Full season ride for guys like Kullas?

EuroGuy39
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What do you guys think it will take for riders like Kullas to get a full season in the U.S.? He for example has proven to be competitive outdoors once again, rides supercross on a decent level and surely has the ambitions to race full time in the U.S.

I'd think that if Kullas keeps results like this for the rest of the outdoors and performs well enough in the SMX, there might be something for him in '25. B-team, 250SX and 450 outdoors maybe? Clubmx, Maddparts or something along those lines.

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ML512
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EuroGuy39 wrote:
What do you guys think it will take for riders like Kullas to get a full season in the U.S.? He for example has proven to...

What do you guys think it will take for riders like Kullas to get a full season in the U.S.? He for example has proven to be competitive outdoors once again, rides supercross on a decent level and surely has the ambitions to race full time in the U.S.

I'd think that if Kullas keeps results like this for the rest of the outdoors and performs well enough in the SMX, there might be something for him in '25. B-team, 250SX and 450 outdoors maybe? Clubmx, Maddparts or something along those lines.

I’d say no way on Club. MADD Parts could happen.

Simply put, he has to show he ran ride a US spec Supercross track at a decently competitive level.

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EuroGuy39
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7/7/2024 8:29am
ML512 wrote:
I’d say no way on Club. MADD Parts could happen. Simply put, he has to show he ran ride a US spec Supercross track at a...

I’d say no way on Club. MADD Parts could happen.

Simply put, he has to show he ran ride a US spec Supercross track at a decently competitive level.

Yes I agree, but can you name one rider who has scored multiple TOP10's in the premiere class outdoors but hasn't been on a decent level in supercross? Kullas would learn U.S. spec supercross very easily, I feel like that is not a problem.

There has been riders hired in the U.S. with less experience in supercross than what Kullas has. 

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Tumic
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7/7/2024 8:37am
EuroGuy39 wrote:
Yes I agree, but can you name one rider who has scored multiple TOP10's in the premiere class outdoors but hasn't been on a decent level...

Yes I agree, but can you name one rider who has scored multiple TOP10's in the premiere class outdoors but hasn't been on a decent level in supercross? Kullas would learn U.S. spec supercross very easily, I feel like that is not a problem.

There has been riders hired in the U.S. with less experience in supercross than what Kullas has. 

Remember that Harri is 32 years old and at the back end of his carrer. He is probably fine with doing some nationals and earning a bit with it but i doubt that a guy in his age that don’t have any SX experience want to school him self at that.

But i would think that he could be a good fill in rider for some factory teams like Norén was once upon a time.

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EuroGuy39
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7/7/2024 9:29am Edited Date/Time 7/7/2024 9:29am
Tumic wrote:
Remember that Harri is 32 years old and at the back end of his carrer. He is probably fine with doing some nationals and earning a...

Remember that Harri is 32 years old and at the back end of his carrer. He is probably fine with doing some nationals and earning a bit with it but i doubt that a guy in his age that don’t have any SX experience want to school him self at that.

But i would think that he could be a good fill in rider for some factory teams like Norén was once upon a time.

Harri is not "earning a bit" by doing the nationals, Sir. Quite the opposite.

I'm not saying Harri is at the moment ready for AMA supercross, but he did beat quite a bunch of former main event 450 guys last winter and this summer in the international events, ADAC, British AX, Tampere and Brazil.

I'm not here to go to war for Kullas, but of course I would love to see him get a chance in U.S. and I'm pretty certain he would do better than some of the riders currently employed by some B-level teams.

 

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The Shop

Tumic
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7/7/2024 9:42am
EuroGuy39 wrote:
Harri is not "earning a bit" by doing the nationals, Sir. Quite the opposite. I'm not saying Harri is at the moment ready for AMA supercross...

Harri is not "earning a bit" by doing the nationals, Sir. Quite the opposite.

I'm not saying Harri is at the moment ready for AMA supercross, but he did beat quite a bunch of former main event 450 guys last winter and this summer in the international events, ADAC, British AX, Tampere and Brazil.

I'm not here to go to war for Kullas, but of course I would love to see him get a chance in U.S. and I'm pretty certain he would do better than some of the riders currently employed by some B-level teams.

 

A lot of better riders than him have gone to the US and tried their hands at SX with poor results and injuries.

I would love to see him do a full outdoors season for a team like Club Mx, but doing SX on a 250 at the age of 32 when you just have raced some european AX/SX seems a bit risky to me. 

Park Boys
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7/7/2024 9:47am

You have to bank on injuries for guys like Kullas to do well and if he is going to do SX he is going to be injured.  

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Gator 4
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7/7/2024 1:44pm

Always impressive when a guy comes over and is so competitive.  I am sure every team keeps an eye open for talent like this.  The more talent in America the better.  

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Beagle
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9/22/2024 12:39am

Top 10 at Vegas SMX round is a great end of season for Kullas, hopefully he's earning a bit of money with this one. Doing this on his own bike, he might even get a ride for next year.

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Motofinne
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9/22/2024 12:45am Edited Date/Time 9/22/2024 12:45am

He would easily be a 10+ main event rider if he would be on a solid program with a good SX base package.

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EuroGuy39
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9/22/2024 2:19am

Nice payday for Harri with that 13th place in the SMX, 34000$!

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Beeby
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9/22/2024 5:16am

$34k? That’s it? 

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ML512
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Beeby wrote:

$34k? That’s it? 

More than he ever made racing GPs from purse...

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ML512
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Also, there's a team in the works that wants to take Kullas racing in the USA for all of 2025.

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EuroGuy39
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ML512 wrote:

More than he ever made racing GPs from purse...

Dude, don't be hating on the GP purse money. Below is the TOP10 payout for the MXGP class from 2003 to 2024:

1st. 0€ 

2nd. 0€ 

3rd. 0€ 

4th. 0€ 

5th. 0€ 

6th. 0€ 

7th. 0€ 

8th. 0€ 

9th. 0€ 

10th. 0€

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EuroGuy39
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9/22/2024 8:23am
ML512 wrote:

Also, there's a team in the works that wants to take Kullas racing in the USA for all of 2025.

Blue bike?

aeffertz
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9/22/2024 8:49am
EuroGuy39 wrote:

Nice payday for Harri with that 13th place in the SMX, 34000$!

Plus $9,200 from his 19, 17, 9 individual race purses. $43,200 isn’t too bad for 3 weekends of racing!

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Beagle
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aeffertz wrote:

Plus $9,200 from his 19, 17, 9 individual race purses. $43,200 isn’t too bad for 3 weekends of racing!

Yes, it could offset what he paid on his own for the outdoors, maybe even earn a little on top of it.

Number of top15 riders changing their own wheels in between motos is probably a very short list.

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tek14
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9/22/2024 11:38am

Great ride by Harri. Hope he gets good deal for next year. 

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lumpy790
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9/22/2024 11:55am

Could be a good fit with Lorenzo Locurcio on the Wildcat team.

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EuroGuy39
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9/22/2024 12:07pm Edited Date/Time 9/22/2024 12:09pm
lumpy790 wrote:

Could be a good fit with Lorenzo Locurcio on the Wildcat team.

No disrespect to Locurcio or Wildcat, but I'd say Kullas deserves something a bit more established. Rock River would be really good, and they could make that 250SX 450MX deal work out. MaddParts Kawi might be a solid option as well.

Kullas just said in the Pulpmx interview after Vegas that 250SX might be something he is interested in, and he needs a full program and team to do the whole season properly.

Just my thoughts.

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ML512
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ML512 wrote:

Also, there's a team in the works that wants to take Kullas racing in the USA for all of 2025.

EuroGuy39 wrote:

Blue bike?

Orange or blue, I believe.

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ML512
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lumpy790 wrote:

Could be a good fit with Lorenzo Locurcio on the Wildcat team.

Wildcat might be the new Suzuki 250 team.

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lumpy790
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9/22/2024 12:22pm

HBI Kawasaki is another possible team with sand box training facility thrown in too. 

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TeamGreen
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9/22/2024 2:47pm
ML512 wrote:

Also, there's a team in the works that wants to take Kullas racing in the USA for all of 2025.

EuroGuy39 wrote:

Blue bike?

ML512 wrote:

Orange or blue, I believe.

But...that sounds like Club?! 🤣

Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way?

I’ll just be stoked if he finds a full-time gig over here and shows up at Anaheim. 

RACING
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9/22/2024 3:09pm
ML512 wrote:

More than he ever made racing GPs from purse...

EuroGuy39 wrote:
Dude, don't be hating on the GP purse money. Below is the TOP10 payout for the MXGP class from 2003 to 2024:1st. 0€ 2nd. 0€ 3rd. 0€ 4th. 0€ 5th...

Dude, don't be hating on the GP purse money. Below is the TOP10 payout for the MXGP class from 2003 to 2024:

1st. 0€ 

2nd. 0€ 

3rd. 0€ 

4th. 0€ 

5th. 0€ 

6th. 0€ 

7th. 0€ 

8th. 0€ 

9th. 0€ 

10th. 0€

An amazing display of equity.

 

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ML512
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lumpy790 wrote:

HBI Kawasaki is another possible team with sand box training facility thrown in too. 

HBI isn’t continuing in 2025.

ML512
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EuroGuy39 wrote:

Blue bike?

ML512 wrote:

Orange or blue, I believe.

TeamGreen wrote:
But...that sounds like Club?! 🤣Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way?I’ll just be stoked if he finds a full-time...

But...that sounds like Club?! 🤣

Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way?

I’ll just be stoked if he finds a full-time gig over here and shows up at Anaheim. 

Not Club, new program. The shop who helped him with bikes this year is working on something.

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Bearuno
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9/22/2024 10:26pm Edited Date/Time 9/22/2024 10:28pm

TeamGreen : " Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way? "

Nah, Harri's a Happy Chappy ! , (but I do get your drift on this).

I'm truly surprised (well, wrapt) that Harri might be in line to get a full time ride in the USA.

NOT because I doubt his skills or determination - it's just that getting into SX at his age, well, that would be a heck of a  demonstration of his skills and determination. 

Good on him if he does get a deal, I'll be cheering him on, that's for sure.

As to  Philthy Phil ;  I really hope he stays within the Industry - well, the Sport. I listened to ML's interview with him, where he said he'd be doing some racing next year / the years to come, and that's Great, but I'd love to see him in Team Management, if that interests him.

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tek14
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9/22/2024 11:08pm
Bearuno wrote:
TeamGreen : " Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way? "Nah, Harri's a Happy Chappy ! , (but I...

TeamGreen : " Besides, isn’t Harry kinda like the Philthy Phil of MXGP in his own way? "

Nah, Harri's a Happy Chappy ! , (but I do get your drift on this).

I'm truly surprised (well, wrapt) that Harri might be in line to get a full time ride in the USA.

NOT because I doubt his skills or determination - it's just that getting into SX at his age, well, that would be a heck of a  demonstration of his skills and determination. 

Good on him if he does get a deal, I'll be cheering him on, that's for sure.

As to  Philthy Phil ;  I really hope he stays within the Industry - well, the Sport. I listened to ML's interview with him, where he said he'd be doing some racing next year / the years to come, and that's Great, but I'd love to see him in Team Management, if that interests him.

Kullas has been riding Euro SX races almost every winter but those tracks are tight more like Arenacross. He needs solid team that knows how to setup bike.   

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