Up To Date | This Week’s News in Written Form

Up To Date | 3/30/2025 – 4/6/2025

Our sport is in quite an entertaining state currently, as big news seems to be dropping weekly and every daily at certain points. Although we sum up a majority of the news in our ‘Inside SML’ feature, as well as others, we thought it could be beneficial for our audience to summarize some of the news in written form. With that, enjoy the first – and possibly the only – ‘Up To Date’ feature. 

Wednesday afternoon, the ClubMX Training Facility announced their recruitment of a familiar face in the paddock; Daniel Blair. After his short stent overseeing KTM’s Orange Brigade program, Daniel has spent the last few weeks focusing on his next career path. Well, we can’t say we say this one coming but it does make great sense following the news. Daniel will now oversee not just the race team but also the facility and amateur riders in a management role.

CHESTERFIELD, SC – April 1, 2025: Daniel Blair has a rich history in the sport of supercross and motocross both on the bike and off. His resume spans over two decades of experience, building a base for a job somewhere in the future. Blair always dreamed of a position with a company where he can make a difference and ClubMX is poised to grow once again and could use his talents.

ClubMX Owner Brandon Haas: “Daniel and I have worked together over the years in different capacities and have always aligned our views both personally and professionally. I shared the vision I have for ClubMX and potential expansion ideas. Daniel comes with quite a list of talents in many areas that happen to coincide with our needs. I called him on Monday, and he was on the property the next day to walk through all the items I had outlined on the phone, so I knew at that point he was serious about the opportunity. I ran the idea past my management team to sort through any questions or concerns they may have and here we are, he starts tomorrow. Providing our members, team riders and partners with another valuable resource like Daniel is going to play a key role in the continued growth and development of ClubMX as a whole.”

Daniel Blair: “I’m passionate about this sport and although I wasn’t really looking for a big change, this opportunity is something I could not pass up. I have known about and been to ClubMX for a long time and always had the utmost respect for how they operate. It is a testament to Brandon and the entire staff there – they’re just good people. Here is a chance to take all the skills I have accumulated and use them all in one place. It is like joining a family-owned business as they continue to grow. I know I can make a difference, and I look forward to the challenge.”

After losing both their star 450 riders, Hunter and Jett Lawrence, Honda HRC Progressive finally announced their fill-in plans on Tuesday. Although, it has been quite a poorly kept secret, especially since Dylan Ferrandis announced that he was receiving factory parts for his Phoenix Racing CRF450R rather than the fill-in opportunity. Dean will make his return to Monster Energy Supercross and contend in the final 5 rounds aboard his Factory Honda CRF450RWE.

TORRANCE, Calif. (April 1, 2025) – Honda HRC Progressive announced today that Dean Wilson will campaign the factory CRF450RWE race machine for the last five rounds of the 2025 AMA Supercross season, beginning with the April 12 event in Philadelphia.

The squad has fielded a 250-only effort in AMA Supercross since Hunter Lawrence withdrew for shoulder surgery following the February 8 Tampa round (Jett Lawrence had pulled out for knee surgery one week earlier). Hunter hopes to return to action in time for the AMA Pro Motocross series, which starts on May 24 in Pala, California. Since his surgery, Jett has been dedicated to his recovery, which is going extremely well, and he hopes to be racing as soon as possible.

A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Wilson is a veteran of elite-level U.S. racing, having earned the 2011 250 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Recent seasons have seen him contesting a variety of series, winning the 2023 Australian Supercross Championship in the SX1 division while racing for Yarrive Konsky’s Honda Racing Australia team.

Early this year, Wilson raced for the British St. Blazey Honda team in the UK Arenacross Tour, which he won. He had intended to race five rounds of the AMA Supercross series for the Konsky-owned, Martin Davalos-managed Quad Lock Honda team, but will instead race for the Lars Lindstrom-managed factory squad.

“I’m just really excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Dean Wilson (also known by his alter ego, Grandpa Earl). “It certainly wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card! It came through unfortunate circumstances, with the Lawrence brothers getting injured. I was on the other side of the pond in the UK, and I shot Lars a text, saying I would be interested. I eventually got a call that it will happen for the last five. I’ve always wanted to ride this bike and be a part of this team, so I kind of feel like a little kid again, to be honest—just over the moon! I’m thankful that Yarrive and Martin were very understanding.”

Wilson began supercross testing with Honda HRC Progressive last week, three weeks ahead of his debut with the squad. In the meantime, Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas continue to represent the team in the 250SX class, campaigning the CRF250RWE in the West and East Regions, respectively.

“On behalf of American Honda, I’d like to welcome Dean to Honda HRC Progressive for the final part of AMA Supercross,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda. “Obviously, we’ve missed having the Lawrences racing out of our truck for much of this season, but we’re happy to see them progressing well and hope to have them back in action soon. In the meantime, it will be great to have Dean showcasing the CRF450RWE. I’d like to thank Yarrive and Martin at Quad Lock Honda for their flexibility in order to make this happen.”

It’s been almost two weeks since Ken Roczen announced that he was dealing with an AC separation in his shoulder, following a practice crash before Birmingham Supercross. Since his injury has become public knowledge, Ken has logged some surprisingly shocking decent results. However, following Seattle Supercross Ken announced on social media that he received some not so great news following an MRI.

Ken Roczen: “Gave all i had in Seattle. My shoulder is just not solid. I got my MRI results back on Friday before the race and my ligaments nearly completely torn. The track got super gnarly and i just settled in a brought it home in 4th. Big bummer with the current situation but we keep it going!”