The 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicks off in the United States this weekend with the Fox Raceway National in Pala, California.
It’s a fresh start to a new chapter in 2021 and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team-mates Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin are up for the challenge as they prepare to contend the 450cc title chase, with ambitious plans to take away 450cc title from Husqvarna’s 2020 champion Zach Osborne, while fending off the threats of former champions such as Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac (the outdoors champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019) and Honda’s Ken Roczen (champion in 2016).
Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo could also be a threat and questions about other, such as Chase Sexton, Aaron Plessinger or Justin Barcia, for example, will only be answered when the bike engines are shut off at the end of this weekend.
Can Sexton start off strong in his 450cc debut? Can Plessinger continue his momentum from the supercross nationals? Can Barcia do with his Gas Gas what he did at the start of his 2021 supercross campaign and be the leading man?
Webb and Musquin will be joined under the KTM awning by rookie Maximus Vohland, who is set to make his professional motocross debut in the 250MX division on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).
Coming off a stellar conclusion to the AMA Supercross Championship, recently crowned two-time 450SX Champion Webb will dive into his first full season outdoors since 2019, due to a back injury that kept him sidelined him for most of the 2020 summer.
Musquin too has proven that he has what it takes to contest the premier class championship and the 2020 fourth-place finisher is in a good position to carry it out this season.
Coming off a strong 1-2 punch at the final two rounds of the supercross nationals, Musquin will look to carry that momentum to the outdoors.
Rookie Vohland will return to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing line-up, debuting in the AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship.
The 18-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie supercross season before an injury sidelined him for the latter part of the series and now with an adequate amount of recovery time, Vohland is ready to race into the summer.
The 12-round series continues through the summer, concluding on Saturday, September 11 with the iconic Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California.
Photo courtesy KTM USA
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here
2021 AMA Motocross Championship schedule:
- ROUND 1 – Saturday, May 29
Fox Raceway I | Pala, CA | Fox Raceway at Pala - ROUND 2 – Saturday, June 5
Thunder Valley | Lakewood, CO | Thunder Valley Motocross Park - ROUND 3 – Saturday, June 19
High Point | Mt. Morris, PA | High Point Raceway - ROUND 4 – Saturday, July 3
RedBud | Buchanan, MI | Redbud MX - ROUND 5 – Saturday, July 10
Southwick | Southwick, MA | The Wick 338 - ROUND 6 – Saturday, July 17
Spring Creek | Millville, MN | Spring Creek MX Park - ROUND 7 – Saturday, July 24
Washougal | Washougal, WA | Washougal MX Park - ROUND 8 – Saturday, August 14
Unadilla | New Berlin, NY | Unadilla MX - ROUND 9 – Saturday, August 21
Budds Creek | Mechanicsville, MA | Budds Creek Motocross Park - ROUND 10 – Saturday, August 28
Ironman | Crawfordsville, IN | Ironman Raceway - ROUND 11 – Saturday, September 4
Fox Raceway II | Pala, CA | Fox Raceway at Pala - ROUND 12 – Saturday, September 11
Hangtown | Rancho Cordova, CA | Prairie City SVRA