2009 Teams: Honda Red Bull Racing

Photo Gallery!

Click the following link for an 48-photo gallery of images of the 2009 Honda Red Bull Racing Team.

Andrew Short

Andrew Short is a legend in the making. In 2008, after finishing third overall in his first full Supercross season in the premier 450 class, he repeated that result in the outdoor Motocross championship, finishing third for the second-consecutive season.

“I think the highlight of 2008 was finishing where I did in the points,” said Short. “ I think that was a great achievement for me. It showed how consistent I was. I never really had a standout ride where I was really great at just one race and really stood out, so I think the biggest achievement for last year was finishing third in the points, especially in Supercross. It was really hard-fought for me.”

Equally impressive is the fact that Short made it through the entire 2008 season virtually unscathed—not missing a single race in either championship. Yet the humble Short seems to take it all in stride.

“I think luck has something to do with it—with any racing—and what we do is obviously a dangerous sport, but it’s in a controlled atmosphere. I try to stay as healthy as possible off the bike by exercising and working out, so if I do crash and get hurt, I can recoup quicker and recover a little faster because my body is so healthy.”

Short’s no-nonsense, nose-to-the-grindstone approach has catapulted him to the top of his sport. But he’s quick not to count his podium visits before they materialize.

“I think in racing you’re only as good as your last race. I don’t necessarily want to think that I have ‘made it’ or ‘I’ve arrived,’ I guess. I think that’s the drive and competitiveness of any athlete. I try to keep that mentality, always striving to get better and better because I still haven’t reached the top and that’s my goal. I think one day when I get done racing I will look back and reflect on what I have accomplished, but until then, I’m just trying to keep my head down and achieve what I can achieve.”

This season, Short is piloting the completely redesigned CRF®450R, something he feels represents the perfect rider/bike matchup.

“It feels more like a 250F in terms of handling and the way it corners, which I believe is a big benefit compared to last year’s bike. The power is a lot more linear and it makes it smoother. I can’t wait to line up on the start line at Anaheim for the first time. I can’t wait to see how much better the bike really is.”

With last year’s rider lineup intact for 2009, Short sees the merit in team continuity.

“I think that shows we had a great team in 2008. We had great people, great bikes and a great program. That’s something that you just can’t buy—all the experience we gained last year. I think it shows that we’re going to be a really good team because of that, and because of the great partnership between Honda and Red Bull.”

Davi Millsaps

Davi Millsaps’ youth belies his talent. In 2006, at the age of 18, he quickly put himself on the Supercross map when, shortly after he joined Honda Racing, he won the AMA Supercross East Lites crown on his CRF250R. The same year, Millsaps graduated to the 450 class for the AMA Motocross season and took third overall. Poised to make a big run toward dual championships in 2007, Millsaps broke his femur just before the Supercross season started, then suffered an inner ear injury halfway through his rehab.

2008 was all about new beginnings and Millsaps delivered some exceptional races, winning in Atlanta and Detroit and securing a fourth-place overall in the Supercross series.

“The 2008 season was really good. It was my first year on the 450 racing Supercross, and I ended up with two wins and eight podiums, said Millsaps. “I won my first race in Atlanta, and I can’t even begin to explain that feeling. Then I won in Detroit, which was pretty cool because I led from the first lap all the way to the 20th and I showed that I could race up front and not choke.”

The Atlanta win held special significance for Millsap because he was joined on the podium by teammate Andrew Short and fellow Honda CRF450R racer Kevin Windham.

“It was definitely cool to see Honda on top of the podium—one-two-three. I think it was a big step for Honda and I think it really showed people that the Honda is a great bike and it’s a team to be reckoned with.”

Millsaps then dove headfirst into the grueling outdoor Motocross season
in mid-May.

“You only have two weeks to get ready for outdoors, and then I got hurt halfway through. But it was a good half of a season that I raced.”

Although his injury cut an otherwise promising season short, Millsaps has recovered and he is confident about 2009.

“I separated my shoulder. It was somewhere between a second and third degree separation, and I broke my collarbone. So I had to rest for 10 weeks, but I’m healed now and I’m getting back into shape and I’ll be ready. I definitely want to make it through the whole outdoor season this year and really show what I can do.”

When it comes to Honda’s new CRF450R, Millsaps can hardly contain his enthusiasm.

“The new CRF450R is amazing. It turns a lot better and it’s a lot smaller. I feel like a giant on it but it’s definitely the way to go. I am just so pumped that I have stayed with Honda this year and I get to ride the new bike. It’s amazing what they have done with that bike from last year to this year.”

Millsaps is equally as animated when he talks about his personal goals.

“I want to show everyone that I can continue to run in everyone’s faces and stay up there. I want to battle out front.”

Ivan Tedesco

When Ivan Tedesco joined Honda Red Bull Racing in 2008, he said he was riding with “the best of the best.” Certainly there is no more fitting place for someone who has Tedesco’s passion for racing motorcycles.

Growing up in Albuquerque gave Tedesco ample opportunity to ride in the desert. His was a gradual transition into the world of professional racing—one that included working his way from an amateur all the way to the top.

When he went pro in 2000, he turned a lot of heads, eventually winning back-to-back AMA Supercross West titles in 2004 and 2005, plus the 2005 125 National Motocross Championship. In 2005 and 2006, Tedesco was one of the Team USA champs at the Motocross of Nations. He carded fifth overall in the 2007 AMA/FIM Supercross Series, but injury hampered him in the outdoor series.

Riding with Red Bull Honda Racing in 2008, Tedesco healed and was ready to go. But early in the season, he sustained a broken hand and a torn ankle ligament that sidelined him for much of the indoor and outdoor series.

“I ended up getting hurt at the fifth round at Anaheim, and that snowballed my season the wrong way, said Tedesco. “With the injuries I had received come mid-season, I was playing catch-up the whole time when everyone else was out there healthy, racing every weekend.”

But Tedesco worked hard to come back. Not only did he return to ride the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in October, he crossed the finish line in second place on the all-new Honda CRF®450R, a solid podium finish that put to rest any lingering notion that this rider was anything less than a serious contender.

“It was really important to me. I put in a lot of work, as well as the team, after the outdoor season. I’m going to carry this momentum into the Supercross season.”

Tedesco has been a fan of the new CRF450R since day one, and even participated in its development.

“I was one of the first guys to ride the bike and give my initial feedback to what things needed to be made better. It’s an all-new bike, so the motor is good, it has fuel injection [EFI], there’s a lot more you can do with the motor, too. As far as testing, every rider is different, but the 2009 bike really suits my riding style. The EFI smoothes out the power characteristics of the motor and the chassis works great. I think the sky is the limit with this new bike.”

With the 2009 season upon him, Tedesco’s enthusiasm is as obvious as it is contagious. “My goal is to go out there and win some races, to be at the front, to be consistent and stay healthy. I know I have what it takes to win.”

Ben Townley

There’s something unforgettable about Ben Townley. Something that goes much deeper than the twinkle in his Kiwi eyes when he talks about the sport of motorcycling. Perhaps what best describes him is the eternal optimism of a true competitor who, quite simply, lives to ride.

Townley began racing before most kids could ride a bicycle. It wasn’t long before he’d conquered everything the country of New Zealand had to offer. At age 16, when he decided to broaden his horizons, he secured a spot on a European race team, landing championships on three continents along the way.

When Townley joined Honda Red Bull Racing in 2008, it seemed like a dream come true. Unfortunately, Lady Luck had other plans for the then 23-year-old.

“I had just started with Honda and I was doing some testing to get ready for the East Coast Supercross series, said Townley. “I came up a little short on a jump, really hurting my leg. I had pretty extensive surgery on my heel, and the process just entailed a real long rehab. I probably had a good three months off.”

With his recovery complete, Townley expected to explode onto the scene as a serious contender in the outdoor Motocross season. Once again, Lady Luck would deal him a difficult hand.

“Right before the start of the Motocross season, and after working so hard to get ready to make a comeback, I had a crash in practice, really hurting my shoulder. I kept preparing and tried to be ready for the opening round, but when I took to the track at Glen Helen, I just felt I wasn’t strong enough. In the practice crash right before the opener, I did something to my wrist and I was totally weak on my right side. After the first two rounds we decided I needed some time off the bike to get healthy, and it had turned out that my shoulder injury was quite extensive. I had to have it operated on.”

Townley’s dogged determination never flagged, but he needed some time to recharge. So he took a vacation to New Zealand, marrying longtime girlfriend Lucy and spending some quality time with his family.

“We had all our friends and family there and had an awesome day, which was really cool. Going home is always just a great time to see everyone and get some good home cooking! I did a bit of fishing and enjoyed being at home with my family.”

While Ben Townley’s body may have been broken, his spirit never was. For 2009 he is back, more confident and stronger than ever before.

“With the surgery I’ve had, I’m like the bionic man now. I’ve taken this time to get healthy and really get strong again, and I am coming back ready to start winning again.”

And about that new Honda CRF®450R? “The bike is a totally new package, especially with the power delivery. This bike is going to be great for me”