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Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
Retires to manage his real estate portfolio.
He should be in the booth. AC would be perfect.
He’s retiring. And personally, I think it’s kinda shitty that he won’t ride for anything less than a full factory team.
Why does this thread need to exist? This question was answered with his 12th place Daytona burnout..
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So you think he's only retiring because he can't get a Factory ride? You don't think that maybe it has something to do with the physical shit he's battling that is keeping him from getting the results he wants?
If that was the case, why would he have lined up for the past 3-4 years?
If I was him I would retire, can't imagine how he keeps up battling with the nerve problems in his arm combined with trying to be as competitive as possible... Walk away when you still can.
hes been quite open about everything he has tried to get the issue to go away, i think its more likely hes just out of options,
riding for less money, on a lessor bike, is not going to change that his arm is going numb
Or how much he would rather be golfing. Nothing to be ashamed in that.
Retire and take someone's spot in the booth(RC, Will or Leigh's spot, in my opinion)
I don't know what he's doing, but I know I'm planning to squat on one of his properties
Why? Just because he should be “core” and race regardless of prospects, health and financial remuneration?
Stepping away from a factory team also likely means a lot less $$, it’s not all about money, but when riders have been paid a lot for a long period of time I understand why they don’t want to take the risks they do, plus the time sacrifices to make way less than they should be making from a passive income generated from some smart investments (something I guess AC has done, he doesn’t seem like a hookers and coke kind of guy, but you never know 😂)
He seems like a smart guy, and I am sure there are things he wants to do outside of racing.
Whatever he does decide is best for him, best of luck to him, he has had a hell of a career.
I just hope he doesn’t disappear. He’s a bright spot that adds a lot to our sport.
That is not how the media has painted the situation. Sounds like he wants to continue racing and has no factory offers, so he's retiring instead.
Seems likely to end his career without a single SX win. Would he be the best rider to never win one? Cooper probably currently has that title?
Do you have a link to said media? I haven’t seen that at all.
So it’s official? Where are you guys seeing/reading this other than assumptions and speculation on Vital? Although, I do believe there was something else behind his Daytona burnout
Please enlighten us.
Pit Row
Hey at least he won a championship, still was able to live up to his hype for a season, something Alessi couldn’t pull off.
AC9 to help Mitch Payton run his amateur program
Mike won in his 1st yr and still wins AX races . And rips on a 2-st. Look up both there results . Mike,s finishes on a shop bike at the end r better than AC9,s. I don’t get the hype on AC at all. Probably the best ever at milking a team for money ever. He did win in 2020 the c19 races. But Zach won the championship.
Pretty sure he is hanging it up at the end of the season.
I'll be happy for him to bow out healthy.
Remind me again which amateur program is Payton's......
If Mitch is the team manager for Pro Circuit I can see AC being good at being a crew chief of sorts, help out the younger guys with some race day stuff. Don't imagine this being something he would want to do in 2025 but maybe in a couple years.
I think he would be even better at something in the booth but I don't see Weege, RC or JT going anywhere anytime soon and AC doesn't need money bad enough to join the traveling circus for a lower role.
Retired, investing/working on his rental properties. He wants to be on the broadcast as he has mentioned on his podcast a few times. He’ll take some time off then join the broadcast eventually.
Injury induced retirement insurance claim.
Leigh Diffey is a color commentator, not an analyst. Why does this have to be repeated so many times? Leigh, Weege, Ralph, etc. Are NOT in the same role as Ricky, James, Emig, etc.
Also, Leigh commentates on various major sporting events when not doing moto. Hes done the fucking olympics that pulls HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of viewers. We are honestly pretty fortunate NBC puts him in the role he's in with SX. Gives the sport some credibility.
4 years ago when damn near won the outdoor championship as rookie? His wrist is hurt, he’s tried getting it fixed the last year or so and it didn’t work. No need for you to make a smart ass comment, what is wrong with you?
2025 might have come sooner than we think.
Adam can't catch a break.
That was a heart breaker. Shaking his head limping to his bike. Knee or ankle? Hope it’s just tweaked & not worse
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