Monster Energy Kawasaki Signs Adam Cianciarulo
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After months of speculation and talk, Monster Energy Kawasaki has announced a multi-year contract that will see Adam Cianciarulo advance to the factory team and the 450 class in 2020. For Cianciarulo and Kawasaki, it’s the next chapter in a 15-year relationship that goes back to Cianciarulo’s outstanding amateur career, his transition to the pro ranks, a few years marred by injuries, and now his current rank as the 250 championship leader in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. The deal will take effect as soon as the summer is complete.
Cianciarulo was one of the most sought-after free agents for 2020, evident in the OEMs that courted him and the yet to be announced gear deals that were finished after lengthy negotiations. Kawasaki’s push to keep Cianciarulo, a rider that they signed to the Team Green amateur program in 2004, shows the company sees potential in a rider that has experienced nearly every triumph and setback that one could imagine. He will be alongside Eli Tomac, another rider that Kawasaki has invested heavily in that signed a contract extension to stay green earlier in the year.
Cianciarulo will remain with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki through the remainder of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Although his future is set, Cianciarulo is determined to finish out the summer with the championship and a number one plate for Mitch Payton’s trailer door.
Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 6 2019) – The Monster Energy® Kawasaki race team returns with a set of familiar faces, looking to continue their winning ways in 2020. The team has had a successful year in Monster Energy AMA Supercross and is in the thick of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship battle in both classes. For 2020, the Monster Energy Kawasaki roster of riders aboard KX™450 motorcycles will feature two-time defending AMA Pro Motocross Champion and current AMA Pro Motocross Championship points leader Eli Tomac. Joining him will be Adam Cianciarulo making his premier class debut. Following his record-setting amateur years with the Team Green™ race team and a successful career underneath the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team awning, he will now join the factory 450 effort. After a successful debut in the 450 class, Joey Savatgy will finish the final three AMA Pro Motocross rounds with full support of the team to close out his rookie season.
“We have a very strong 2020 team roster,” said Kawasaki Racing Senior Manager, Dan Fahie. “We still have work to do this summer in hopes that both Eli and Adam can bring home championships in their respective classes. We are excited to be continuing our championship journey with Eli and welcoming Adam and his storied Kawasaki racing career onto our 450 team. We learned a lot about our KX450 and are in a good place heading into 2020 with the development of the motorcycle.”
Tomac and Cianciarulo aim to complete the 2019 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with a green sweep of the championships in both the 450MX and 250MX classes. Tomac and his new premier class stable-mate Cianciarulo will then head to Las Vegas on October 19th to battle in the desert for the coveted “Monster Million” at the annual Monster Energy Cup, where Tomac sets his sights on claiming the ultimate prize for the second year in a row. Marking what will be his fifth year with Kawasaki Racing, Tomac relentlessly proves to be a top contender in the premier class, earning 27 450SX wins. He currently sits fifth on the all-time 450MX Class win list with 18 overall wins and 36 podium finishes aboard his KX450 motorcycle. Meanwhile, Cianciarulo looks to carry the momentum of his 2019 success into the premier class. Cianciarulo currently holds the points lead in the 250MX class with six moto wins and six overall wins, and is the only rider in the class to have finished every moto on the podium this season.
“I’m thrilled to continue the relationship with Kawasaki,” said Tomac. “I feel we have an outstanding team in place, an excellent KX450 motorcycle and a common goal of winning races and championships. Right now our focus is on winning this Pro Motocross Championship and then we will begin preparing for the 2020 Supercross season. Let the good times roll!”
“I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Cianciarulo. “I was just a little kid when I signed with Kawasaki in 2004, and it’s been a dream of mine since then to reach this point. From growing up in the Team Green program, to my 250cc career with Mitch Payton and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, I feel I’m prepared to take on this next challenge of competing at the highest level. The work has just begun and I’m ready to get started on my new KX450.”
