Swapmoto Live Podcast

Presented by Pro Taper The 2024 Motocross of Nations at Matterly Basin was one for the record books, indeed. Although Team USA came up one spot shy of victory, the racing in all three motos was enough to get any motocross fan cheering. Aaron Plessinger, Cooper Webb, and Eli Tomac answered the call to represent our country and all three did us proud with gritty rides for the Red, White, and Blue. For Team Australia, the event was a dream come true as Hunter and Jett Lawrence, and Kyle Webster, put their country on the top step of the podium for the first time in the event's 77-year history. Our very own Michael Antonovich was on hand and shared his experiences and observations with us in this week's Kickstart Podcast.

Three thrilling races at the 2024 Motocross of Nations saw Team Australia take home the Chamberlain Trophy for the first time in history, an incredibly strong Team USA finish second overall, and Tim Gajser make a last-turn last-lap pass for a crucial win. We grabbed time with the guys at the end of the day to discuss the weekend in England.

KTM and the Pierer Mobility Group's financial situation was one of the industry's biggest talking points through most of the past summer. Certain details that were shared in a public earnings statement, including the stock price, inventory surpluses, and workforce downsizes were repeatedly mentioned in online articles or videos, and the company has enacted new measures to correct the issues. Dozens of international motorcycle journalists were invited to Austria in September to see and hear what is happening with the Pierer Mobility Group. The two-day trip included presentations on how KISKA analyzes and designs for the motorcycle market, tours of the KTM Component, Engine, Assembly Line, and Research & Development buildings, conversations with executives, and rides through the mountains on production and prototype machines. Hear what we saw during the trip, including how all of KTM's off-road production remains in Austria, from SML's Michael Antonovich.

At 44 years old, Matt Buyten was enjoying life as a seven-time X Games Gold Medalist with a successful FMX career behind him and a young son to raise. Tragedy struck the Texas transplant in July when he suffered a horrific crash at a Loretta Lynn's qualifier that left him paralyzed from mid-chest down. Support for Buyten has been great, but he still has a long road ahead. We caught up with Buyten to learn more about his injury and how he is doing, and recap some highlights of his awesome career! If you can afford to do so and are so compelled, please support Buy10 by visiting road2recovery.com where you can find his page in the athlete causes tab.

After 31 races, the 2024 SuperMotocross Series finally came to an end last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, and by all accounts, the event was one of the most exciting races of the year! From Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan's second SMX World Championships, to Pierce Brown's long over-due win, to Chase Sexton's tragic hand injury that left Team USA for the Motocross of Nations in jeopardy!

A long year of racing wrapped up at the 2024 Las Vegas SuperMotocross, the title-deciding round of the SuperMotocross World Championship. Hear from two-time winner Jett Lawrence, runner-up Hunter Lawrence, 250 overall winner Pierce Brown, retiree Phil Nicoletti, and race finishers Coty Schock, Jett Reynolds, Julien Beaumer, Marshal Weltin, Fredrik Noren, and Grant Harlan. Coty Schock 0:18 Jett Reynolds 2:24 Julien Beaumer 4:04 Pierce Brown 4:56 Phil Nicoletti 7:22 Grant Harlan 10:37 Marshal Weltin 12:25 Fredrik Noren 15:08 Hunter Lawrence 17:50 Jett Lawrence 19:03

Presented by Pro Taper The second Supermotocross Playoff at Fort Worth featured some of the best 450-class action in recent memory! Form Hunter Lawrence's first SMX win to Eli Tomac's return to the "beast mode," there was a ton to talk about in this week's Kickstart Podcast presented by Pro Taper!

Playoff Two in the SuperMotocross World Championship proved to be crucial for racers, as a challenging track, hot weather, and the chance for double points made for thrilling motos. Hear what Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan had to say about their wins and ranks as the top riders going into the finale, plus talks with Jordon Smith, Julien Beaumer, Jo Shimoda, Tom Vialle, Cullin Park, Colt Nichols, Malcolm Stewart, and Dean Wilson. Jordon Smith | 0:18 Julien Beaumer | 1:36 Jo Shimoda | 3:09 Tom Vialle | 5:26 Haiden Deegan | 6:31 Cullin Park | 7:37 Malcolm Stewart | 9:28 Dean Wilson | 11:38 Colt Nichols | 13:55 Hunter Lawrence | 16:34

Presented by 6D Helmets Yusaku Yoshimura came to the United States in 2008 to work at the company his grandfather's company, Yoshimura R&D, based in Chino, California. At the time, Yusaku didn't speak English and started working in the production department, where his job was to clean pipes that had just been produced. Through the years, he worked many different jobs and learned all aspects of the business and in 2017 was promoted to President of Yoshimura R&D. Since then, Yusaku has streamlined production practices, grown business, and even expanded the company into the mountain biking industry. We caught up with "You Suck Yoshi" today for this week's 6d Helmets Midweek Podcast.

Presented by Pro Taper It was a big weekend in racing at the first of three SMX Finals went off at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Jett Lawrence made his return to racing in winning fashion, Haiden Deegan made a statement with a pair of dominant moto wins, and Eli Tomac found his usual form! A few hours away, meanwhile, the Mini Monster East by Seven MX also gave amateur mini racers a chance to showcase their speed on the amazing Monster Mountain MX course. We go over everything that we saw and also have a guest appearance by Red Bull KTM's Julien Beaumer, who earned his first career podium in Charlotte!

Round one of the Supermotocross World Championship took in North Carolina at zMAX Dragway, and riders were put to the test during two 20-minute and a lap motos on a super-sized track. Hear from Justin Cooper, Shane McElrath, Julien Beaumer, and Chance Hymas about the 2024 Charlotte SuperMotocross. Chance Hymas | 0:18Julien Beaumer | 2:02Shane McElrath | 3:48Justin Cooper | 7:34

Presented by Pro Taper We all enjoyed the one-week break between the Pro Motocross Championship Finale and the first of three SML Finals... What did you do with your free weekend? We had plenty to talk about and ponder regarding the upcoming finals...

Michael Antonovich talks about the weekend trip to the Ironman Motocross, the track changes, the 2025 MXoN, SMX, schedules, and more.

Presented by 6D Helmets Can you believe that it's already shootout season? Yesterday, we concluded our comparison testing of the 2025 450 MX bikes with a final day of back-to-back riding at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. Representatives from the manufacturers were on hand to help set up the bikes ideally for each test rider, and we outfitted all of the bikes with excellent Maxxis SI tires to ensure consistent traction between all the machines. Thank you to Temecula Motorsports for making our private test day possible! The 2025 Beta RX450 and Suzuki RM-Z450 are not yet available, but we will test them when they arrive.

Presented by Pro Taper The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship wrapped up last weekend at Ironman Raceway and there was plenty of amazing action to talk about and recap; from Chase Sexton's dominant final performance, to Aaron Plessinger's gritty and popular home track performance, to Eli Tomac's awesome return to the podium in only his second outdoor of the year. Motocross of Nations news and more, all in this week's episode. Enjoy!

The Pro Motocross Championship wrapped up a four-month, 11-race tour of the country with the 2024 Ironman Motocross. A picturesque August day in Indiana saw four action-packed motos and the awarding of the 450 MX title, and after everything was over, we grabbed time with a handful of riders to talk about last gate drops of the summer. Mark Fineis 0:18Coty Schock 1:43Julien Beaumer 3:54RJ Hampshire 5:51Chance Hymas 7:11Devin Simonson 8:36Shane McElrath 10:00Malcolm Stewart 12:29Christian Craig 14:29Phil Nicoletti 16:21Chase Sexton 22:56

Michael Antonovich talks about the weekend trip to the Budds Creek Motocross, some broad thoughts on the Motocross of Nations, and what he knows about Team USA's selection process.

Presented by 6D Helmets Michael Leib has transitioned from journeyman Supercross racer to entrepreneur in less than five years. His companies - Canvas MX and Lucid Manufacturing - have found their place in motocross and in many ways, have changed how many of us think about motocross and off-road riding apparel. Leib's newest venture - SMX Jerseys - has begun to fill a void and create a new niche for race fans, by producing replica racing hero jerseys that are available on an on-demand basis. Wearing your own motocross jersey to a Supercross is dorky, but what if you could wear an Aaron Plessinger #7 Thor jersey? That's one no different than wearing a Jordan jersey to a Bulls game, right? We sat down with Leib to get the scoop on SMX Jerseys, only a few weeks after ordering our own David Bailey replica JT Racing jersey off Instagram!

Presented by Pro Taper Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland, has hosted some truly memorable races through the years. The mention of the legendary racetrack always sparks a memory for motocross race fans of all ages and generations. Last weekend's racing at the championship's penultimate round certainly produced some new memorable moments, from Haiden Deegan's dominant first moto championship-clinching performance to Chase Sexton's amazing passing en route to the final 450 moto win. We recap all that, plus a lot more!

The Pro Motocross Championship continued its summer-long run with round ten, the 2024 Budds Creek Motocross. A warm day in Maryland saw rain and heat, close racing in both classes, multiple passes, and a title presentation, all of which riders detailed for us after the checkered flag. Julien Beaumer 0:18Haiden Deegan 1:53Shane McElrath 4:10Fredrik Noren 6:10Broc Tickle 7:47Aaron Plessinger 11:47

Michael Antonovich talks about the weekend trip to the Unadilla Motocross, past trips to New York, a first-time ride on local county-maintained bike trails, and why Eli Tomac racing WSX is a good thing for race fans everywhere.

Torrential downpours on Friday, excellent track prep, and a refreshed field of riders made the 2024 Unadilla Motocross one of the summer's best races! Chase Curtis, Alex Ray, and Michael Antonovich recap what we saw and heard at round nine of the Pro Motocross Championship on this episode of the Kickstart Podcast.

The excitement of the Pro Motocross Championship picked up where it left off with countless battles over four thrilling races at the 2024 Unadilla Motocross. We talked about round nine with Chase Sexton, Levi Kitchen, Jalek Swoll, Max Anstie, Cooper Webb, Shane McElrath, Phil Nicoletti, Fredrik Noren, Grant Harlan, and Dylan Ferrandis. Max Anstie | 0:18 Jalek Swoll | 4:18 Levi Kitchen | 6:40 Cooper Webb | 9:13 Shane McElrath | 11:13 Phil Nicoletti | 15:25 Fredrik Noren | 18:34 Grant Harlan | 22:25 Dylan Ferrandis | 24:40 Chase Sexton | 28:29

For this week's episode of the SML Show, guest host Ricky Johnson sits down with Jeremy McGrath to reflect on Jeremy's career, team switches, the final years of racing, and plenty more. Plugin those headphones and enjoy this special episode of Ricky Johnson and Jeremy McGrath on the Swapmoto Live Show!

Presented by 6D Helmets The other day, we randomly wondered what Travis Pastrana has been up to lately. The last time we spoke was just before the 2023/34 Nitro Cross Series finale in Las Vegas, and TP had just undergone knee replacement surgery. A quick "What's up?" text, and voila, this installment of the 6D Helmets Midweek Podcast. As always, Travis is a hoot! Enjoy!

Michael Antonovich and Alex Ray discuss what the took away from watching a week of action at the Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's and the looming push to end this year's Pro Motocross Championship.

Michael Antonovich talks about why he ended up driving home from Washougal, rolling through the Black Hills and stopping in Sturgis ahead of the rally, and a burning desire to camp at the Pro Motocross Championship.

Presented by 6D Helmets Mike Genova made his fortune producing products for hot tubs through his company Leisure Concepts, but his real passion lies in racing and as such, he has fielded the Motoconcepts Race Team for well over a decade. We enjoyed this opportunity to chat with Genova away from the race track and learn the story behind his career, and why he opts to invest so much into a motocross and Supercross team.

The month of July flew by! Michael Antonovich talks about what he saw and did over three weeks while traveling to the RedBud, Spring Creek, and Washougal rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship.

Presented by Pro Taper There was no race last weekend to bench race about, but this week's show was a fun time that was filled with rumors, ideas, memories, and more!

For this week's episode of the SML Show, host Donn Maeda sits down with Adam Cianciarulo to discuss his struggles with his injury late in his racing career, what's next for him, and plenty more. Plugin those headphones and enjoy Adam Cianciarulo on the Swapmoto Live Show!

Presented by Pro Taper Coming into last weekend's Washougal Pro MX National, you'd be hard-pressed to bet on anyone other than the current points leaders. But does that mean the racing is boring? We say, NO! There was plenty to watch as both Haiden Deegan and Chase Sexton raced to the 250 and 450 wins, respectfully. Today's podcast was executed under challenging conditions, as our man on the scene, Michael Antonovich, makes his way home to Illinois via rental car, after the massive IT outage that has made airline travel an absolute nightmare.

Presented by Pro Taper Last weekend's Spring Creek MX National was one for the record books as a massive crown saw four dominant performances from Chase Sexton and Levi Kitchen, a freak lightning-induced delay, a first-turn crash that wiped out many top contenders, and more!

Presented by Factory Backing Have you heard of Janky Productionz? We spotted a yellow Geo Metro on the freeway earlier this year, and it had two mini bikes strapped to the back of it, with @JankyProductionz emblazoned on the side. Days later, they showed up on our Instagram explore feed and we followed, intrigued by the father-and-son duo that planned to travel across the country in the Metro, riding in every state along the way. Hit play and meet Adam and Hunter Knudsvig, a small family who are living their best lives.

Presented by Pro Taper Without a doubt the most anticipated MX National of the year is the Red Bud MX National, held on Independence Day weekend each year in Buchanan, Michigan. This year's race lived up to the hype, and the rowdy crowd on hand was treated to a first-time win for "local boy" Chase Sexton and Honda HRC's Chance Hymas' first-career 250 National victory. As always, there was a lot to bench race about, and this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast is a good one!

Michael Antonovich shares some thoughts on what he saw and did over the weekend at the 2024 Southwick Motocross, round five of the Pro Motocross Championship.

The fifth round of this year's Pro Motocross Championship was the best yet! Close battles in both classes at the 2024 Southwick Motocross, plus X Games in California, gave our guys plenty to talk about for this episode of the Kickstart Podcast.

The summer solstice lined up with the first weekend off of the Pro Motocross Championship! Our crew is everywhere right now, with swap in Whistler for days of downhill MTB action, Chase in SoCal at the SML HQ, ARay doing the 9-5 at O'Neal, and Anton at home in Illinois, but we got together to talk about what's happening in moto before the next big push. Press play!

Presented by Pro Taper Round four of the Pro MX Nationals traveled to the East Coast and visited the legendary High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. And while the 450 class results were the same as they were are, we were treated to a special victory by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's fill-in racer Ty Masterpool. There's something special about a racer's first career win, but making this one even more memorable was that it was the Pro Circuit race team's 300th victory!

Presented by Factory Backing Bill's Pipes has a rich history in off-road racing that started in the dirt track arena with legends like Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts, then ventured into ATV racing before finally landing in the motocross and Supercross disciplines, where it rose to prominence and earned several motocross championships with riders like Doug Henry, Steve Lamson, Travis Pastrana, Damon Bradshaw, Jason Lawrence, Buddy Antunez, Mike Brown and more. With founder Bill Cervera taking a step back, his step-son Jeff Springman and Brandon Dunn took over the reins and are guiding the brand back towards the top of the sport.

Presented by Pro Taper The Thunder Valley MX National produced the same overall results, but the action in the motos varied radically from what we've seen thus far in the young series. Big congratulations to first-time moto winners Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas, as their performances were the weekend highlights in the Rockies. We recap that and a whole lot more in this week's Kickstart Podcast, presented by Pro Taper.

Presented by Pro Taper The Hangtown MX National was hands-down, one of the best motocross races we've seen in years, and definitely the best performance of Chase Sexton's career. Fortieth to First is going to be a catchphrase when it comes to the Red Bull KTM rider, no doubt! We talk about everything that we saw and learned at the second round of the great outdoors!

Presented by Pro Taper Round 18 of the Supermotocross World Championship got underway at Fox Raceway yesterday, and it looks like the Pro Motocross Nationals are in store for some amazing action! Will it be the Summer of Jettson again? Yesterday's 1-1 scores might indicate that it will be, but we saw some inspiring performances from Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence, and Aaron Plessinger that give us hope for some different winners. In the 250 class, the battles between race winner Haiden Deegan and runner-up Levi Kitchen kept us on our tiptoes as they matched each other's every move throughout the two motos. Tom Vialle, Joey Savatgy, Chance Hymas and more, kept both motos super exciting. We had a lot to talk about this morning! Enjoy a special Sunday installment of the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast, and enjoy your Memorial Day holiday!

Presented by Pro Taper The gate drops on the start of the 2024 Pro Motocross Nationals this weekend at Fox Raceway and we are amped! We got to see some pre-series racing last week at the Glen Helen Stopwatch Nationals, and it got us all fired up for this summer. It's gonna be so good! Who you got?

On this installment of the Factory Backing Midweek Podcast, we sit down with Geoff Patterson, who founded Leatt Brace USA decades ago and was essentially one of the partners who put the neck brace on the map. Since then, he's created an alcohol brand, an airline sleeping aid, and most recently, the Hitch Hotel. If you've attended a West Coast Supercross in the past two years, you've probably seen the Hitch Hotel on display with the Motoconcepts Honda team. Geoff is an interesting guy and a good friend; we think you'll enjoy this conversation!

Presented by Pro Taper The 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Championship came to a close last weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, and even though all three championships were settled in a relatively anti-climatic fashion, there was still plenty to talk about in this week's Kickstart Podcast!

Presented by OGIO Powersports and Yamaha For this week's episode of the SML Show, host Donn Maeda sits down with Tony Alessi to discuss the evolution of MotoConcepts Racing, rule changes in Supercross, and plenty more. Plugin those headphones and enjoy this week's episode of the Swapmoto Live Show with Tony!

Presented by Pro Taper The Denver Supercross was - all in all - probably one of the least-exciting races of the year as Jo Shimoda and Jett Lawrence won the 250 and 450 main events, respectively, with no trouble at all. What Denver did do, however, is set us up for one hell of a series finale in Salt Lake City next weekend!

For this week's episode of the SML Show, host Donn Maeda sits down with skateboarding legend Steve Caballero to discuss his passion for motocross, hobbies outside of skating, and plenty more. Plugin those headphones and enjoy this week's episode of the Swapmoto Live Show with Steve!

Presented by Factory Backing Bob Morales has been a fixture in two-wheeled sports for decades, first making moves in BMX by helping pioneer a new discipline in the sport, then launching several brands within the industry. Now in the motocross industry, Morales owns ASV Inventions, a manufacturer of unbreakable folding levers, quick-adjust clutch perches, bike stands, and more! We invited Bob to visit us at the SML HQ to take a trip down memory lane and share some insight about the sport, the state of the industry, creating and developing new products, and more!