Shane McElrath inks a new deal with Madds Kawasaki for the remainder of the SuperMotocross season, starting this weekend at Round 9 of the AMA Pro Motocross in Unadilla. This will be the first time in McElrath´s career that he will be riding for Kawasaki.
McElrath’s career so far has consisted of 9 wins in 250S Supercross, one FIM World Supercross SX2 Championship (2022) and three 250SX Championship runner-up seasons (2015, 2017, 2020) aboard Star Yamaha and Troy Lee Designs KTM. McElrath made the transition to the 450 in 2022 where he raced a SmartTop Honda, a Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM and most recently a HEP Suzuki with a career-best 450SX finish of fourth.
The agreement came after McElrath got fired from HEP Suzuki, as Colt Nichols took his place on the team.
“There’s a first for everything, and my most recent first was getting fired. I’m no longer on yellow and it wasn’t a mutual decision. But, everyone loves a little change, huh? I’ve been able to meet so many people in this industry and you never really know the depth of a relationship until you find yourself trying to put the pieces back together and you look around and the people that come alongside you to help. How naturally and quickly this opportunity came together overwhelms me with joy and excitement. The team has welcomed me with open arms and I’m excited to work alongside them, see you Saturday!!” Wrote McElrath on his social media.
Madds Parts Kawasaki Press Release
MaddParts.com Kawasaki is pleased to announce the signing of Shane McElrath for the remainder of the 2024 SuperMotocross season.
Recently made available, Shane joins a team that continues to make strides in establishing itself as a formidable competitor in the SMX series.
The addition of a talented athlete like Shane McElrath not only strengthens the team’s lineup with Freddie Noren, but also reinforces MaddParts.com Kawasaki’s commitment to moving forward and proving themselves against the top teams in the sport. The team has wasted no time and has worked quickly to ensure Shane is acclimated to the bike with the goal of having him race at Unadilla this weekend.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shane to the MaddParts.com Kawasaki family,” said team owner Bubba Pauli. “His addition to our team represents a significant step forward and we are committed to supporting him every step of the way. We are confident that Shane’s experience and dedication will contribute to a successful remainder of the season for him and the team. It is very important for us to take advantage of this opportunity to work with Shane, he came earlier than expected but will help us strive to build a race-winning organization. We will evaluate our progress over the next few days and if we feel ready, we will have a bike on the line at Unadilla with the number 12.”
