Swapmoto Live Podcast

Presented by Pro Taper The Houston Supercross was a wild one! The start of the Eastern Regional 250 Supercross Championship, the debut of several rookie pros, and. the classic Tomac vs. Sexton showdown. This week's podcast was a good time, so grab a snack and hit play!

Presented by Pro Taper Anaheim Two marked the first Triple Crown Supercross of the year and it was a wild event that was full of thrills and spills. The track proved to be quite technical and it provided some great racing that produced two different winners than we've seen thus far in 2023. The results columns provide a lot of information, but in today's show we talk about a lot of stuff that you won't see in the results.

Presented by Yoshimura R&D Sean Brennen, Senior PR Manager at Feld Motorsports, stopped by the SML office during the downtime between the San Diego and Anaheim Two rounds of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship. The launch of the SuperMotocross Championship has led to a number of new initiatives within the company, which includes the hiring of New York communications firm DKC, outreach to non-endemic media, and getting the word out about the two rescheduled rounds.

Presented by Pro Taper Round three of the Monster Energy Supercross Series is in the books, and man what a great time we had at the first SX inside the new Snapdragon Stadium! We had plenty to bench race about in this week's Kickstart Podcast as ARay made his first main of the year, and much, much, more!

Presented by Pro Taper The second round of the Monster Energy Supercross Series in Oakland, California, was postponed until February 18 due to heavy rains in Northern California, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't plenty to talk about in today's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast. To start the show off, Carson Mumford called in and told us all about his fill-in ride with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, and the steps he took to secure the opportunity. We also cover the ins and outs of the postponed race, the Arenacross many privateers raced instead, and much more!

The postponement of the 2023 Oakland Supercross is a milestone moment, as no race in the history of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship had been moved from its date due to weather. Heavy, persistent rains have soaked California's Bay Area for nearly three weeks, and with another few inches set to hit the RingCentral Coliseum this weekend, officials decided it was best to run the race to February 18th. We spoke with Mike Muye, Senior Director of Operations for the series, about the efforts by Feld Motorsports and Dirt Wurx to build the track, working with the stadium to find a replacement date, and what comes next for the series.

Presented by Pro Taper It's raining again in Southern California, so Alex Ray used a dry Monday to get in one last day of practice at the Yamaha Supercross track before the skies opened up again. That said, the Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast is a Tuesday edition today! Hear all of the things we saw and learned at Anaheim One...which was the best race of the year!

Presented by Pro Taper Can you believe that Anaheim One is already this weekend? The off-season has flown by and we can't wait for the first gate drops of the new season! Today's show was chock-full of interesting stuff, predictions, contests, and more. Thanks for listening!

Presented by Pro Taper It's hard to believe that Christmas is this weekend! Our week thus far has been jam-packed with activities - including the 2023 250 Shootout - and that is why the Kickstart Podcast is coming to you this week on a Wednesday. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

It's been about a year since I first talked with Adam Bailey about the FIM World Supercross Championship. In the 357 days since, he helped the series launch and run through a pilot tour, moved his family up the coast of Australia, and got promoted to CEO of SX Global. The twelve months of work and travel gave Bailey a glimpse into the next part of his motocross career. He knows that directing WSX's plans for the sport will be an ambitious effort, one that'll rely on everything he learned from Australia's small but mighty motocross industry and will take a few years to see through. But he's ready for it all, motivated by the teams involved and feedback from fans that were in Cardiff and Melbourne.

Presented by Bell Helmets Colt Nichols has been putting in tons of work aboard his new Honda HRC CRF450R since signing with the team a couple of months ago, and according to those who have seen him in action, the former 250 Supercross Champion is looking quite comfortable aboard his new red dragon. Nichols has always been a personable, easily approachable personality in the pits, so we thought he'd be a great candidate for the inaugural House of Bell Podcast, presented by Bell Helmets. Listen in for some candid information and news from the Oklahoma native.

Presented by Yoshimura Racing Brandon Hartranft's world was turned upside down a few short weeks ago by a freak crash at the Supercross track that left him with a long list of injuries, including several fractures in his back, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a severe concussion, a dislocated hip, and a broken scapula. The HEP Suzuki racer was in the early laps of a training moto at the team's private testing facility in Northern California when his engine locked up and send him into the ground. Hartranft underwent a lengthy surgery to repair the damage to his body and was eventually transported by private jet to the Casa Colina rehab facility in Pomona, California. While Hartranft's prognosis is very promising, he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. He and his new wife plan to return to his home state of New Jersey once he is released from the rehabilitation facility, and whether or not he returns to racing someday remains to be seen. "For now, I am just so thankful that I have a second chance at life," he told us. We caught up with Brandon on the phone for this installment of the Yoshimura Midweek Podcast, and were amazed at how upbeat and positive he is...he even had the energy to tell us some funny golf stories! Road to Recovery has established a fund to help Hartranft, and we encourage you to contribute if you are in a position to.

Presented by Pro Taper It's been dumping here in Southern California for a couple of days now and that means no riding! That doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of bench racing to be done, though, and this week we cover the Honda HRC team intro, Justin Cooper on a 450, AC's elbow, ugly riding kits, and more!

Presented by Pro Taper For an off-season week, we sure have been slammed here in SoCal. This week's Kickstart Podcast is a few days late because of all of the activities going on in our neighborhood. From a top-secret press conference to Red Bull KTM and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna inviting us out to their private test tracks, to suspension testing with Alex Ray on his new 2023 Yamaha YZ450F; our week has been jam-packed already! Add on top of all that the news about Ken Roczen and the HEP Suzuki team, and we have a recipe for a great KSP by Pro Taper!

The AMA has posted a Competition Bulletin highlighting changes to the rulebook for the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, which has clarification for on-track procedures and penalties, adjustments to the National number system, and how riders will advance through the 250 Class.

It's been a busy week for Zach Osborne. On Monday, he and wife Brittany welcomed their third child to the family. Then, on Thursday, he announced a return to professional racing with the AM-Pro Yamaha team, a two-year agreement that will put him on the starting line at GNCC and Sprint Enduro events on the East Coast. Everything about off-road appeals Osborne: strategy, physical fitness, and bike time hit at his competitive side and will be put to the test by the hours-long races, while the easygoing atmosphere that comes from everyone hanging out together at the campground is something his wife and kids can enjoy.

Presented by Pro Taper Sometimes when there is no racing to talk about it is hard to fill the Kickstart Podcast with conversation, but so much has been going on in our sport lately that we had an absolute blast on the show today. Between Ken Roczen rumors, our SML 450 Shootout, ARay's new 2023 Yamaha YZ450Fs, and much, much more; we had a heck of a great time flapping our lips. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper Sometimes when there is no racing to talk about it is hard to fill the Kickstart Podcast with conversation, but so much has been going on in our sport lately that we had an absolute blast on the show today. Between Ken Roczen rumors, our SML 450 Shootout, ARays new 2023 Yamaha YZ450Fs, and much, much more; we had a heck of a great time flapping our lips. Enjoy!

We've been logging hours and hours on all of the 2023 450cc motocross bikes since they first started showing up at our offices, and yesterday we converged on Cahuilla Creek MX with support from all of the manufacturers to give all the bikes one last head-to-head comparison. Afterward, we gathered at Blackmore Ranch to shoot the shit about the 2023 Gas Gas MC 450, Honda CRF450R, Husqvarna FC 450, Kawasaki KX450, KTM 350 SX-F, KTM 450 SX-F, and Yamaha YZ450F. Enjoy!

Eric Perronard is one of my favorite people in the industry. A part of the pit area for longer than I've been alive, the well-connected Frenchman stays busy with roles like a global advisor for Fox Racing, competition director at Red Bull's Imagination and Straight Rhythm events, and rider coordinator for the Paris Supercross. Last weekend's race at the LaDefense Arena was Eric's thirty-fifth, and with Xavier Audouard, they put together a championship-caliber lineup that drew two nights of massive crowds and worldwide attention. We grabbed some time with Eric on Sunday afternoon and talked about everything from the essence of the race and its place in European motocross to the next step for electric motorcycles and what he sees from his place in the sport.

Presented by Pro Taper The biggest off-season Supercross of the year went down last weekend in Paris, France, and one-half of our staff was there to participate and document it, firsthand! Some surprises for sure, and lots learned in the City of Love, and we recap it all in this week's Kickstart Podcast!

Presented by Pro Taper Last weekend was a sad one for the motocross community, as the sudden passing of Coy Gibbs has left the industry stunned. JGRMX changed the face of motocross and Supercross racing with Gibbs' all-in approach to racing and running a team, and we reminisce about some of our best memories with Coy. The Dubya USA World Vets also went down, and two of our guys are headed to France this weekend for the Paris Supercross. Thanks for listening!

Presented by Pro Taper What a peaceful weekend! With no professional racing on our calendars last weekend, the SML staff got to enjoy time with friends and family. That said, we bounced around between a bunch of different subjects on today's Kickstart Podcast; from where is Roczen going, to Friese-gate, to big dudes almost killing others at LACR last weekend! Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper The inaugural WSX World Championship wrapped up in Melbourne, Australia, last weekend, and our man on the scene Michael Antonovich and last-minute racer Alex Ray were there to give today's KSP a first=hand insight into the eventful race. From Ken Roczen and Shane McElrath wrapping up the titles, to the spectacular crashes, to the rumored take-out bounties, we cover it all!

The Red Bull Straight Rhythm returned after a two-year hiatus and landed smack-dab in the middle of Huntington Beach, California, and we were there for all of the action on the pit lane side of the course. We even fielded Nico Izzi on our 2023 Yamaha YZ250 test bike! Listen in as swap, Chase, Anton, and ARay recap the event and preview this weekend's World Supercross Championship in Australia!

Presented by Yoshimura It's been a few months since the SML crew flew to Barcelona, Spain, to throw our legs over the Stark Varg electric motocross bike, and it's right about now - October 2022 - that we were told that the first machines would begin rolling off the production line and into consumers' garages. It's been relatively quiet on the Stark market (pun intended), but a video released by the factory last week announced a delay in production bike delivery due to unforeseen supply chain issues. That said, we contacted Anton Wass and Benjamin Cobb to catch up, see what was new with the brand, and ultimately find out when we and the rest of our anxious brethren in the Stark Varg owners group could expect to rip some silent motos!

The WSX World Championship kicked off last weekend in Cardiff, Wales, and it proved to be quite a show with great racing, a new format, and breaking news. Our man Michael Antonovich was on hand to cover all the action and we go over all of it in. this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast!

The first time I met Adam LaRoche and Jason Baker was minutes before we recorded these interviews. What little I knew about both, Baker for his years of work with Dream Traxx and Moto Sandbox, LaRoche for his purposeful end to a twelve-year career in Major League Baseball, turned out to be the big reasons behind Red Bull Imagination. LaRoche's interest in motocross expanded when he retired from baseball, and after some research on private tracks, he messaged Baker to build one on the family's Kansas spread. One thing led to another, like the cornfield track for Ryan Dungey's Red Bull video, and soon Baker talked Tyler Bereman into visiting the site for his own project.

Presented by Pro Taper We are only a few days away from the first gate drop on the World Supercross Championship Series, which gets underway in Cardiff, Wales, this Saturday! We've seen several of the players in action recently, and we go over who we've seen and what we think. There's also some big news in the works, and we touch on all of that and more, on this week's Kickstart Podcast, presented by Pro Taper!

Presented by Pro Taper What an amazing weekend it was at the 2022 Motocross of Nations at Red Bud Track N Trail! Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you know that Team USA earned the Chamberlain Trophy for the first time in 11 years with a dominant showing by Eli Tomac, Chase Sexton, and Justin Cooper. Michael Antonovich was there tp soak it all in and we all had plenty to bench race about today!

Negotiations for a new contract between Ken Roczen and Team Honda HRC reached a critical point last week, as the rider's commitment to the World Supercross Championship forced both parties to comment publicly about the stalemate. Roczen shared his side with James Stewart in the latest episode of the Bubba's World Podcast, and Team Honda HRC countered through a press release statement from Brandon Wilson, the Manager of Sports & Experiential at American Honda.

Presented by Pro Taper swap is back in town after his little Italian vacation and it was business as usual today. Anton was at the Red Bull Imagination last weekend and fills us in on that, and we discuss the Ken Roczen and Honda HRC split in detail. Its a great off-season already!

The offseason has already given our guys plenty to talk about. With swap away on a family holiday, Anton, Chase, and ARay linked up to discuss the happenings of the past week, including the mechanical issue Ken Roczen's bike had on day one of SX prep, McGnarl's flipping the tabletop at Perris, surgery in the Rocky Mountains, and what's new with Alex.

Tyler Bereman had just unloaded his latest haul from Walmart into the barn at Adam LaRoche's home when we called. The building, complete with a bunkhouse, kitchen, full-size indoor basketball court, and baseball batting cage, is home base for Red Bull Imagination. And that supply run might have been the last time he goes anywhere other than the barn or the event site, located on a different part of LaRoche's property, in the next week. Being a namesake and a creative force behind an event comes with responsibilities. For Bereman, it means welcoming the nine riders on the entry list, revealing the all-natural course Jason Baker of DreamTraxx carved into the Kansas hillside, and competing during Saturday's final. But no role is more important than that of the guinea pig. TB knows how difficult it is to size up hundred-foot-plus hits and doesn't feel right asking others to jump something he hasn't. The sense of purpose helped Bereman overcome his most recent injury, a compound fracture of the ulna and radius in his right arm, just in time for Imagination. Red Bull Imagination will stream as a one-hour special on ESPN+ in the U.S. on September 25 and later through Red Bull's content channels.

Presented by Pro Taper Man what a weekend! The Fox Raceway Two National MX series finale was scorching hot and full of great racing on the track. We had a full house in the SML offices today as Michael Antonovich is still in SoCal and ARay is back from his courting sessions in Kentucky. Eli, Chase, Jo, Hunter, Jett...we covered it all in this week's extra-long edition of the Kickstart Pod. Enjoy!

Presented by Yoshimura Properly fueling your body for the rigors of motocross riding and racing is just as important as the gasoline that you put into your motorcycle, and there are plenty of misconceptions about what to eat and drink on race day. In part one of a three-part Swapmoto Podcast Series, we sit down with Brian Frank and Victor Sheldon from Hammer Nutrition to learn about the company, its philosophy, and what you should and shouldn't fuel your body with. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper The penultimate round of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals went off last weekend at Ironman Raceway and can you believe that we are headed into Fox Raceway Two with the same one-point spread between Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton? Anything can happen this weekend, for sure, but let's get into what we saw in Indiana!

What happened with the "official results" from Budds Creek? What happened between Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Barcia? Why did Justin Cooper get the nod for Team USA? Is Ryan Dungey coming back in 2023? Who is Justin Rodbell finishing the season out for? Which K Brand will HEP be on next year? Who will Kenny ride World SX for? All this, and more, is addressed in today's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast!

Presented by Pro Taper Last weekend's Unadilla MX National was a barn burner with tons of great racing, as we saw Chase Sexton retake the series points lead from Eli Tomac with a solid 1-1 victory in the 450 class, and Jo Shimoda earned his second 250 National win in grand style. Justin Cooper also proved that he is determined to earn the 250 spot on Team USA for the Motocross of Nations with his return to form, and we discuss the pros and cons of each cantidate.

After decades of working separately, and even competitively against each other, Feld Entertainment and MX Sports have come together to form the SuperMotocross World Championship. The series, set to launch at the end of 2023, will seed the top finishers from the 250 and 450 Classes at Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross into a three-race series and crown two overall champions at the LA Coliseum in October. But the added hybrid races are just part of the program, which includes a 10-million dollar yearly purse made possible by a newly renegotiated television package, improved communication between the two series and the motorcycle manufacturers, and a clear pathway from amateur levels to professional competition. Dave Prater of Feld Entertainment and Carrie Coombs-Russell of MX Sports joined me for a conference call to discuss why and how SMX came to be shortly after the news was released, a 30-minute conversation that cleared up current misconceptions. Expect full details for the 2023 race season, including the schedules for Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SuperMotocross, to drop in October.

Presented by Pro Taper Welcome to the special Wednesday edition of the Kickstart Podcast presented by Pro Taper. Some scheduling conflicts have the four of us gathering later in the week than normal, but the conversation was as fun as ever as we recap Antons trip to Loretta Lynn's last week, plus much, much more!

Presented by Pro Taper One weekend down, one to go. The summer break in the Lucas Oil MX Nationals sure feels good, and we took full advantage of the weekend off. Chase Curtis was given the day off today as he turned 23, so Dominic Gaytan sat in on today's Kickstart Podcast. Enjoy!

As we come to the final stretch of races in the 2022 season, riders, federations, and fans around the world have started to prepare for the trip to RedBud for the Motocross of Nations. This year's running of the international event is shaping up to be one of the best in recent history, as there are several teams with legitimate chances at winning the Chamberlain Trophy and a list of racers eager for an opportunity to represent their country. We'll go over some of the confirmed teams, speculated lineups, and details in this SML News Break, presented by FLY Racing.

Presented by Pro Taper Life is back to normal this week as swap is back from vacation and joins Anton, Chase, and ARay in the SML loft to recap the Washougal MX National, Whistler Bike Park, big injuries, and racers who are back from a stint in jail!

Presented by Monster Energy In this episode of the King and I Podcast with Jeremy McGrath, we venture back into the King's hallway of memories and dig up some really cool memorabilia, including a real Ricky Johnson Bell Moto 4 helmet, a couple of custom RS Taichi leather jackets, and more. Even if you're not old enough to remember the glory days of Jeremy McGrath dominating our sport, you want to tune in to learn about the man who helped make Supercross so great today!

Presented by Pro Taper Spring Creek MX, one of the most favored stops on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross schedule, hosted round seven of the series last weekend and saw some amazing battles and rides from numerous racers. On today's Kicktart Podcast presented by Pro Taper we chat about the well-liked track, incredible battles, the possible Motocross des Nations team, and more. Click play for a really fun podcast

Max Anstie found himself in a tough spot a few months ago. Supercross was a bit of a mess for the likable Brit, as crashes and injuries forced him to miss multiple rounds, but all of that seemed insignificant when BBMX released much of their staff, including Anstie, mid-season. Getting hired as fill-in for a factory team became the immediate goal for Anstie, though that too proved to be a challenge, as former co-workers Joey Savatgy and Shane McElrath were going after the same gigs Monster Energy Kawasaki and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Thankfully, things turned positive after Anstie talked to Martin Davalos, and soon the two charted a plan to join the Fire Power Honda team, line up for select rounds of Pro Motocross, and then commit to being a 250 Class rider in 2023. Anstie is one of the best interviews in the pits, and for an hour, he eloquently explained what it's like to join a new team, where the idea to drop to the small-bore bike class came from, and why most pros don't have a motorcycle of their own.

The traditionally roughest track of the year - MX 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts - hosted the Lucas Oil MX Nationals last weekend and we saw some amazing rides from numerous racers. On today's Kicktart Podcast presented by Pro Taper we chat about the sand, the cross-jumps, the yelling, and more. Click play for a really fun podcast.

Presented by Pro Taper Red Bud. What more do we have to say? Anton and ARay were on hand in Buchanan, Michigan, for the renown Independence Day weekend event, and they shared what they saw and heard on today's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast!

Presented by Pro Taper swap and ARay just got back into the country after traveling to the other side of the world last weekend to race the Singapore MX Beach Race on Sentosa Island with the locals. We catch Chase and Anton up on all the wild happenings in Asia, then dive into what we've heard about the World SX Championship, and more!