Jordon Smith on His Move to Triumph Racing

Triumph Racing's SuperMotocross team has announced a two-year deal with former Star Racing Yamaha rider Jordon Smith. Jordon spent the last two years with Star Racing, where he wracked up 11 podiums and 15 top fives in Supercross and finished fifth each year in the SuperMotocross series. Jordon expects to bring his experience and consistency to the team in their sophomore year and hopefully lead them to their first Supercross win.

For the full interview, check out the Vital MX podcast right here. If you're interested in the condensed written version, scroll down just a bit further.

Jamie Guida – Vital MX: Before we get into the new, two-year deal with the Triumph SuperMotocross team, I’d like your thoughts on your time at Star Racing Yamaha.

Jordon Smith: It was good. I was coming from not having a factory ride, and I was grateful for the opportunity that Bobby (Regan) and Brad (Hoffman) gave me. They believed in me and felt I could win, giving me every opportunity to do that. I would have liked to have had a better result, but overall, I’m really happy with those two years. My biggest goal was to stay healthy because I’ve had several injuries over the years, so staying healthy was awesome. Doing the entire outdoor series this year taught me a lot and allowed me to grow as a racer. Being there week in and week out and accepting what I had on a day if it wasn’t my day to win was important. That showed in the playoffs. I didn’t have the best starts, but I got what I could, and by the end, we figured out some things with starts and put in a solid podium ride. 

Vital MX: Was there an opportunity to re-sign with Star?

Jordon: Yeah, there was. We tried to get it going earlier in the year, and they wanted to wait and see how things were going, but yes, there was an opportunity.

Vital MX: How did the Triumph opportunity come about? Did they reach out, or did you or your agent go to them?

Jordon: I use an agent, and I don’t remember if he reached out or they reached out to us. I’ve known some of the guys at Triumph from teams they were on in years past and they’ve had success and want to win. So, I was confident in the team and excited to work with them.

Vital MX: With the people behind the team, Jalek Swoll, and the riders being announced, I believe it will be a strong team in 2025.

Jordon: I think so, too. Having a few more of us there riding day in and day out and developing the bike together will be good. It’s a bit of an all-star staff over there, which is exciting. I’ve learned a lot over the years about how I like my set-up, and it should be a smooth transition. Hopefully, I can also bring a lot of knowledge and help to them. 

Vital MX: Were there any other offers other than Star and Triumph?

Jordon: I don’t think so. I believe it was only those two teams.

Vital MX: What intrigued you the most about the Triumph offer? Have you had a chance to ride the bike?

Jordon: I have not ridden the bike yet, but hopefully, I will in the next week or two. I’m going to Nate Thrasher’s wedding this weekend, so my first time on the bike will probably be after that. Obviously, Star’s bike is very good and proven, and going to a new team presents some unknowns. What put me at ease was the guys involved with the team. They’ve been on winning teams and know how to set up a bike, build an engine, and do everything necessary. It’s not as if it’s a team of people who are just starting out. The bike is new, but they know how to develop it and win championships. One of the things that drew me to Triumph is the fact that we’ll be continuously trying to make the bike better and fit what I want. Sometimes, when you go to a winning team, it’s easy for them to say, “Well, so and so won on this. So, you should be able to win on it, also.” That may not always be the case. It’s exciting to bring my knowledge, help them grow the brand, and possibly put myself in the record books as the first winner for Triumph. 

Vital MX: If you go in with an open mind, knowing Jalek put in some good results, but they also had a few DNFs, you understand that it should be good. There will be peaks and valleys.

Jordon: For sure. There are always going to be hiccups with a first-year or twentieth-year bike. I had a DNF on the Star bike this year, and nobody is immune to it. I’ve talked to the guys, and they feel their small problems will be resolved. I’m confident in it.

Vital MX: What are you looking for at this point in your career? What’s important going forward? Have you talked to them about a 450 opportunity?

Jordon: I still have the drive to win every day. That’s the number one goal, especially in Supercross. That’s where I, and I want to be the first person to put the Triumph on top. I want to be battling for championships. I had a lot of fun battling with RJ (Hampshire) and Levi (Kitchen) this year and wish I could have finished it. I’m looking for a good vibe with the team because it makes it easier to do the work when everyone is having fun. I’ve had a great time with Star over the last two years with great training partners, and we had a lot of fun. I want to keep the vibe of being happy, going to the track, and having fun. As I’ve gotten older, I enjoy doing the work more than when I was younger. I also would like to move up to the 450 class as soon as possible. I believe I’ll be a good 450 rider when I get the opportunity, so I want to get good enough results that they want to put me on one.