INSIDE DIRT ISSUE 29 OUT NOW
“Your must have online digital destination for all of your major Australian Dirt Bike Events.”
READ OUR BACK ISSUES
Go back in time with Inside Dirt
Ken Roczen Re-Signs with Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki for 2025
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. and H.E.P. Motorsports are excited to announce that Ken Roczen will return for 2025 to compete in the SuperMotocross World Championship aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450. Roczen, who has had strong results with the team over the past couple years, will once again compete at the highest level. Words: Suzuki
“I am very excited to continue my relationship with Suzuki and the team,” said Roczen. “We have had a pretty successful last couple of years and we are eager to continue chasing our dreams of wins and podiums.”
“We’re very proud to have Ken Roczen once again choose Suzuki and H.E.P. Motorsports for his championship quest,” said Chris Wheeler, Motorsports Manager at Suzuki Motor USA. “Ken’s talent, dedication and presence continues to elevate everyone in the program, and provides a unified confidence as we strive for success together. We love the challenge of SMX, and we’re thrilled to have Ken leading the charge on his RM-Z450.”
2025 will be Ken’s third year with the Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki Team competing on the Suzuki RM-Z450. With the time he’s had on the bike and the familiarity with the team, he looks to put in some strong racing and contend for wins.
“Very happy to have Ken back for another year with the team,” explained Dustin Pipes, Team Principal at H.E.P. Motorsports. “He is the ultimate professional on-and-off the racetrack. Ken is an exceptional talent, capable of winning any race he shows up to and keeping him on the very capable RM-Z450 brings a sense of excitement to every race day for the team. We will be working hard to once again reach the top step of the podium.”
“As the title sponsor for the team the past two seasons, it’s been exciting to watch Ken not only compete, but also represent the sport well,” said Eric Doubler, Progressive Recreational Lines Business Leader. “As the country’s leading motorcycle insurer, we share the same passion, enthusiasm and commitment to the sport that Ken does and are looking forward to seeing what he does in the season ahead.”
Roczen and Suzuki fans alike eagerly await the first gate drop set for January 11th in Anaheim, where the season kicks off.
Image: HEP Suzuki
Jorge Prado to Monster Energy Kawasaki
Monster Energy Kawasaki and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki are gearing up for another exciting year of SuperMotocross racing in 2025. The Kawasaki racing teams will compete with the world’s elite supercross and motocross athletes as they chase the 250 and 450 class titles in the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, the Pro Motocross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Words: Kawasaki
Fresh off winning back-to-back FIM World MXGP Championships, Monster Energy Kawasaki welcomes four-time FIM Motocross World Champion Jorge Prado, who will join 2018 Monster Energy Supercross champion, Jason Anderson to compete on the new KX™450SR. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki will retain its line-up of proven race winners, including Levi Kitchen, Cameron McAdoo, and Seth Hammaker, all riding the all-new 2025 KX™250. The team is also excited to welcome back Garrett Marchbanks and Ty Masterpool to permanent positions on the team for 2025. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green™ rider Drew Adams has committed to a multi-year extension with Kawasaki, ensuring he will continue his journey with the brand into the pro ranks.
The four-time FIM Motocross World Champion from Lugo, Spain is ready to take on a new challenge after his first taste of SMX in 2024, competing in the first four rounds including a Heat Race win and seventh place Main Event finish in San Francisco. At only 23 years old and with an outstanding record of 31 MX2 victories, 18 MXGP victories and four FIM Motocross World Championship titles, Prado continues his pursuit of greatness with goals of bringing his winning ways to SuperMotocross.
Anderson and his KX™450SR formed a powerful combination during the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, achieving 11 Top-5 finishes. The No. 21 carried this momentum into the Pro Motocross Championship, securing six Top-5 finishes and an overall podium. As Anderson looks ahead to the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, Pro Motocross Championship and SuperMotocross World Championship, he’s determined to keep pushing for another championship in the premier class.
“We have great confidence in our 2025 team roster and are excited to see how Jason and Jorge perform on the new KX™450SR,” said Dan Fahie, Kawasaki Racing Senior Manager. “Both riders bring unique strengths to the team, and we’re eager to see how we stack up against our competition. I’m especially excited about the expanding SMX rounds, as they offer us more opportunities to demonstrate our strengths over the course of the season. With Jason’s proven track record and the fresh energy Jorge brings, we believe this year will be a strong one for the Monster Energy Kawasaki team as we push toward new milestones.”
Jorge Prado: “Coming to America to race Supercross, Motocross and the Supermotocross World Championship with Monster Energy Kawasaki is an incredible opportunity. I’ve always admired the level of competition here, and I’m excited to challenge myself against some of the best riders in the world. This is a new chapter in my career, and I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got, representing a legendary factory like Kawasaki. The passion and intensity of the fans here is unmatched, and I can’t wait to experience that energy.”
Image: Kawasaki
KTM Racing’s Kayden Minear enjoys consistent AUSX at Adelaide
KTM Racing Team’s Kayden Minear has moved into the top five of the SX2 point-standings after achieving a solid fifth overall at the Adelaide round of the 2024 Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX), while in the SX1 class Nathan Crawford raced to ninth overall. Words: KTM
After a third-place result in his heat race on Friday, Minear came firing out of the gate on his KTM 250 SX-F in the opening Supercross Sprint final on Saturday night at the Adelaide 500, claiming the holeshot and leading the opening laps.
The Western Australian teenager took the chequered flag in sixth position and then continued to improve with each race, finishing with 6-6-5-4 scores over the course of the SX2 main events. That resulted in fifth overall, which elevated Minear to fifth in the title race.
Kayden Minear: “It was an eventful night. I got the holeshot in the first race and panicked a little, but the rest of the races were good – I rode smart and brought it home. I love the Sprint format and I got better and better with each race… It’d be nice if the races were a bit longer, but having more gate drops is my type of racing. It was a really cool event alongside the Supercars and I can’t wait for the Perth World Supercross round this coming weekend.”
In the SX1 category, KTM Racing Team teammate Crawford finished the night ninth overall, with the highlight being the second final where he raced his KTM 450 SX-F to fifth position. He’d finished eighth in the first race, followed by 5-9-11 scores following an action-packed evening.
Nathan Crawford: “It was a tough weekend. I didn’t qualify well and as a result my gate pick for the Sprint races was further to the outside than I would’ve liked, but we’ll regroup and get ready for the final round in Melbourne in two weeks.”
Sunday saw the CR22 85 Cup hit the track for its finals at the Supercross Sprint, where KTM Junior Racing Team’s Cooper Ford went 4-4 for fourth overall on his KTM 85 SX, while Tate Reed returned from injury ahead of schedule to record 10-8 finishes for P10 overall in South Australia.
The final round of the AUSX series will be held at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, on Saturday, November 30.
Image: ID Media Group
DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP
Jump onto your phone or tablet app store and get downloading. The app enables
you to download the issue and view it anytime and anywhere, offline or online.
TAKE YOUR ADVERTISING DIGITAL
Contact us today for our media kit, We look forward to hearing from you!
