Seeing Red: Honda 2020 Team Intro 3

As we get ever-closer to a new Supercross race season, Honda unveiled their race team lineups at their test facility. Here's a peek at what we saw.

You know we're closing in on a new Supercross season when Honda gathers everyone at their Supercross test track for a round of photos, videos, and interview time with their sponsored teams. Things are looking good for the Red Riders as we head into 2020.

Here's a peek at the new look that the Team Honda HRC riders will be rocking in '20. We like the red valve cover. We're still getting used to the abbreviated background on the sideplates where the rider's boots usually very quickly chew up the stickers.

 

Team Honda HRC got creative with their roster for 2020. Justin Brayton (fresh from wrapping up his fourth Australian Supercross title) will join Ken Roczen for the Supercross season. Chase Sexton gets one more Supercross season with GEICO Honda, and will likely ride some 450 races opposite whichever coast he ends up racing. He'll then move over to the Team Honda HRC team full-time during the outdoor season.

That's quite a lineup of bikes for the GEICO Honda crew, though they will lose Chase Sexton after Supercross when he moves to the Team Honda HRC team for the outdoors and beyond. Hunter Lawrence's bike was still idle, while he's in recovery mode for his ACL reconstruction. But he's been hitting it hard in physical therapy. At three months post-surgery, he's been training hard on a mountain bike with Johnny O'Mara, and he got clearance from his doctor to put in his first laps aboard his Honda this week.

Some of the biggest news on the GEICO Honda front was the addition of Ryan Dungey to the ownership group of the team. He was introduced by Rick "Ziggy" Zielfelder and joined up front by Jeff Majkrzak (right), who also has an ownership stake in the team.

From left, Jo Shimoda and Jett Lawrence will be the rookies for the year. It's good to see Jeremy Martin returning from the serious spinal injury that he suffered in '18. Josh Wisenor will continue on as Team Manager, a role he slid into during the summer of '19. The remaining crew? That's Chase Sexton, Christian Craig, and Hunter Lawrence.

We got a preview of the Smartop MotoConcepts Racing bikes in Paris, and as expected they're equipped with the blue seats. Akropovic exhausts are new for the team this year.

Phoenix Racing Honda was also represented, with Jace Owen, who will defend his Kicker Arenacross title (as well as doing selected 250 East rounds), and Kyle Peters, who will concentrate on Supercross, with some Arenacross thrown in.

Kenny has bounced around a little with his helmet choice over the last season or so, but was wearing a Fox V3 during the ride time.

The Honda (and Honda team) is familiar territory for Brayton. He's always had a good working relationship with the team, both from his time there, and while he was riding with the Smartop MotoConcepts Racing crew.

With the recent storms in So. Cal., it made for some interesting shots with the nearby snowcapped peaks.

Malcolm Stewart has already shown good speed since returning to action at the Monster Energy Cup. He's not showing any signs of lingering effects from his broken femur.

Justin Hill will be interesting to watch this season. Is the team structure at Smartop MotoConcepts Racing the missing link in his career?

It's business for usual with Vince Friese, who has been a longtime member with the Smartop MotoConcepts Racing crew.

It was cool to see Chase Sexton sporting the 1e plate on his 250 Honda. Those long legs come in handy in the whoops.

Jeremy Martin is looking like his old self, though he's still looking for a bit more in the endurance department. It's tough to regain the base fitness that he lost while he was on the sidelines, but we know the kind of determination that Jeremy has.

While he's waiting out his penalty for an adverse analytical finding for a performance-enhancing substance, Christian Craig is staying in shape, helping the team test, and is doing all he can to help out the other riders. He has a date with CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport) next week in Geneva, regarding what he and the team feel is mishandling of his case. He's hoping for a ruling that will allow him to start racing sooner.

Jett Lawrence has come a long way in a short amount of time. He'll be one to watch in the coming season.

Jo Shimoda has been training under the watchful eye of Johnny O'Mara.

Ryan Dungey was watchful during the riding time, getting familiar with the riders that he didn't know, and keeping an eye out for where he could provide input. Bring on 2020.


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