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Pastrana could have dominated and been an all timer had he focused solely on racing. In my useless opinion, he's always been the biggest "what if" had he not gone to freestyle. Top 3 all time most talented guys to ever swing a leg over a bike
Doesnt specify 450 sx only and the first line of his post says 450 career. Not 450 sx career
Ben Townley, was right there with RV2 but never kept the momentum going.
Because he kicked DV to the curb, karma got him for that
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Nichols. Period.
Blake Baggett isn't a 250 SX champ.
I'll say Jason Lawrence.
Ferrandis didn't "kick Vuillemin to the curb", no.
Ivan Tedesco is one. He won back to back SX titles and never got a win in the big bike class in SX.
Pastrana could be in here too. Never won a big bike race.
Baggett beat the best of the best while he was racing - When he was on, he was unbeatable.
Branden Jesseman
He never moved up to the 250/450 class.
Anyone have a list of lites champions that never went on to win a 250/450 race?
That’s the name I was trying to remember…
Agree, Baggett's a dude who has 3 big bike wins and 26 big bike podiums. There's no way he should be in any discussion for the worst big bike career.
And, as I said, he also isn't a 250SX champ, as was the qualification.
There have to be some parameters set for this list.
Something along the lines of;
- Won Regional SX title
- No Premier Class SX or MX O/A wins in either class / few O/A podiums if any in either class
- No Team USA represents from MXDN teams
- No International racing success, off-season or MXGP’s
That leaves guys like Jesseman, Bentley, Gaddis, Wil Hahn…..I’m sure I’m forgetting a few others.
no Jlaw mention?
Wil Hahn didn’t have a good go in 450s either
Pit Row
I'm Stan, Pourcel his biggest fan. But indeed if you look at his 250 results and his 450 results... There is too much of a difference between both!
But Justin Hill is also on the list, together with Ben Townley. Townley fought with RV2 for the 250 outdoor championship, won a 250 sx Championship after he started that season with a 0-points score.
Jake Weimer never came close to his 250 results when racing a 450.
Others: Wil Hahn, Justin Bogle, Josh Hansen,...
Townley and Pourcel are out - they have World Titles and MXDN cred, overall wins outdoors for both.
Weimer has a 250 MX title and MXDN cred also.
You can not possibly say that guys like Townley, Pourcel, and Weimer had equal careers to Wil Hahn, Jimmy Gaddis, and Justin Hill.
Still a very commendable career but I saw him going much further coming into 450s.
I think it's Pourcel based on the results vs ability. I am a firm believer that he was in a talent echelon that only few can ever claim and I think the back to back 250 mx title heartbreaks were worse on him than even his injury
Pastrana has the same amount of 250 wins as swink. swinkster was very close to beating mcgrath on one of the worst 250s made. career killer for him and larocco.
125/250 SX Champions to Never Win a 250/450 Race
* Riders in italics are still active
Eddie Warren: 1985 125SX East Champion
Bobby Moore: 1985 125SX West Champion (never moved up)
Keith Turpin: 1986 125SX East Champion (only did one 250SX race and finished 20th.)
Donny Schmit: 1986 125SX West Champion
Ron Tichenor: 1987 125SX East Champion
Willie Surratt: 1987 125SX West Champion
Todd DeHoop: 1988 125SX East Champion
Denny Stephenson: 1990 125SX East Champion
Ty Davis: 1990 125SX West Champion
Brian Swink: 1991 & 1992 125SX East Champion
Jimmy Gaddis: 1993 125SX West Champion
Ernesto Fonseca: 1999 125SX East & 2001 125SX West Champion
Stéphane Roncada: 2000 125SX East Champion
Shae Bentley: 2000 125SX West Champion (never moved up)
Travis Pastrana: 2001 125SX East Champion
Travis Preston: 2002 125SX West Champions
Branden Jesseman: 2003 125SX East Champion (never moved up)
Ben Townley: 2007 SX Lites East Champion
Jason Lawrence: 2008 SX Lites West Champion
Christophe Pourcel: 2009 & 2010 SX Lites East Champion
Jake Weimer: 2010 SX Lites West Champion
Broc Tickle: 2011 SX Lites West Champion
Wil Hahn: 2013 250SX East Champion
Justin Hill: 2017 250SX West Champion
Colt Nichols: 2021 250SX East Champion
Justin Cooper: 2021 250SX West Champion
Christian Craig: 2022 250SX West Champion
Edit: Typo
Wil Hahn.
Great guy, never did much on his factory Kawi ride…
Thank you. That list is longer than I would have thought
Unless you're only counting 250/450 SX wins, you can remove Donny Schmit and Ivan Tedesco from the list, because Donny has a 250 world championship, and IT won Thunder Valley in '09 on a 450.
I removed Tedesco. The list is based on the US series, so I'll leave Schmit on it.
Will Hahn
Post a reply to: Who was the worst 250 SX champ turned 450 ?