Ty Masterpool was off the radar for a while just a few months ago. He was racing with the BarX Suzuki team in the 250SX West Region of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, but suddenly stopped showing up at the races in January and was not active much on social media.
But he picked up a sponsorship from Sports Clips and was set to race a Kawasaki KX250 in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship as he prepped for the season. But after the first round, he decided to jump to the premier class. In his 450 Class debut at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, Ty Masterpool finished 7-7 for sixth overall, earning the FMF Privateer Power award from the series. At the Thunder Valley National, he qualified third overall and was looking forward to another strong day. Then he went down in the first turn and was dead last. Somehow, he charged to a fifth-place finish! Then in the second moto, he was running third in the late stages of the race until a pass by Dylan Ferrandis bumped the #81 back to fourth. Still a strong day, his 5-4 finishes gave him sixth overall. Here is the Texan’s recap of the day.
And moments before we posted this interview, Masterpool was awarded the Privateer Power award for the second straight week.
Racer X: All right Ty Masterpool, unbelievable, 5-4 on the day, I know you wanted that third in the second moto, but I mean overall unbelievable right?
Ty Masterpool: Yeah, very good day. First of all, all glory to God. It’s been a rough couple of years with injuries and stuff, but just been believing in my program, believing in the team around me and believing in God’s plan. So, just been doing that and all of the glory to him. I was bummed at first, but these guys are so good, they hold that pace the whole moto. A lot of respect for these riders they are unbelievable. I was bummed at first but very good day, nothing to be bummed about. Just hyped, track was really gnarly, loving it, and liking the 450 power.
When you see the guys you are reeling in, you’re catching, you are setting up passes on, are you surprising yourself or is it like, “I knew I could do this I just needed the right stuff under me?”
The biggest thing is it's the same plan whether I am in first or last it's just me verses me, me against the track, and just another day of training, you know what I mean? Just technical emphasis no matter where I am at. But yeah, it was a really good day, it kind of didn’t sink in till about 10-15 minutes after but it was good. I was just trying to stay focused out there and stay on the pegs and ride technical out there. Very good day.
So, I know you didn’t have a lot of time on the 450, switching after Pala before Hangtown you go 7-7 I think there. This week did you work on some stuff, did you find a set up you like?
Yeah, so big shout out the suspension guys, last week I raced with my 250 suspension on the 450. We didn’t have time to get a set done, just shows you how good the boys are with suspension. This week they shipped a set out, went back to Texas did some training, got some elevation got ready for here. Rode in some clay like this, and rode with that stuff. Tracks gnarly, we got a couple of days on the 450, still doing a lot of changes. I mean, it's completely stock just an FMF pipe and some suspension. So, it's good.
Going back to the first moto I know you had to come from pretty far back and you end up coming all the way back up to fifth. How was the fitness after that and then building for the second moto? Because you looked fine in the second moto but how did you actually feel?
It was good, I fell down first corner, so I was dead last. But charged all the way through, I was riding with my mouth open, so I got a lot of dirt in my mouth. I actually choked and threw up a little, just a stupid rookie move. But yeah, the fitness was good, that one I felt like I actually should have been standing up more, but fitness felt really good. Shout out to Peter Park, he’s been helping me out for a little over a year now.
![Masterpool at the second round Hangtown Motocross Classic.]()
Masterpool at the second round Hangtown Motocross Classic. Align Media ![Masterpool at the Thunder Valley National.]()
Masterpool at the Thunder Valley National. Align Media ![]()
"Yeah, very good day. First of all, all glory to God. It’s been a rough couple of years with injuries and stuff, but just been believing in my program, believing in the team around me and believing in God’s plan." - Ty Masterpool Align Media ![Masterpool received the FMF Privateer Power award in two consecutive weeks (Hangtown Motocross Classic and Thunder Valley National).]()
Masterpool received the FMF Privateer Power award in two consecutive weeks (Hangtown Motocross Classic and Thunder Valley National). Align Media
You mentioned standing up in corners, I feel like I saw a lot of corners where you were standing up all of the way through, is that a conscious thing that you are trying to do with your technique, or something that you are just comfortable with or what?
Honestly just feeling the bike, what feels best and what the bike wants to do. Honestly, I feel like I should have been standing more, staying on the pegs more. But it was good.
Lastly when you have a day like this, building forward from here, do your goals rewrite themselves or are you still trying to go out and do the same thing each week?
No, same thing, just me verses me, steady improvement. Ready to get back to work on Monday and reach a whole new level and keep on working. We’ve got all season long and just ready to do it.
