Swapmoto Live Podcast

Most of you know who Evan Ferry is by now. The Florida teenager has made a name for himself through wins on the amateur motocross circuit, a booming presence on social media, and well-deserved factory support. But as much as we've seen "Little Red Dog" rip, we've only had a few one-on-one conversations with him, and always during busy times like Loretta's or the Monster Energy Cup. It's been an eventful year for Ferry. A few weeks back, he and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing mutually agreed to end their contract, a surprise development that made the rider a free agent during the qualifying process for Loretta's. In the weeks that followed, Ferry bought a YZ250F, lined up for a few local races, did a tryout with Star Racing, and then signed with the NSA Yamaha Factory AM Team. The changes provoked plenty of discussions, with conflicting reports online from "those in the know" about what happened and why. With that, we linked with Evan to talk about everything, from his earliest MX memories to the path he's currently on. To say that he is a student of the game would be an understatement. Life at the track has allowed him to watch the sport's best, study their techniques, learn the motorcycle, and see what it takes to reach the top. During the talk, Evan pointed out that the family has tried to maintain a balance of fun and work, but the feeling that comes from winning is still what drives him most.

Presented by Pro Taper Man, if nothing else, the High Point MX National delivered some barn-burning racing action! From Ryan Dungey and Ken Roczen battling over the first 450 moto win, to the Lawrence brother's nail-biting race to the checkered flag in the second 250 moto, there was no telling what was gonna happen at round four of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals! Today's show is an international production as co-host Alex Ray is in Sentosa Beach, Singapore, for Pablo Toribio's Singapore Beach Race this weekend! Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper Round three of the Lucas Oil MX Nationals headed to Thunder Valley, Colorado, last weekend and the action was ridiculous! From Levi Kitchen's first career moto win to Ken Roczen's first win of the season, to the crazy plastic barrier incident with Jason Anderson and Eli Tomac, we BSed about it all!

Presented by Fox Racing Journalists and test riders from around the world converged in Barcelona, Spain, last month to take their first rides on the Stark Future Varg electric motocross bike at Golf MX Track. Donn Maeda and Rene Garcia made the trip abroad for Swapmoto Live, and we narrowly missed our former test rider Mike Sleeter, who made the move to Australia with his family last year and is now testing for motoonline.com. We did, however, cross paths with our buddy Dylan Woodcock; the Supercross racer handling the testing duties for Dirt Hub, a UK-based media outlet. We all got together for a tri-continental test rider podcast today, and though we all vary greatly in ages, riding abilities, and locale, we all agreed on many things about the Stark Future Varg. Enjoy!

When the FIM World Supercross Championship was announced a few months ago, we quickly assumed that MotoConcepts Racing would be involved. Mike Genova, the owner of the independent team that's become a mainstay in the paddock, has always been vocal in his beliefs that following the traditional schedule of US SX and MX would only take his team and the sport so far. So we weren't surprised when MotoConcepts Racing was among the first teams awarded a highly sought-after license. MCR will field four riders between the SX1 and SX2 categories during this year's pilot season, which will take place in the final months of 2022, and is confident that their lineup will be championship contenders. According to Genova, the program presented by SX Global checks every box for MCR, including financial support for teams, appearance fees, logistical support for the international tour, and a vested stake in the future of the series. The business side of him sees plenty of positives, too, as the commercial opportunities could bring more money to the team, its partners, and his other ventures.

Presented by Pro Taper The Hangtown Classic went off last weekend and the racing in both classes was insane! Chase and Donn were on hand in NorCal working the event, and teamed up with Anton and ARay for this morning's bench-racing session. Tune in to hear what we saw and learned at Prarie City OHV Park!

Presented by Pro Taper The 2022 Lucas Oil MX Nationals kicked off in grand fashion last weekend at Fox Raceway in Southern California, and it was an all-Honda day at the series opener with Chase Sexton, Ken Roczen, and Jett and Hunter Lawrence sweeping the top spots of the podium in both classes. A lot more went down than you can learn in the results column, though, so we got together this morning to go through it all!

Presented by Pro Taper Can you believe that the Lucas Oil MX Nationals are already upon us? This weekend, the best motocross racers in the world will converge on Fox Raceway and there will be so much to keep our eyes on, that it makes our heads spin. From nine-time World Champion Antonio Cairoli making a guest appearance to the return of Ryan Dungey to Dylan Ferrandis defending his 450 National Championship from teammate Eli Tomac...it's gonna be an incredible weekend. Alex Ray and Michael Antonovich aren't in town, but we still had a great time shooting the sh*t today.

Presented by Pro Taper The Kickstart Podcast is a day late this week because our entire editorial staff was traveling yesterday: Chase and Donn to Red Bud to test the 2023 KTMs, and Anton to Boise, Idaho, for the WPS Dealer Show. ARay is back home in Tennessee playing in the World Series of Love, and we were joined on today's show by our senior test rider at SML, Pat Foster. Lots to BS about and enjoy in this week's show, even with no racing!

For this one, we talk with Alec Gaut, a hard-working member of the logistics teams that handle the on-track appearance and safety processes for Supercross and Pro Motocross. Tour life is a dream for the Kansas native, as he's been able to visit parts of the US, watch the action up close, and become friends with his co-workers and people in the pit area. But it's not the easiest gig. Gaut and the crew spend most of the year on the road, a schedule that puts them in a new city at the start of each week and requires days to get a venue ready. In addition, travel from race to race varies; flights are necessary to get to each Supercross, while Pro Motocross is a summer-long road trip in a van. As good as Gaut is at being a flagger, he's hopeful the time on the road may lead to another position in the industry, preferably something in media. He's done camera work before, both as an aspiring freelancer and as part of the Racer TV production team, and plenty of his shots from Friday's media sessions were shared by riders this SX season. The hour with Alec was fun and motivating, as he's a true fan who's found an essential role for himself in the sport when things were very uncertain. You can find him and more of his work on Instagram, @alecgaut.

Presented by Pro Taper The 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Series is done and dusted, and the series finale at Salt Lake City's Rice-Eccles Stadium was certainly a good one! There was lots to talk about concerning the final round, from the dusty press day and Yamaha LCQ Challenge Privateer Race, to the new West Coast Champ and the Malcolm Stewart/Justin Barcia drame. Click play for a good time!

Presented by Pro Taper The 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship was decided last weekend in Denver as Eli Tomac piloted his Pro Taper-equipped Yamaha YZ450F to the second SX championship of his career, but a lot of other cool stuff went down in Colorado that we cover in this week's show. Sorry if you're a new listener, but we have a few minutes of baby talk at the start, as our man on the scene, Michael Antonovich and his wife Megan, welcomed their first child into the world last Tuesday, too!

Welcome to episode five of the King and I Podcast, where we get together with the King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath, to bench race about all things old and new, as well as take some fan questions, and more! After a brief hiccup that saw us meet to film in two different places, we were glad to get together and share some laughs and memories! 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 Supercross returned to Foxborough, Massachusets, last weekend after a three-year hiatus, and the enthusiastic crowd on hand inside Gillette Stadium was treated to some truly amazing racing. We recap everything we saw and heard from the weekend, and more! Michael Antonovich called in from the delivery room while he and his wife Megan are welcoming their first child into the world!

The largest minis-only race on the West Coast is coming to State Fair MX Park on April 28-May 1, and we got CMXRS Race Director Aaron Cooke in studio to run through everything that is the Mini Major with us. If you have a mini racer and plan to attend, this is a must-listen!

Presented by Pro Taper Atlanta Motor Speedway was host to last weekend's Monster Energy Supercross and the larger field space of the outdoor speedway allowed the Dirt Wurx crew to really go big with the track. The monster triple jump was the talk of the pits during Friday's press day riding sessions. but the leap was cut down significantly when riders and team personnel protested its size and positioning on the track. Our co-host Alex Ray has a first-hand account of what the track was like, and our man on the scene Michael Antonovich was our eyes and ears at the races. Today's bench racing session was all time! Enjoy!

Over the last ten years, we've watched a change in how families have fun on two wheels, thanks partly to Stacyc. Thousands of kids have learned the basics aboard the small battery-powered bikes, while parents have gotten the chance to share their love of riding easier and safer than ever before. These are things that Ryan Ragland hoped to accomplish when he first wired an assortment of RC car parts to a bicycle frame for his son. The popularity of the electric balance bikes, plus support from parent company Harley Davidson, has allowed Stacyc to develop two new models. The bikes will be meant for bigger kids, complete with 18-inch or 20-inch wheels, plus a more robust motor and battery pack to power them, and will land at retailers in the next few weeks. We spent more than an hour with Ragland talking about the company's base, its growth, and what comes next just ahead of the launch. What was the most compelling detail about the project? That Ragland got to work with his original test rider on the new bikes.

Presented by Pro Taper The St. Louis Supercross Triple Crown of Supercross was filled with so many things to talk about - from Dean Wilson's ass-tearing crash, to RJ Hampshire's first win, the Alex-on-Alex Crime that went down between Martin and Ray...we had a great time bench racing this morning!

This episode of the Midweek Podcast is another team manager talk where Michael Antonovich spent an hour on the phone with Dustin Pipes going over the Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports/Suzuki squad of Justin Bogle, Brandon Hartranft, and Adam Enticknap. Dustin does a great job of spreading the praise to everyone involved in the team, including the crew in charge of the RM-Z's setup, the decision-makers at Suzuki who know the importance of racing, and the people who help secure sponsorship agreements from corporations like the Boston Beer Company or Progressive Insurance. He knows their efforts are what allowed HEP Motorsports to get to its current level, and if things continue at this rate, they'll be the ones who benefit the most when the team reaches its competitive goals on the track. Although some use Suzuki as a weekly punchline, Pipes pointed out that the business world does not have the same perception of the company. Instead, he says the OEM's global presence and winning history have helped draw non-industry sponsors to the team.

Presented by Monster Energy In the fourth installment of the Monster Energy King and I Podcast with Jeremy McGrath, we visit the King of Supercross at his home in Encinitas, California, and chat about everything from raising two daughters to coaching current riders, and from his dingleberry helmet to retiring without the fanfare he would have liked...plus a whole lot more! If you are a fan of Jeremy McGrath - and who isn't - this is a show you don't want to miss!

Presented by Pro Taper The Monster Energy Supercross Series returned to the West Coast this weekend and the Seattle Supercross certainly didn't disappoint! In addition to Eli Tomac earning his fifth race win in a row, we had some amazing 250-class action, too! We recap all of that, and more, on today's show!

Presented by Pro Taper Okay, unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you already know that our cohost Alex Ray got a lot of attention at the Indianapolis Supercross for his mid-heat race tussle with Deven Raper. We got Raper on the phone today to work through the mess before getting on with our regular Kickstart Podcast bench racing. Indy was amazing, with a brutal track, great racing, and plenty more. You don't want to miss this one!

For this installment of the Midweek Podcast, Michael Antonovich called Jeff Crutcher and talked about his two-week MX Spring Break in Florida, which included seat time at track's around the sunshine state, wrenching for Scotty Wennerstrom at the Daytona Supercross, and lining up for motos at A Day In The Dirt Down South. If you've seen stuff with Jeff and Anton before, you know the back-and-forth can be a bit detailed, and that's exactly how the extended chat went. For those of you looking for a scene report from the Orlando MX area, we cover that in the first few minutes. Jeff absorbed all he could during the day with the 501 privateer and outlined some of the knowledge he aims to make use of when his RR CZ KTM team goes SX racing next year in the middle of the talk. Finally, we cover the weekend of riding at Dade City MX for A Day In The Dirt Down South, an East Coast spin-off of California's Fastest Party In Town.

Presented by Pro Taper The carnage at last weekend's Detroit Supercross was unbelievable! Needless to say, we had plenty to talk about in this morning's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast, including crazy crashes, challenging track conditions, best-ever finishes, and ARay's first main event of the year! Enjoy!

Presented by Monster Energy In the third installment of The King and I Podcast, we decided to relocate to Jeremy McGrath's home in Encinitas, California. And you know what that means...a trip down memory lane in his massive garage and man cave! Getting to sit down and chat with the King of Supercross about old memories, what's going on these days. and more, is something that we will never grow tired of. So grab a cold beverage, sit back, and enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper The Daytona Supercross is regarded as the toughest and most challenging stop on the Monster Energy Supercross circuit, and last weekend's race surely did not disappoint when it came to great action and excitement. We gathered this morning to recap and bench race about everything that went down at the start of Bike Week 2022.

We spent an hour talking with Bruce Stjernstrom about the changes made by Monster Energy Kawasaki ahead of the 2022 season and the current state of the sport. A lifelong race fan who's held his executive positions in the industry, including four terms with Kawasaki, Stjernstrom's explanations and outlook leave little to misinterpret.Although Eli Tomac's departure from the green team was one of the most significant developments of the last year, the group's decision to put Jason Anderson alongside Adam Cianciarulo has yielded immediate success. To date, Anderson has claimed three Main Event wins, has outdueled the sport's best on multiple occasions, and is ranked second overall in the 450 Class championship standings.Is Stjernstrom surprised? Less by the results and more by Anderson's personality. Part of Bruce's role as Director of all racing operations at Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A is finding the right people for the job and seeing how they work together as a group, something he says Anderson has been excellent at.Another topic discussed at length was the perception that Monster Energy Kawasaki is very strict regarding bike setup. Over the last few years, we've heard repeated comments by former racers that the group prefers the KX450SR to be tuned and ridden a certain way, and this was said to be a factor in Tomac's decision. Stjernstrom says this is not exactly the case; yes, the team has lots of data to show what the motorcycle does on the track and what it's capable of, but they're still more than willing to try parts or settings if a rider is interested.Because our call came hours after announcements for the FIM World Supercross Championship, I asked Stjernstrom if the series is something Kawasaki is interested in following. In recent years, the Monster Energy Kawasaki team has turned away from international events to instead focus on the American-based series, and Stjernstrom outlined some of the reasons for their absence at things like the Motocross of Nations. Simply put, racing in America is where Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A wants its efforts to be directed, thanks to the largest off-road bike-buying market in the world and the two established series that travel the country.

Presented by Pro Taper Can you say WILD? The Arlington Triple Crown was full of great racing, takeouts, collisions, and crashes! We got together this morning to do some super-fun bench racing about everything that went down in Texas!

Presented by Monster Energy With 72 Supercross wins to his credit, Jeremy McGrath is the undeniable King of Supercross, and he has a lifetime's worth of stories, memories, and anecdotes to share with his fans. With a friendship that spans three decades, MC and swap sit down for the second installment of the King and I Podcast to do some good old-fashioned bench racing. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper The Monster Energy Supercross Championship headed east after six weeks on the West Coast, and US Bank Stadium played host to round seven and. the kickoff of the Eastern Region 250 Supercross Championship last weekend. There was a ton to talk about, so hit play and hear what we have to say!

Andrew Bocarossa is a fast 20 something and aspiring videographer from the Northeast. We were introduced to Andrew last summer at the Southwick National by mutual friend Jared Conley, the man behind In A World Of Echo, and we sat down for a Privateer Power interview that you can find on our site. What sets Andrew apart from other video guys is that all of his footage is shot on film, a medium that while expensive and time consuming, remains a favorite for creative types. His latest project, Extended Vacation, is from time spent in Southern California, a trip he made on a whim while waiting out the winter up north.Bocarossa is true to his word when he says he wants to make videos like the ones he grew up watching, as Extended Vacation's nine-minute runtime shows Darryn Durham and Patrick Evan in the hills of Reche Canyon and then transitions to a slew of fast pros like Josh Hill, Hunter Yoder, Logan Karnow, Dylan Woodcock and more at Lake Elsinore's SX track, all cut to tunes by Turbonegro and Deftones.All of the work is funded by Andrew full-time job of cleanup and reconstruction of dilapidated homes. While there is no corporate check covering the costs of film development or travel, Andrew has completely control of the look and edit. It's cool to hear a guy take on a passion project like this, with no expectations or direction, and hopefully see more from him in the coming months.

Presented by Pro Taper The Monster Energy Supercross Series has officially left SoCal and we'd be lying if we didn't admit to being a bit sad about it. It's always nice when the racing is happening in our backyards and man...things went out with a bang at the third and final Anaheim Supercross! We apologize for the one-day delay on this week's Kickstart Podcast...swap forgot to bring the audio recorder to the office yesterday and blamed a Supercross hangover! Enjoy.

Presented by Monster Energy Having the world's fastest and most accomplished landlord is pretty dang cool, and if we didn't take advantage of the days when Jeremy McGrath was in the shop, we'd be fools! Welcome to The King and I podcast, where swap gets to sit down with MC and reminisce about their three-decade friendship and bench race about everything from the good ole days, to what's going on with The King of Supercross nowadays!

Presented by Pro Taper The first Monster Energy Triple Crown went off inside State Farm Stadium last weekend in Glendale, Arizona, and there was PLENTY for us to bench race about today on the Kickstart Podcast. We have Anton in town today and it was great to have a full house. Enjoy!

Dave Prater has been part of Supercross for decades and his current role as Senior Director of Operations for Two-Wheels at Feld Entertainment means he's involved in almost every aspect of the series, from team relations and tour scheduling to television broadcasting and social media strategy.Prater's input is especially important now, as Supercross is beginning a new era. The organization has experienced its share of setbacks and successes since 2020, a chain of events that made Feld Entertainment reassess plans for future growth, improved their connection to the paddock, and gave them chance to try things with Tuesday night races. Ultimately, Feld Entertainment decided it'd be in the series' best interest to end their working agreement with the FIM and return to a 17-stop tour of venues exclusively in the United States, with races managed by the AMA and happening in the usual Saturday evening time slot.

Presented by Pro Taper Round four of the Monster Energy Supercross Series returned to Anaheim this weekend for the second of three stops at Angels Stadium, and the racing proved to be everything we have been hoping for, and more! Chase, Anton, ARay and swap recap everything that went down at Anaheim Two, and more!

Presented by Pro Taper The San Diego Supercross was a barn burner full of great racing, big crashes, retaliation takeouts, and of course, wild moves by our very own Alex Ray. With Anton in town it was a great time today with a full house for this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast!

Presented by Yoshimura R&DFor the first episode of the Midweek Podcast presented by Yoshimura R&D, we got in touch with Carey Hart to discuss his ambassadorship role with helmet technology company MIPS, how improvements in protection and equipment have been accepted by other disciplines of motorcycling, and what he sees from his place in the industry.

Presented by Pro Taper Round two of the Monster Energy Supercross Series headed to NorCal's RingCentral Coliseum, and the results in the premier division were surprising, to say the least! The track was big, rough, and claimed many competitors throughout the weekend, including our co-host Alex Ray who is still on a quest to qualify for a 450 main event. We recap the event's happenings from four different locations on today's Kickstart Podcast presented by Pro Taper.

Presented by Pro Taper Well, we made it through Hell Week. Between parties, press conferences, photo shoots, and more, the week leading up to Anaheim One is always as taxing as it is exciting. And what a race it was! The action in both classes was amazing and we don't think anyone could have predicted the things that transpired on the track inside Angel's Stadium. With Michael Antonovich in town, Alex Ray, swap, and Chase Curtis, all break down the ins and outs of the race that was A1.

Presented by Pro Taper We're less than a week away from the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship Series kickoff at Angel's Stadium in Anaheim, California, and things couldn't be more exciting as teams and riders wrap up their final preparations for the season opener. We spent the morning at State Fair SX checking out some riders in action - including our very own Alex Ray - and things are gonna be good this weekend!

Presented by Pro Taper It's the Monday after Christmas and all of us seem to be a little hungover from the holiday. Still - as usual - we had a ton to talk about as the 2022 Supercross Season is rapidly approaching. We posted a $500 main event bounty for our boy Alex Ray in order to motivate him at A1. Anyone wanna pitch in? DM us on Instagram!

Earlier this week, the FIM announced it entered a partnership with promotion group SX Global to create a new racing series, the FIM Supercross World Championship. Although SX Global is a new endeavor by Adam Bailey, Ryan Sanderson, and Tony Cochrane, the Australian group has a history of holding on Supercross races, has been involved with the FIM, and is experienced in motorsports. Bailey and Sanderson were behind the AUS-X Open in Australia and the S-X Open in New Zealand, events that boosted the sport in the Southern Hemisphere and acted as the FIM Oceania International Supercross Championship. Cochrane, meanwhile, served as the founding chairman of the V8 Supercars Championship and helped it become the premier motorsport series in Australia. We rang up Adam Bailey to learn more about the new series for this installment of the Midweek Podcast.

The countdown is on and Anaheim One is only a few days away. And you know what that means....dudes are slamming the mat! Sadly, we were on hand at State Fair MX this morning and a couple of guys went down big. Thankfully both are okay, but man it was scary for a minute there. We talk about that and a whole lot more in this week's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast. Enjoy!

On Tuesday, another OEM entered the off-road motorcycle segment, this time with an all-new electric-powered machine. STARK Future, an independent brand created by industry executives, has presented the VARG as its initial offering. The VARG is a high-performance bike that produces up to 80hp, weighs 242 pounds, offers wide adjustability to the power curve, and can run between one to six hours on a single charge.STARK Future says it made several advancements in electric-powered technology with the VARG motorcycle, including creating what they say is the most energy-dense production system in the world. The honeycomb magnesium case-structure battery produces 6kWh while weighing 32kg, roughly equating to the same power output as a 450cc bike. A complete recharge cycle can take as little as an hour, depending on the power source and charger used.Josh Hill was involved in the VARG's test and launch, so we called him to discuss the ride and his attraction to electric bikes.

Presented by Pro Taper Can you believe there are only a few weeks until the gate drops at Angel's Stadium for the first Supercross of the year? Tracks are abuzz in SoCal with riders fine-tuning their Supercross skills and bike setups, and we're lucky enough to get to see lots of them in action. We also got to test the 2022 Kawasaki KX450SR this morning, but we can't talk about it yet...haha!

If you've been following along this offseason, then you've heard about the moves made by riders and mechanics in the pit area. We cannot remember a time for mechanics as hectic as this one because, in addition to the usual moves from one rig to the next, a handful of guys have decided to leave their positions entirely.Matt Winters is one of the few that decided to call time on his wrenching career. Paired with Colt Nichols at Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha in 2021, the duo scored three Main Events wins, finished on the podium in every race, and claimed the 250 East Coast Region title, a career-first championship for both the racer and mechanic.It was a massive moment for Winters, a Maryland native who had worked for three high-profile teams. During our call, Winters went over almost everything that happened during the past decade, like his early aspirations shadowing local tuner Shane Sneft, how he became Cooper Webb's legal guardian, what it was like to build a bike from scratch at Red Bull KTM, the chassis changes he and Shane McElrath made to a Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM, and how he returned to Star Racing for a second stint.So, given all that success, what would make a guy want to stop? Matt was very forthcoming in his reasons and said that finally accomplishing a lifelong dream was one of the things that made him reconsider his priorities. Fortunately, fellow former mechanic Kristian Ortiz helped Winters get lined up with a new gig at SpaceX, with a position at the aerospace group's Florida facility.

Presented by Pro Taper It's crunch time and there are only 33 days until the Anaheim Supercross season opener! There was a lot to talk about on today's Pro Taper Kickstart Podcast, including some mysterious news with ARay's SGB Racing team that we tried to get to the bottom of. We even had a couple of callers that made things even more fun. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper We hope everyone had an amazing holiday with family and friends last week! After the Turkey was gobbled, the SML crew loaded up and headed to Glen Helen Raceway for the Red Bull Day in the Dirt Motocross Grand Prix. We've been to well over a dozen of the events, which is now in it's 24th running, and it is always fun to race, bench race afterward, and party in the pits. We chat about that and a lot more, in this week's KSP. Enjoy!

Presented by Pro Taper It's hard to believe that the holidays are already here, but alas, Thanksgiving is this Thursday and we are about to enter the crunch time portion of the off-season with Anaheim 1 only a few short weeks away. The SML staff got together a day late this week to put together the Kickstart podcast, but the mood was high, the laughs were plenty, and the info was thick. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!