The Racer X Podcast Network

Mickey Thompson was the racer of racers, a master driver, fabricator, and promoter with deep roots in every imaginable discipline. It's his innovation on the dirt side that crossed Mickey into the supercross world, first as the founder of short-course off-road racing for trucks and buggies, and later with stadium off-road racing. Mickey eventually gained control of all the races inside Anaheim Sta...

Second-generation stars have hit the big time: Aaron Plessinger, son of multi-time Grand National Cross Country Champion Scott Plessinger, swept both 250 championships this year, and Kailub Russell, son of National Enduro Champion Jeff Russell, is running toward six straight championships in today's GNCC racing. Kailub and Aaron have never actually raced each other, but they were at the same track...

Post-race interviews from the Ironman National: 250 Class Aaron Plessinger, RJ Hampshire, and Chase Sexton 450 Class (11:57) Justin Barcia, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin 450 Class Championship Press Conference (24:19) Eli Tomac

Many greats have ridden for Team USA at the Motocross of Nations, but Jeff Stanton's name goes a little higher in the ranks than most. For three years, from 1989 to 1991, Stanton did hero work for the team, including two years where he singlehandedly kept the American win streak alive with dramatic last-minute charges. He's contributing to this year's RedBud edition of the MXoN in a new way, organ...

Post-race interviews from the Budds Creek National: 250 Class Aaron Plessinger, Chase Sexton, and RJ Hampshire 450 Class (09:53) Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin

Post-race interviews from the Unadilla National: 250 Class Dylan Ferrandis, Aaron Plessinger, and Mitchell Harrison 450 Class (13:30) Marvin Musquin, Eli Tomac, and Phil Nicoletti

When Broc Tickle was provisionally suspended by the FIM for a failed anti-doping test under the WADA code, it rekindled all the complex conversations about drug testing in this sport. Fallout and finger-pointing came quickly, and even though many fans and industry sponsors pledged support for Tickle, he's still suspended for an indefinite matter of time, and he still lost his ride with Red Bull KT...

Each yeah at Loretta Lynn's, Jason Weigandt hosts a Kawasaki and THOR/Parts Unlimited panel session where pro riders take questions from amateur riders and parents. This year's panel featured Jeremy McGrath, Adam Cianciarulo, and Garrett Marchbanks—three riders representing three generations representing three different ways to enter the sport. McGrath's plan was totally unique, as he didn't even...

Post-race interviews from the Washougal National: 250 Class Aaron Plessinger, Alex Martin, Justin Cooper, and Joey Savatgy 450 Class (09:17) Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin, and Ken Roczen

You can get a one-week window into the world of amateur motocross racing via the annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Amateur Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch. That's what Jason Weigandt does, having announced the race for the last 13 years alongside DMXS Radio's Kevin Kelly. Kelly, though, also announces about a dozen other big amateur events each year. Want to know who to watch at Loretta's?...

The truth is, we could barely keep Racer X Online afloat last week, as co-bossman Chase Stallo was gone all week working for ESPN's X Games. Jason Weigandt did his best to keep the creative juices flowing on his own, but by this week, both men were spent. So they did what they usually do: picked up the phone to try to figure some stuff out. The only difference is that they recorded that conversati...

Post-race interviews from the Spring Creek National: 250 Class Aaron Plessinger, Alex Martin, and Justin Cooper 450 Class (06:56) Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Marvin Musquin

The last month has witnessed a flood of new-bike press releases from the major manufacturers—so much so that it might be hard to remember what's new. Which 2019s have really advanced and which ones are sporting "revised settings" to go along with "bold new graphics?" Jason Weigandt chats up David Pingree to find out, and further, they start talking about key topics such as all-new bikes versus ref...

In the early 1980s, a trio of motorcycle racing promoters from Ohio and West Virginia were looking for a facility. A country music legend needed to fill a campground. A sanctioning body wanted more members and a marquee event. And amateur motocross racers wanted a true and fair national championship. In this special edition of the Racer X Podcast, Brett Smith of @wewentfast takes us on a documenta...

We all know Justin Brayton didn't do it like others did. Brayton wasn't an amateur star, and as a teenager he had zero thoughts about actually making a living in the sport. He just loved dirt bikes, and he loved doing the work, so he kept improving, and it all worked out. But while we all know that about Brayton, do we actually know what his bizarre path really looked like? In this episode of the...

Post-race interviews from the RedBud National: 450 Class Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin and Justin Barcia 250 Class (12:08) Dylan Ferrandis, Alex Martin and Shane McElrath

Post-race interviews from the Southwick National: 250 Class Dylan Ferrandis, Alex Martin and Shane McElrath 450 Class (07:52) Marvin Musquin, Eli Tomac and Justin Barcia

Justin Barcia has lived in the spotlight since his minicycle days and is actually one of the first top pros to grow up riding full-time at a training facility. All of the ingredients were there for Barcia to win big—until his results took a dive, his confidence went south, and he found himself contemplating retirement ... and actually being okay with that. In this podcast, Barcia explains it all,...

Post-race interviews from the Muddy Creek National: 250 Class Shane McElrath, Dylan Ferrandis and Chase Sexton 450 Class  (13:28) Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia and Marvin Musquin

It really makes no sense at all. Travis Pastrana, as a pro rookie, won the 2000 125 National Motocross Championship. A year later, he had already won his last professional race. During a tumultuous 2001 125 season, Pastrana, Grant Langston, and Mike Brown slammed each other on and off the track (weekly!) and battled through injuries, bike problems, and more. That season is most remembered as the o...

Post-race interviews from the High Point National: 450 Class Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin and Justin Barcia 250 Class (13:45) Aaron Plessinger, Austin Forkner and Justin Cooper

Justin Bogle deals with the same ups and downs as others—but it's the way he expresses himself that sticks out. Bogle is articulate and thoughtful to a degree beyond many of his peers, and perhaps that's why he works on a budding rap music career way off to the side and forges deep relationships with those who have been down in the same racing trenches. In this episode of the Racer X Exhaust Podca...

There was a time when Cole Seely didn't want to race anymore—and we're not talking about his February crash, which resulted in a broken pelvis and sacrum and a damaged abdominal wall. He did consider calling it a career for a moment then, but he's since regained his mobility and overcome pain and fear. Now he's planning to be 100 percent ready come Anaheim 1 2019. Before that, though, he actually...

Post-race interviews from the Thunder Valley National: 250 Class Alex Martin, Jeremy Martin, Justin Cooper 450 Class (12:09) Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Blake Baggett

Christian Craig has lived a life well beyond his years: the son of a top pro, his amateur recruit didn't quite work out, so left the sport to get a real job, only to return stronger than before. He's also a dad who brings his wife and son to most of the races, and there's a reason for that: Christian has battled through the mental game of racing and says his son helps keep his mind off of the pres...