Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 250 Team Eager to Launch 2025 SMX Title Campaigns
December 16, 2024
Image from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
PRESS RELEASE FROM YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USA
MARIETTA, Ga. – December 16, 2024 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing is fired up and ready to launch its 250 title campaign with a talented seven-rider line-up, as well as race the premier class with a returning champion in the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship. On the 250 side of the tent, reigning Pro Motocross 250MX Champion and back-to-back 250SMX Champion Haiden Deegan is joined by returning members Daxton Bennick and Nate Thrasher. Pierce Brown will make his debut with the team in 2025, while Max Anstie and Michael Mosiman embark on their first full year aboard the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing YZ250F. The young Cole Davies also returns for his first full season with the team and will be making his pro debut. Christian Craig, the team’s 2022 250SX West Champion, returns home in 2025 to race the YZ450F and to help the team with the development of their 250 riders. After enjoying a host of career milestones in 2023 during his rookie season, Deegan’s meteoric rise continued its upward trend with a stellar sophomore season. Despite being less than 100% coming off of a preseason injury, the Californian earned a runner-up finish in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship with three wins and a total of five podiums. From there, it was Deegan domination as the 18-year-old claimed the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship a weekend early with an impressive tally of 10 moto wins and 18 podiums. In the postseason, he continued to set the bar for the competition, winning five out of six motos en route to claiming his second-consecutive 250SMX Championship. Not resting on his laurels, Deegan has been hard at work during the off-season and has his sights set on adding more titles and victories to his already impressive resume. Brown, the team’s newest recruit, is looking forward to making his debut with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing next season. The talented rider from Sandy, Utah, has shown speed in the 250 class and is fresh off of his first SMX World Championship 250SMX victory, which he earned at the 2024 season finale in Las Vegas. Riding that momentum, Brown looks to battle for top honors aboard the YZ250F in 2025. With some time getting acquainted with the team and the bike in the latter half of the 2024 SMX World Championship, Anstie is primed for the 2025 season. He made his pro debut in Monster Energy AMA Supercross with the team back in 2010 and brings with him a wealth of experience. The British rider has enjoyed success in multiple championships overseas and has shown strength over the past two seasons with a pair of wins in the 250SX East Championship. Anstie reunited with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team this year at the Southwick National. He went on to finish the outdoor season and race in the SMX Finals, as well as race the Motocross of Nations for his home country and the first round of WSX. Anstie is eager to kick off the 2025 SMX World Championship and sets his sights on taking top honors aboard the YZ250F. Bennick returns for his third year with the team and enters his sophomore season in the pro ranks. In 2023, he turned a lot of heads with a stellar finish to his amateur career. In addition to two Supercross Futures wins, he enjoyed a successful outing at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, dominating the Open Pro Class and was awarded the coveted Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award. Bennick also had an impressive debut in Monster Energy AMA Supercross in 2024, scoring a podium finish at the opening round in Detroit and ultimately finishing the year inside the top 10 in points. Unfortunately, it was a tough outdoor season for the North Carolina rider who was dealing with health issues and ultimately sat out of the SMX World Championship to focus on returning to 100%. Back to full fitness, Bennick is looking to build off his rookie season and return to the top. Thrasher returns for his fifth year with the team and is eager to get back on track. Although it’s been a tough few seasons with injuries, the Tennessee rider has five 250SX victories to his credit, standing on top of the podium each season and earning two wins as a rookie on the very physically demanding Atlanta Supercross track at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Back to full fitness in 2025, Thrasher has experience on both coasts and is hungrier than ever. Mosiman is another rider who will enter his first full season with the team in 2025. The Californian has shown the pace to run up front and has a 250SX win to his resume, standing on top of the podium at the 2022 San Diego Supercross. This year, he made his racing debut with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing at Seattle Supercross and was able to get some gate drops before unfortunately injuring his neck while training for the Pro Motocross season opener. Back to 100%, Mosiman is reenergized and ready for battle. Davies returns in 2025 for his first full season with the team and will move up to the pro ranks, starting with Monster Energy AMA Supercross. The young New Zealand rider made his U.S. debut in 2023 and turned a lot of heads this year. He won the opening qualifying round of Supercross Futures at Anaheim 2 and secured his second 250SX Futures victory at the championship-deciding round in Salt Lake City. The 2024 Supercross Futures AMA National Champion made his debut with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team at the Moto Scouting Combine at RedBud. Davies went on to finish the season in style, taking the final Moto Scouting Combine overall win at Ironman Raceway and scoring a commanding 250 World All-Stars victory at the SMX World Championship Finals in Las Vegas. The 17-year-old has been putting in the work during the off-season and is eager to make his pro debut. Craig, one of the team’s former champions, returns in 2025 to race the premier class for his first full season aboard the YZ450F. In 2021, he kicked off his debut with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing with a win at the 250SX East season opener in Houston, Texas. The Californian went on to add another five victories to his tally and a total of nine podiums during his two-year tenure with the team aboard the YZ250F in Supercross. For the outdoor season in 2021 and 2022, Craig shifted gears to the Pro Motocross 450MX Championship aboard the YZ450F and secured five moto podiums in 2022 to earn a top-five finish in the point standings. Although he is still working on returning to full fitness from a knee injury incurred at the end of last season, Craig is feeling quite at home with the team and is eager to get back on track, battling for top honors in 2025. In addition to racing, he will also be helping the team with the development of their 250 riders. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 team would like to thank its partners for their support: Monster Energy, Yamaha Racing, Yamaha Financial Services (YMFUS), Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, Thor, Parts Unlimited, Alpinestars, FMF, Dunlop, KYB, Rekluse, VP Racing Fuels, Cycra, Kite, Twin Air, Light Speed, ARC Levers, Mechanix Wear, Boxo Tools, CWI, D’cor Graphics, Vortex ECU, Braking, Matrix Concepts, Pro Taper, G2 Ergonomics, DID, AFAM, Mettec, and Works Connection. The 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship kicks off on January 11, as the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season gets underway at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Anticipation is high as we approach the third year of the SuperMotocross World Championship Series, which includes Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross, and the three-round SMX World Championship Finals. Yamaha is excited to offer an enhanced contingency support program featuring over $5 million for Yamaha bLU cRU riders competing in all three series. Stay tuned for more details on the 2025 Off-Road Racing Contingency Program coming soon. Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager: “It’s been a short but productive off-season, and we can’t wait to go racing. Everyone on the team has been putting in the hours to prepare for the 2025 SMX season, and we feel we’ve got the guys to go out there and get wins and fight for the championship. We’re excited for that first gate drop!” Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #1 and #38 YZ250F: “It’s been a good off-season. 2024 was a great year, but I still have some things to check off the list on the 250. We’ve been putting in the work, and we can’t wait to go racing.” Pierce Brown – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #20 YZ250F: “The off-season’s been going really well. It’s been a good change of pace for sure, moving here to Florida and the new bike and new team. I’ve been trying to get used to everything as a whole, but it’s been really easy so far. We’ve been getting the bike dialed in, and just having a good, solid group of guys to work with has made the transition easy. I’m excited to go racing, whether it’s East or West, but I’m hoping sooner than later, as I’m chomping at the bit to get behind the gate. I’m stoked for 2025.” Max Anstie – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #31 YZ250F: “I’m looking forward to 2025. It’s been nice to be fully on the program with Swanie (Gareth Swanepoel) and the guys. Since the Motocross of Nations, I was able to do another supercross kind of race (Vancouver WSX) to feel things out with the bike, and now I’ve just been getting the laps in and finalizing our testing. West Coast or East Coast, we’re not sure yet, but I definitely feel like I’m in a pretty good spot, and I’m excited to see what comes.” Daxton Bennick – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #34 YZ250F: “We’ve had a good off-season. We’re still honestly building each day, each week. It’s an exciting time right now. We have three brand new tracks at The Farm, so you really can’t get bored out here. It’s been really fun, switching up with all the tracks and different dirt. I think we’ll be coming into this year really prepared.” Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41 YZ250F: “We’ve had a good off-season so far, a good training block, so I’m excited to get started on the new season. I feel good and hopefully can put a good season together.” Michael Mosiman – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #98 YZ250F: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to go racing in 2025 with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. Last season was a bit of a rollercoaster with injuries, and I was not able to show what I could do. I’m healthy now, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the gate in front of the fans soon!” Cole Davies – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #17 YZ250F: “I’m ready to step it up with the big dogs. The off-season has been good to me, and I’m feeling confident that I can go ride to my potential and get some good results.” Christian Craig - Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #28 YZ450F: “The off-season’s been tough because I got hurt at the last round and tore some stuff in my knee. I had to get that fixed and have just been doing some physical therapy, so I’m coming in a little behind, but I’m excited to be back with the team where I won my championship. I’m looking forward to getting going with this whole new crew, and this bike looks awesome. As of now, it’s just building my strength back up and getting my speed going again. I’m not sure which round I’m going to come back at, but when I’m 100%, I’ll be ready to line up.”
