce Brown. There’s going to be a learning process here for both rookies.
Who Moved Who Stayed Movement
8. FRENCH FIND
Also new at TLD is Frenchman Brian Moreau, who came recommended from Europe via KTM/Husqvarna racing boss Robert Jonas. Moreau got hurt early in the GP season, so KTM is banking that his talent is underrated. Will TLD get a badly needed diamond in the rough?
Who Moved Who Stayed French
9. LIFE RAFT
Brandon Hartranft is only entering his third full season, but the 21-year-old is now the old man of that extremely young TLD lineup. Brandon was pretty solid on Cycle Trader/Rock River Yamaha but hopes full factory status will boost him to podium status.
10. STAYING PUT
Perhaps the biggest news is who hasn’t moved: perennial 450 contenders Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin all signed new deals with their old teams.
CC’s
BY THE NUMBERS
Kelley on dirtbike
2FIM World XC1 Pro class starts it took for Kelley to win a class overall, at the Mountaineer GNCC, making him only the third rider to win in their debut season (alongside Kailub Russell and Cory Buttrick). Kelley did it fastest, though. Russell needed ten starts, while Buttrick took eight.
20,000
Names signed to the “Let Ron Ride” petition on change.org, as of 5:35 a.m. on October 8, five months after Ronnie Mac himself started the online petition.
0
Dean Wilson on dirtbike
Rockstar Energy or Red Bull riders who raced the Monster Energy Cup after Dean Wilson got hurt in practice.
.86
Margin of victory (in seconds) for Adam Cianciarulo over Eli Tomac in the Monster Energy Cup’s final main event.
CC’s
BY THE NUMBERS
2FIM World XC1 Pro class starts it took for Kelley to win a class overall, at the Mountaineer GNCC, making him only the third rider to win in their debut season (alongside Kailub Russell and Cory Buttrick). Kelley did it fastest, though. Russell needed ten starts, while Buttrick took eight.
Kelley riding XC1 Pro Class
20,000
Names signed to the “Let Ron Ride” petition on change.org, as of 5:35 a.m. on October 8, five months after Ronnie Mac himself started the online petition.
Dean Wilson riding dirtbike
0
Rockstar Energy or Red Bull riders who raced the Monster Energy Cup after Dean Wilson got hurt in practice.
.86
Margin of victory (in seconds) for Adam Cianciarulo over Eli Tomac in the Monster Energy Cup’s final main event.
Jeremy Martin on dirtbike
Days between races for GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin, who was injured at the 2018 Tennessee National and returned at the 2019 Monster Energy Cup.
35 hours
Length of the drive for privateer Joey Crown and his dad to reach Red Bull Straight Rhythm in California following the Travis Pastrana Pro Challenge at Pleasure Valley Raceway in Pennsylvania. Crown raced a completely different bike at RBSR—and won the 125cc class.
1
Two-stroke bike to race in the Cup class of Monster Energy Cup: none other than Mike Alessi won the LCQ on his Yamaha 325cc.
0
Suzuki motorcycles raced in the 2019 Motocross of Nations.
Tim Gasjer in 2017
Three-time FIM Motocross World Champion Tim Gajser’s scores at the Monster Energy Cup—much better than his first attempt, when he crashed out in 2017.
Jeremy Martin on dirtbike
Days between races for GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin, who was injured at the 2018 Tennessee National and returned at the 2019 Monster Energy Cup.
35 hours
Length of the drive for privateer Joey Crown and his dad to reach Red Bull Straight Rhythm in California following the Travis Pastrana Pro Challenge at Pleasure Valley Raceway in Pennsylvania. Crown raced a completely different bike at RBSR—and won the 125cc class.
1
Two-stroke bike to race in the Cup class of Monster Energy Cup: none other than Mike Alessi won the LCQ on his Yamaha 325cc.
0
Suzuki motorcycles raced in the 2019 Motocross of Nations.
Tim Gasjer in 2017
Three-time FIM Motocross World Champion Tim Gajser’s scores at the Monster Energy Cup—much better than his first attempt, when he crashed out in 2017.