Drew Adams: Into The Unknown

Drew Adams made his long-anticipated debut for Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki at the third round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season – his performance justified the frustration over his delayed debut, showing why many felt he deserved a spot on the team sooner.

Competing in 250SX for the first time is a significant mental shift. It is a challenge that riders spend months preparing for. Adams faced the unique challenge of preparing without knowing when his professional career would officially start. In fact, he was revealed as an Anaheim 2 entrant mere hours before the event begun after injuries sidelined his two teammates – Garrett Marchbanks and Ty Masterpool – in the days prior to the race.

It was a consistent start to Adams' journey: he started the 250SX West main event in sixth and reached the finish line in eighth. Debuting when your experienced competitors are in the midst of a term is not for the faint hearted, but consistent rainfall made the experience trickier. "There was a lot that shocked me," pondered Adams in a post-race discussion. "These riders are fast and the intensity is super high out here.

"I learned a lot today. I am pleased with where I finished, obviously, but the rain was a factor in our main event. You cannot complain about it as it was the same for everybody, but it was difficult. I would say that there was a lot that surprised me – I just put a mark down. There were no expectations." Notably, Adams matched the best result of his experienced teammate Marchbanks, a former winner, in the first two rounds.

Readers should not assume this result guarantees stability, as uncertainty still looms over his supercross future. With an all-new motorcycle and limited resources, Adams will be benched if his two teammates return to action in the near future. This raises a new challenge: How can he make an impact and prove his worth with no clear timeline? It is a lot for a rider, desperate to start the process of working towards championship contention, to manage.

Adams faced that plight at Anaheim 2: he had to hold himself back to ensure that he was not chasing too much too soon. For a rookie, showing such composure is impressive – most struggle to resist the urge to make an immediate statement. "I was in the B practice today," Adams recollected. "I would run a one-minute flat, then the riders in A would be in the 57s. It would make me mad. It is my first race and I have to learn a lot. I cannot expect to come out here and smoke everyone. I learned a lot and definitely held myself back."

For now, Adams has a chance to prove he belongs in 250SX West, even if the clock is ticking. With Marchbanks' return looming and Masterpool's recovery uncertain, this window may close quickly. Whether Adams solidifies his spot or not, one thing is clear: his poised debut has marked him as a rider to watch.