The big news lighting up websites and social media platforms this week was Ty Masterpool joining Garrett Marchbanks this Saturday night with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki in the 250SX West Region round at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. Masterpool, out of Paradise, Texas, was initially penciled into Mitch Payton’s 250SX East Region starting lineup, but due to Levi Kitchen moving out of the West Region due to pre-race illness last weekend at the Anaheim opener, Masterpool is switching coasts to represent the team for the rest of the West series.
[Note: A Kawasaki source indicated to us that Masterpool's agent actually first approached Mitch Payton with the idea of slotting Ty into the West last weekend as soon as Kitchen went out of action. That set the course in motion for Ty to race this weekend. While SX Futures rider Drew Adams was expected to be a fill-in option for the team, the five-rider structure of Pro Circuit means Adams can only jump in if another rider is actually out for the full supercross or motocross season. Kawasaki indicated that if Adams filled in, the team would then have six riders at the East/West Showdown races, which is not possible. Thus, Masterpool moves into the West. Adams is only an option if an entire race bike opens up for the entirety of supercross or motocross.]
Ty is coming off a productive back half of the 2024 racing season where he joined the Pro Circuit team to start AMA Pro Motocross last May and charged to fifth overall in the 250 Nationals. He also competed in the three-round SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final, where he placed ninth overall. Although Masterpool did not participate in the ‘25 opener at Angel Stadium, he’s both enthused and determined to line up behind the starting gate on a this Saturday night in San Diego.
“It was pretty last minute,” reflected Masterpool on getting his new marching orders. “I believe it was Monday night. I kind of packed the bags on Monday night and flew in here and woke up about 4 in the morning on Tuesday and went straight to the test track and started riding the bike. We’ve even been breaking in the race bike yesterday and today. It’s good. There aren’t really any expectations. It’s more like me-versus-me and let the results come naturally and let the speed come naturally. I just want to hit my marks and focus on the big picture at hand—getting experience in supercross this year. My priority this year is outdoors, but next year for supercross I want to come in as a title contender. I want to come in hot… Yeah, I got thrown into the deep end a little bit, but I’m a racer and I’m always ready to go racing. I’m just going to race myself into shape and let everything naturally come to me. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.”
How does Ty Masterpool feel he can do come the slam of the starting gate at Snapdragon Stadium?
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll see Saturday night!”
