The Monster Energy Supercross season ended just short of a week ago and the AMA Motocross season is still weeks away. Despite this, some major league “Silly Season” rumors regarding 2022 have already popped up. Steve Matthes of Pulp MX/Racer X and Micheal Antonovich of Swapmoto Live have both been all over these rumors as of late. Matthes dropped a couple of bombshells earlier in the week regarding a couple of former 450 champions. We will go over those as well as some other rumors that have been floated in recent weeks.
As a quick disclaimer before jumping in, the monetary value on contracts is almost never shown publicly. With that in mind, it is hard to gauge what the following riders will really make on new deals. However, contract length is usually given out when deals are announced so keep all of this in mind. Also, deals will not be officially announced by teams until around September-October.
No. 3 Eli Tomac
We start with what will be the single biggest rider move in close to a decade. According to Matthes, Tomac is reportedly set to leave Monster Energy Kawasaki and join Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha for 2022. Swapmoto Live’s Micheal Antonovich also has said in recent days that this move is “a done deal”, per sources. This comes as a major shock as Tomac, whose current contract with Kawasaki was set to end after this year, was expected to re-up with the team on a short-term deal. In his six-year tenure with Kawasaki, Tomac has three Motocross titles, 22 Overall Motocross wins, a Supercross Title, and 33 Supercross Main Event wins. One of the most dominant runs in the history of the sport, and one that he should be proud of.
Now as it pertains to Star Yamaha team. To turn around arguably the worst 450 program over the last decade in short time was impressive enough. Now to add maybe the best rider in the paddock to ride an all-new YZ-450 for next year could create the perfect storm. This was the first Supercross season since 2012 that Yamaha had multiple riders finish top ten in points in the 450s. Antonovich also pointed out in a recent video that Ricky Gilmore, who works with Star Yamaha through suspension company KYB, was a notable factor in this move. Gilmore had worked with Tomac in his early 450 days when he was with GEICO Honda.
As far as a contract is concerned, it would be hard to believe Tomac will not be making anything less than top-of-the-market money. And a likely two- or three-year pact could very well take the Colorado native to the end of his storied career.
No. 7 Aaron Plessinger
With Tomac likely moving to Yamaha, Plessinger is now slated to hit the open market. Several weeks ago, Plessinger was said to have received some interest from Red Bull KTM by Matthes. Now it appears that KTM will become a three-bike operation for next year with Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin, and Plessinger. This is a shock from the standpoint that Plessinger looked tremendous this year so far on the YZ-450. But it is no secret that KTM has been the class of the field for close to a decade now. He would reunite with former 250 teammate Webb, and secure KTM’s core 450 program for the foreseeable future.
This is also the second time in three years that Roger DeCoster and Ian Harrison have gone to the Star Yamaha 250 pipeline. The results with Webb speak for themselves, but he did not have a good final year with Yamaha. Plessinger, as stated, looked great in Supercross and finished fifth in points. Hopefully, that translates to outdoors. The argument is that he will be just as good – if not better – for the orange brand. With Plessinger having the ability to increase his market value in Motocross, a three-year deal would not seem out of the question.
No. 21 Jason Anderson
Anderson, the man who has been the flag bearer for Husqvarna since 2015, could likely be on his way out. On the May 3 Pulp MX show, Matthes stated that Anderson to Star Yamaha seemed likely. However, that seemed to take a turn with his Tomac news all of 24 hours Unless Yamaha plans to break the bank for both he and Tomac, Anderson will likely land elsewhere. Option one would be Monster Energy Kawasaki. With Tomac’s departure and the lack of a 450 ready 250 Kawasaki rider, this would be a logical fit. Anderson could likely come in for two to three years and be a title contender year-round. Eventually, Anderson would get replaced by one of the Pro Circuit riders down the road when the time is right.
Option two is him just staying put at Husqvarna. While it feels like the most unlikely outcome, Anderson has been synonymous with the brand for close to his entire career. One would have a hard time believing that the Austrian manufacturer would want to let their most marketable rider just walk away without a competitive offer. Anderson looked impressive down the stretch in Supercross on the FC-450 and felt close to breaking through for a win. If that continues into Motocross, who knows, he may decide to end up sticking around.
The third and final option (below) is not yet a done deal. However, it could very well likely be Anderson’s new home if it comes to fruition.
Bobby Hewitt Team?
For those that may be more casual fans, Bobby Hewitt was the former team manager of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. Also, the former Rockstar Energy Racing team before that. Hewitt played a major part in Anderson’s career, being his team manager for a gigantic chunk of his pro career. Hewitt ended up being let go by Husqvarna in April of 2020, and rumors picked up recently of him starting up a new team for 2022. Antonovich first brought this up several weeks ago in a video right after the final Atlanta round. But he also stated that this was not set in stone, yet.
Anderson being available would make him a likely target for this possible new team on the 450 side of things. Anderson has credited Hewitt for being a gigantic part of his growth as a rider in the past. Would not be shocking to hear about there being mutual interest in the coming weeks/months. On the most recent PulpMX show, Matthes had brought up that Hunter Lawrence and RJ Hampshire could possibly be 250 rider targets as well. Matthes also stated that either Honda wants Hewitt to run their bikes or vice-versa, but sounded unclear on which it is. Hewitt in the past has fielded Husqvarna’s, KTM’s, and Suzuki’s for reference, so this seems like a possibility.
No 25. Marvin Musquin
The expectation for Musquin is that he will stay with Red Bull KTM on a one-year deal. This is not a surprise since Musquin has been with them since 2009, the year he won the FIM MX2 Championship. It also appears that next year could very well be his last as a professional rider. He would be 33 years old at the end of 2022, and the Plessinger signing suggests KTM is considering that.
Musquin is coming off his worst 450 Supercross season, finishing ninth in points, but was able to get a win. It is not to say he has fallen off the proverbial cliff, of course. Musquin had a ton of bad luck this Supercross season which obviously did not help his cause. But if next year is his last, it was a hell of a career for one of Europe’s best.
No 27. Malcolm Stewart
Stewart could possibly be another rider on the way out from Star Yamaha. After his leg injury at 2019 Glendale Supercross, Stewart put together career-best seasons in 2020 and 2021. With Tomac and Plessinger appearing to be off the market, this would make him one of the top two riders still available. According to Antonovich, Stewart has gotten multiple factory team offers to run the full-year schedule for 2022. Using the process of elimination along with some educated guesses, those offers could most likely be from the following: Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, Monster Energy Kawasaki, and his current team Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha.
Star Yamaha may be out of the picture with the Tomac signing. They would be 100 percent out if Christian Craig, who is running Motocross on the 450, sticks around for Supercross next year. Monster Energy Kawasaki will more than likely be out if Anderson takes Tomac’s spot. Which leaves Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. If the dominoes fall how they likely will, this feels like the most logical landing spot. Stewart would instantly fill the void that Anderson would leave in his wake from an on-track and marketability standpoint. He would also likely train with Aldon Baker, who trained Stewart’s older brother James years ago. However, Baker’s deal with KTM/Husqvarna is set to expire, so that remains to be seen. Stewart’s recent seasons should warrant a multi-year contract wherever he ends up.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Rockstar Energy’s title sponsor contract with Husqvarna is set to expire at the end of the year. Despite some concern with PepsiCo (Rockstar Owner) possibly pulling out, that appears to no longer be the case. Antonovich in an April YouTube video stated that Rockstar intends to stick around with the Austrian brand. Husqvarna has defending Motocross champion Zach Osborne under contract for another two years. The team also may be bringing back 250 rider Jalek Swoll (both according to Matthes). Regardless of whether Rockstar bails out or not, expect to see Husqvarna’s name on the gates in 2022.
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