Swapmoto Live Podcast

Presented by Pro Taper Is it just us, or is the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast getting more and more fun with no pro racing to talk about? We're deep into the off-season and the SML crew covers a ton of things in today's show. swap and Chase spent Monday and Tuesday at the Baker's Factory in Florida, so that's why this week's pod is a Wednesday edition. We talk about what we saw there, plus cover the exciting - and gruesome - happenings at last weekend's Swapmoto Race Series season at Glen Helen, riding the new Gas Gas motorcycles, and dissect the good and bad about the new 2021 Monster Energy Supercross schedule. Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing It's been a minute since we caught up with our friend Zach Osborne. We phoned him up early this Saturday morning to recap the emotions of wrapping up his first 450 championship and talk about the upcoming 2021 Supercross season. As always, Zacho was a great conversationalist and he even hinted at something new in his program, come January. We tried to pry it out of him but had no luck...maybe we need to go on a spy mission to Florida to find out!

Presented by Pro Taper This week's edition of the Kickstart Podcast is a doozie! In addition to the usual bench racing, we delved into what is inadvertently a hot topic on the Vital message board and amongst Pulp Nation soldiers...the Ride-Gate drill scandal! But really, beyond that nonsense, we cover a lot of the happenings in the sport and have a ton of laughs!

Presented by FLY Racing Carson Mumford made his professional debut this summer in the 250 MX Nationals and finished a respectable 12th overall aboard his GEICO Honda CRF250R. A long-time member of the GEICO Honda squad, Mumford made his mark in the mini classes aboard a very special CRF150R, winning several Amateur National Championships along the way. When the team announced that it was closing its doors, Mumford was left without a ride, even though he had two years remaining on his contract. Recently, news has broken that he has joined the Chaparral Honda squad, which is now in its second year of operation. We checked in with Mumford this afternoon to see how the new team, machine, and personnel are suiting him.

Presented by FLY Racing There's been a lot of fuss made over Jett Lawrence in recent days, but we wanted to chat with older brother Hunter Lawrence to get his take on all of the changes for 2021 and beyond. HLaw has always been one of the coolest racers to chat with, and today's episode of the FLY Racing Swapmoto Podcast is excellent! We talk with Hunter about everything: the new HRC Honda deal, Alpinestars gear, sibling rivalry, golf, fancy watches, mountain biking, and more! Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper The 23rd running of the A Day in the Dirt Motocross Grand Prix went off last weekend and what a great time we had! There were thrills, spills, and of course - with co-host Alex Ray involved - blown up dirt bikes involved. In today's episode of the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast, we recap the ADITD shenanigans and more!

Presented by Pro Taper Thanksgiving is almost upon us and here in SoCal, that means one thing to dirt bikers: A Day in the Dirt Grand Prix! In addition to going over the latest happenings, rumors, and so on and so forth in Supercross, we chat about the ADITD race; something we looks forward to every winter. Our regular co-host Alex Ray ditched swap for the Moto A Go Go team race in favor of his husky roommate, Kenny "Taco" Bell, and both ARay and KTB join us on the show this week. Lots of laughter and good times...enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing We're caught the opening rounds of the Hoosier Tires Arenacross Series a few weeks ago in Oklahoma and were introduced to Jay Reynolds, the organizer and the promoter of the 15-round race series. It's cool to see hundreds of amateur riders and a few Nationally-ranked pros on the starting line in the same night, and Reynolds has big plans to make the series even more appealing.If you're a pro-level racer or a very good amateur, then you should really have an eye on the Hoosier Arenacross series. Their purse payout and sponsorship contingency package is solid, but the broadcast plans that MAVTV and FloRacing have announced are excellent opportunities to get your name and results out to the worldBut if you're a back of the pack rider or a beginner, the Hoosier Tires Arenacross series will have something to offer you. It's tough to get a race in during the winter months and you'll have that chance at venues around the Midwest and Southeast over the next few months.

Presented by Pro Taper SoCal is abuzz with activity at the public and private Supercross tracks as racers are starting to prepare for the upcoming 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Championship. We spent the morning at Lake Elsinore's recently opened Supercross track, and the course was as packed as the 91 freeway at 4:00 p.m. Our co-host Alex Ray was among the riders circulating the track, but he was nearly lost amongst the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha and SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Moptoconcepts/Honda teams, who made up a large portion of the attendees. There were no races to bench race about today, but it was one heck of a fun show. Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing Our 2021 250 Motocross Shootout comparison has come to a close, and after our final day of comparison testing at Cahuilla Creek MX Park, our testing staff gathered at Blackmore Ranch in Murietta, California, to relax and do some bench racing about all five of the machines we spent the day riding. While the official shootout results are yet to be determined (lots and lots of data and test rider feedback must be processed), the PNG Happy Hour conversation offers a ton of insight about each of the machines. Which bike will win? Draw your own conclusions and see if you were correct when we drop the official results next week! Use the code SML20 for 20% off all PNG products at pinnaclenutritiongroup.com

Presented by Pro Taper This week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast comes a couple of days late as our staff was all traveling back home from Reynolds, Georgia, on Monday, following the inaugural Seven MX Mini Major East race at Silver Dollar Motorsports Park. The event was amazing and it was great to meet so many new min riders from the other side of the country, and we certainly look forward to growing the race in the years to come. On this week's show, Alex Ray and Brandon Hartranft call in from Northern California, where they are both testing in preparation for the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series. Hartranft talks about his new Suzuki RM-Z450 and we also confirm several new team and rider pairings for the upcoming season!

Presented by FLY Racing The annual DUBYA USA Vet World Championships are this coming weekend, so we called up DUBYA USA's John Anderson to get the scoop on the well-loved event. This podcast is much more than an event hype piece, we also chat about the early days of the company, the late, great, Tom White, product secrets, and more! John is one of the coolest guys in the sport, and DUBYA USA is the company most of the top-tier racers and teams turn to for wheel needs.

Presented by Pro Taper The off-season is in full swing and there have been some interesting developments - some that we knew about in advance, and others that were a complete surprise. Our regular co-host Alex Ray was still recovering from Halloween weekend (kidding), so we invited Jeremy McGrath to fill in as today's co-host. It was a great time chatting about new stuff, old stuff, and other stuff! Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing Yesterday, the SmarTop/BullFrog Spas/Motoconcepts/Honda team announced its 2021 Supercross roster and Shane McElrath will make his 450-class debut on one of the team's Honda CRF450R race bikes. It's been a wild few weeks since the Fox Raceway National finale for McElrath and his wife, Joy, as they've been busy testing out a handful of different race bikes with teams that wanted to secure his services. Ultimately, McElrath was most impressed by the MCR Honda machine as well as the team's inner-workings. We caught up with our buddy Shane on Halloween afternoon to talk all about the new deal!

Presented by Pro Taper We're three weeks into the off-season and there are still a bunch of super-talented racers who have yet to land rides, team manufacturer deals yet to be finalized, and race schedules not yet announced. The 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Championship series is set to be announced tomorrow, and we talk about what we've heard and are expecting. Lots of nonsense in today's show, but it's all good and fun. Enjoy!

Presented by FLY RacingAfter a whirlwind year, we're well into the offseason and already looking towards 2021. This short lull between the last race and the start of preseason prep will be a busy time for teams, as they're already pulling together the parts and pieces needed for whatever series they're signed up for, be it Supercross or Arenacross. Our friend Jeff Crutcher was in Anton's area getting some suspension serviced for his newly-formed ATC/FLPSDE Racing team and the guys decided to take some time and bench race on the recorder.

Presented by Pro Taper The American racing series is over, but that doesn't mean there is nothing to talk about! Silly season, bike tests, local racing, and Anton's career crash highlight reel were just a few of the subjects we covered in today's bench racing session. Have an idea for a topic that you'd like covered in the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast? Drop us a comment on swapmotolive.com and we'll get to it!

Presented by FLY Racing The inaugural Mini Major East is set to go off November 6-8 at Silver Dollar MX in Reynolds, Georgia, and if the recent Mini Major West was any indication, we are in for a barn-burning good time! Catering solely to the mini bike crowd, the three-day event will run practice on Friday, and one championship moto per class on Saturday and Sunday. Classes for all minis will be available, including two premier divisions for girls. With so many questions about the event floating around, we decided to get Race Director Aaron Cooke, Silver Dollar MX manager and trainer Matt Walker, and Seven MX's Roger Larsen on to discuss the event. Even if you're not planning on attending, this podcast includes plenty of insight about the sport in general. Hope to see you there!

Presented by FLY Racing Next weekend Feld Entertainment will hold a two-day Monster Jam show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, their first event in front of an audience since the start of COVID-19. Why is that important for Supercross? How this goes will set the tone for the Monster Energy Supercross Series, which is set to announce a schedule for 2021 in the next few weeks. To learn more about the lead up to the event and safety procedures that will be in place in Arlington, we called Jayme Dalsing, Director of Operations for Monster Jam, discussed what's happened over the last few months, and how important this event is for the future of live entertainment.

Presented by Pro Taper What a year! COVID-19 did its best to screw us over, but we got full Supercross and Motocross Championship series done thanks to some hard work by the promoters, sponsors, racers, and teams. Last weekend's Fox Raceway MX National went off without a hitch and both classes saw first-time National Champions crowned in dramatic fashion. We also had first-time winners, first-time competitors, and new rivalries spark up out of nowhere. We covered it all in this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast. Enjoy!

Presented by Fox Racing This week, Fox Racing released the newest installment of its excellent UNPLUGGED series, featuring five-time AMA National Champion Jordan Jarvis. Intrigued by the video, we decided to track the 19-year-old down and find out a little more about her in this episode of the Fox Feature Podcast. Says Fox Racing: North Carolina native Jordan Jarvis has been spending time at a motocross track since she was a few months old. The daughter of a former racer, Jordan was raised around the sport and eventually chose to pursue racing full time as her interest in team sports like tee ball and soccer started to fade when it they took away from her time at the track. Around the age of 8 or 9, Jordan's speed had progressed quite a bit and she started lining up against the boys to test her skills. Fast forward and 4 Loretta Lynn's titles later, she's taking on a new goal. To qualify for an AMA Pro Motocross national in the 250 Class. If anyone can do it, JJ can.

Presented by Pro Taper The penultimate round of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals went down last weekend at Lakewood, Colorado's Thunder Valley MX, and there was plenty to talk about in today's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast! If you watched the race go down, you know that there were some spectacular saves, big crashes, and a stray muffler laying on the ground in the opening 450 moto. And guess whose that was? Lots of funny stuff in today's show...big thanks to Randy and the guys at Pro Taper for making it all possible.

Presented by FLY Racing Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha racer Justin Cooper earned his first 250 National win of the season this weekend in Lakewood, Colorado, at the Thunder Valley MX round of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals. Having struggled with a hand injury early in the series, Cooper has finally found his flow and looks like the number-32 racer we know. We phoned up the New York native to get his take on the big win and also to ask about the social media drama that unfolded afterward!.

Presented by Pro Taper Man what a weekend! Our staff was split on opposite sides of the Nation: Anton at the WW Ranch National in Florida, and Donn and Chase at the fifth-annual Mini Major by Seven MX. While there was great racing at both events, the stories that came out of them far outweigh the on-track action. Tonight, the three of us - plus ad guy and donut connoisseur Dommer - bench race about all that happened on two wheels over the weekend.

Presented by 805 Beer Last week, we concluded our 2021 450 MX Shootout. After our final day of back-to-back testing, we converged on Jeff Blackmore's Blackmore Ranch to hang out in his bar and bench race about the six bikes that we had just ridden. This was originally a video, but we also exported the audio so it could be consumed in podcast format. Featured are Donn Maeda, Mike Sleeter, Pat Foster, Kyle Puerner and Connor Ericsson aka Buttery Films.

Presented by OGIO Powersports The Lucas Oil MX Nationals rolled into Florida's WW Ranch last weekend and we saw points leaders Dyan Ferrandis and Zach Osborne both turn in perfect 1-1 performances. After the checkered flag, we tracked down as many of the racers as possible to ask them how it was out there for them.

Presented by FLY Racing Mike Sleeter has been a good friend of mine since he started testing for me at TransWorld Motocross way back in 2000. Through the years, we've worked side-by-side in many different capacities and it's been exciting for me to see him transition from Supercross racer to KTM R&D rider, to dad, to small business owner. Today, on the final day of racing at the Mini Major, I asked Mike to sit down for a few minutes to reminisce on the two-decade journey that we've shared together.

Presented by Fox Racing The fifth annual Mini Major is going down this weekend at State Fair MX Park in Perris, California, and with over 1000 entries filling a 34-moto schedule, there is plenty going on in the pits and on the track. Kawasaki Team Green's Ryder DiFrancesco is a former winner of the event and has recently made the jump to big bikes, and he is on hand to lead out the parade laps and interact with his friends and fans at the OGIO Powersports booth. We had a fun chat with Ryder D in between parade laps and got the down-low on everything from his recent number switch to his mini career highlights to what it's really like to train with Ivan Tedesco. Check it out!

Presented by Pro Taper What a weekend it was! From the epic battles at the Spring Creek MX National to the rough ride at the Ultra 4 National at Area BFE with Jeremy McGrath, all of us had a kickass weekend and we just couldn't wait to BS about things in today's Kickstart Podcast presented by Pro Taper. Alex Ray even came within one finishing positon of making swap pay up. Close, but no cigar, but there are three more races left!

Presented by Pro Taper With a break in the MX Nationals, we all got to enjoy some personal time this weekend. Anton went racing, Chase painted a house, Dommer ate some donuts, and Donn rode everything possible, motorized or not. There have been some interesting silly season rumors that have surfaced and we go through those, and our regular co-host Alex Ray called in to talk about scoring zero points in 10 motos. All in all, it was a great time and it should be an entertaining listen. Thanks to Pro Taper!

Presented by FLY Racing Chase Sexton has enjoyed a great rookie 450 MX season by all accounts, having finished second overall at the Red Bud One National and being a consistent front runner in qualifying and in most races thus far. With two Eastern Regional 250 Supercross Championships to his credit, the Honda HRC rider also moved out of the 250 class quicker than many, having spent only three and a half years in the division before moving up to a factory ride in the premier class. We caught up with Sexton this morning as he drove to the golf course to enjoy a leisurely round on this off weekend in the abbreviated Lucas Oil MX National Championship Series. Thanks to FLY Racing for making this possible.

Presented by Pro Taper The Red Bud doubleheader over the Labor Day holiday weekend produced some great racing that was easy to bench race about on today's Kickstart Podcast! From Barcia's aggro pass on Marv, to Ferrandis and J-Mart touching (handlebar) tips, to Hampshire almost doing a Sonny Bono, last weekend's racing was all-time! SML Senior Test Rider Pat Foster joined us in the studio as he was down for this afternoon's 2021 KTM 250 and 350 SX-F test sessions with us.

Presented by OGIO Powersports The first-ever motocross National double-header is in the record books, and the racing at Red Bud Two was spectacular! Though it was certainly odd to watch races at Red Bud Track N' Trail with no fans, both rounds went off without a hitch and produced some memorable results. After the checkered flags flew on the 250 and 450 classes, we headed to the pits to get the scoop from as many racers as possible, and then hit it even harder on Tuesday morning with a few phone calls! Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing Tevin Tapia had a horrible crash one month ago at Fox Raceway and broke a few vertebrae in his neck. Luckily, the long-time privateer did not suffer paralysis. Instead, Tapia lost control of his left leg but maintained feeling throughout his body. After 10 days in the ICU, Tapia was relocated to a rehabilitation facility and has continued to make progress. We gave him a call today to get an update on his recovery and were pleased to hear some great news.

Presented by OGIO Powersports Temperatures were fair and the conditions were prime for Friday's fourth round of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals at Red Bud Track N Trail in Buchanan, Michigan, and Jeremy Martin and Zach Osborne topped the 250 and 450 classes, respectively, in grand style with 1-1 moto sweeps. After the races were over, we tracked down as many racers as we could to get the scoop about what really went down! We've also turned this into a podcast, as 50 minutes of interviews might be easier to digest in audio format.

Presented by Pro Taper Man, there was a ton to talk about in this morning's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast. The Ironman MX National produced some awesome racing, but there were also some bits of news that surfaced last weekend that will make things very interesting this off-season. Join Donn, Chase, and Anton, plus our regular co-host Alex Ray as we run down the sights and news from Ironman MX.

Presented by OGIO Powersports Rond three of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals visited Ironman Raceway and racers were greeted with the first relatively dry track of the year. The action was amazing in both classes, and after the dust settled we did our best to track down as many racers as possible in person and on the phone to ask, "How Was Your Weekend?" Once again, the video that lives on SwapmotoLive.com is nearly 60 minutes long, so we thought it would be a good idea to turn the interviews into a podcast for those who would rather listen, not watch!

Presented by FLY Racing Josh Grant is one of the most stylish, hardest-charging racers of the modern era, and his absence at the races is definitely felt by his legions of hardcore fans. Though it sounds like he's closed a chapter on full-time pro racing, JG33 still rides for fun, competes in selected races on the calendar, and is a full-time husband and dad to his wife Ashley and sons Wyatt and Easton. The Grant family has recently begun attending the AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series, and Wyatt and Easton are front-runners in their respective mini bike classes. We caught up with Josh about being a mini dad, reflected on his 17-year professional racing career, and even touched on the licensed cannabis operation that he's been working on since stepping away from racing full time.

Presented by Pro Taper The Loretta Lynn's Two MX National was an even gnarlier mudder than the first, and the results, upsets, and surprises were certainly worth talking about on this morning's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast! Our regular cohost Alex Ray was back in the studio with us, and we even got a surprise call-in from Monster Energy Yamaha's Broc Tickle, who added tons of flavor and excitement. Join us for a really fun hour and a half of quality bench racing.

Presented by FLY Racing Life changed for our buddy Tevin Tapia at around 9:30 a.m. on August 7. Out for a day of moto at Fox Raceway with his dad, Rod, Tevin went to size up a triple jump with a deck landing but was sent into a violent endo when he landed in softer dirt than he had anticipated. On impact, Tapia broke his C6 and C7 vertebrae in his neck and initially, could not feel his legs. Thankfully, Tapia gained his feeling back as he was being transported to the hospital. In the ICU, Tapia's neck was fused by surgeons to stabilize the vertebrae. Currently, Tevin is in a rehabilitation center in Murietta, California, and he has minimal movement in his left leg. It's going to be a long road to recovery, but Tapia is grateful that it was not worse and he is impressively optimistic and upbeat.

Presented by Pro Taper The 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Nationals finally got underway last weekend at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, and thanks to a gnarly rainstorm that passed through the area in the day prior, the track evolved into what was regarded by many racers as one of the most challenging in recent memory. Bell Helmet's Benny Tozzi joined us in the SML headquarters today as we phoned up our man on the scene, Michael Antonovich, to gain some insight and do some grade-A bench racing!

Presented by OGIO Powersports The 2020 Lucas Oil Motocross Nationals finally got underway yesterday at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, and the racing was everything that fans had hoped it would be. Strict social distancing rules prevent the media from interacting with the riders, so this summer's edition of How Was Your Weekend presented by OGIO Powersports will be gathered a little differently. We phoned up a ton of the top riders and got their race recaps today, and actually got more details than normal. Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing Unless you've been living on a deserted island for the past several years, you have undoubtedly seen (and heard) the small electric stability cycles known as STACYC. Equipped with small electric motors and throttles, the little bikes have allowed countless youngsters to develop their two-wheeled motor skills sooner. What does this mean to the motorcycle industry? Future growth, of course, as the STACYC bikes make the transition onto a mini bike a practically seamless affair. Yesterday, KTM and Husqvarna debuted a line of officially licensed STACYC bikes at Fox Raceway, and we were able to sit down with STACYC CEO and inventor, Ryan Ragland, and his wife, Brandy. The story is interesting and inspirational, as Ragland is a friend of ours from his early days as a mechanic for the Red Bull KTM race team! Even if you don't have a youngster who rides a STACYC, this is a great listen. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper And just like that, the racing world is back to normal again! The AMA Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn's went off last week in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, and last weekend we had the FIM MXGP resume in Latvia. For race fans like us, all seems right in the world again and to top things off, our MX Nationals start in only five days! There have been some interesting developments in the sport in the past week, and we go over them all in this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast. Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing It's been nearly one year since Red Bull KTM's Marvin Musquin lined up behind a starting gate aboard his Frankie Latham-tuned 450 SX-F, and the likable Frenchman is anxious and excited to get back to action next weekend at the inaugural Loretta Lynn's Pro MX National. The damage Musquin's knee sustained last winter was serious enough to keep him off the bike until only a few weeks ago, but he reports that his fitness and speed are good and he is ready to race.

Presented by Pro Taper The AMA Amateur National MX National Championships at Loretta Lynns starts this week and our man on the scene, Michael Antonovich, gives us the rundown on who to keep an eye out for. We also discuss the upcoming Nationals, a few rumors we've heard, and give Dommer a hard time about his "low moral fiber" starting technique at last weekend's Swapmoto Race Series event at Glen Helen Raceway.

Presented by FLY Racing The 2020 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MX Series kicked off last weekend at Gopher Dunes, and Californians Ryan Surratt and Richard Taylor are set to contest the entire Canadian championship with the Sky Racing Kawasaki team in the 250 division. We're very familiar with both Surratt and Taylor as both have been test riders for us in the past. That said, we're especially interested in their experiences north of the US border. We phoned them up to talk about their two-week trailer quarantine in the woods, the racing, and their crash course in camper cooking while in isolation!

Presented by Pro Taper There was lots to talk about this morning on the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast as there have been subtle changes made to the upcoming Lucas Oil Pro MX Nationals, a manufacturer dropped out of the Loretta Lynn's Amateur National, some last-minute pro roster changes, a near-600-racer turnout at last weekend's AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series event at LACR MX, and our very own resident Clydesdale, Dominic Gaytan, threw hit hat into the observed trials arena last Friday! Enjoy!

Presented by FLY Racing Tyler Bereman is - hands down - one of the baddest dudes in freestyle motocross. I'm lucky to have been buddies with Bereman since his days as an amateur motocross racer, and it's been fun to watch his career on two wheels evolve into what it is now. This Tuesday, Bereman and a handful of other hand-picked riders will compete in the first-ever FMX Fite Klub event, and we phoned him up to get the scoop on the event. It was very interesting to hear about the different disciplines involved in the event and to get some insight into the bike setup and riding technique required for each.

Presented by Pro Taper We're 26 days away from the start of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals kickoff at Loretta Lynn's, and we are HYPED! Still, there's some grumbling about the schedule from race teams, and of course the ever-changing COVID-19 conditions from state to state. We sure hope the schedule goes off without a hitch, as we want to see some great racing as badly as everyone else. Anton brings some great insight on today's show and our regular co-host ARay is back in the studio with us. Lots of great stuff this week! Thanks to the guys at Pro Taper for making it all possible.