So with the rumors floating around about Deegan starting a 450 team.
Puzzle pieces look to be falling into place.
If CC takes the test riding/fill in job next year. Gives him ample time to get fitness right as well as learn the star 450 again. Build more to the relationships he already has there.
Deegan goes 450 for his own team in 2026 with CC as a team mate. They’ll lease bikes from star and use the goat farm as a practice compound. This way you have someone who you’re super close with who has done all the testing and you come in with a good baseline and ready to go. Also prob little cheaper on wallet as well.
Potentially gives an extension to CC career as well.
Remember the Deegans are very strategic in every little aspect in their lives and careers. It would make sense to get that ball rolling now.
Thoughts?
Do you have sources of these rumors? Sounds like a wild concept, but I guess if anyone is going to attempt this it is Brian Deegan.
It seems far too early in Deegan's career to jump to an private team. The last thing he needs is the distraction of an effort like that.
On a side note, is this site ever going to be fixed? It's still impossible to type a message witnout it being a major pain.
It was talked about on Pulp, the Craig to Star for racing and trainer/test rider thing is supposedly a done deal, this is a pretty cool deal if so.
Craig obviously had a good relationship with the guys at Star, his half brother is the team manager and him and Haiden have a close relationship obviously. I imagine Haiden is paying Craig to be his trainer and Craig is riding for a low salary with bonus heavy contract. Its obvious Deegan needs to change his riding style a bit to better suit supercross so this is probably a good move.
The rumor was that when Deegan goes to 450s that is when they will start their own team possibly with Craig as manager, this was more of an idea/rumor I believe.
Your theory sounds possible.
A 2026 plan for Haiden, has got to be well in the works by Brian, and sponsors.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
heard that discussed last night on pulp as well. it would be interesting.
With all the side sponsors he has via YouTube etc. He (Brian) can fully fund and operate a team. It’ll be like MC and the chaparral Yamaha days.
The bikes will be lease from star so they’ll be factory level bikes. He’ll keep his mechanic. They ride and train at goat farm. So nothing really changes per say.
If this happens.....the VItal Deegan lynchmob....
I just don’t see the point of running their own program/team when it seems like Star would do just about anything to make Haiden happy, seems like a lot of extra expenses/stress for what?
I have to agree with this.
If anyone can make more money running a race team vs riding for a team, its probably the Deegans.
$$$
If they can line up something like pulling RockStar back in or getting Monster to cut a bigger check, it could make sense,. Brian also has a huge ego so it would make sense that he wants to be the one running the show
At some point Star simply cannot afford what the Deegans think they are worth, while still supporting a full 250/450 team. The private team idea removes the financial ceiling the Deegans face on a manufacturer funded team, while also still enjoying factory equipment, technical support and training facilities. From Star's perspective, they are still attached to the Deegans but have the financial ability to fund the rest of their program. Win/win.
I predict the same for the Lawrence brothers in the near future. Private Red Bull/Outback/Fosters/Raygun/Honda team with HRC bikes and technical support.
Great point. Why bring on a headache
I would think that a team based on one rider (even if there’s a token second) would be becoming a tougher sell for sponsors. One thumb injury could mean that the thing you are investing in the most is not racing for a couple of months at a time. As a rider/owner, having the stress of employing all those people would be a huge weight on your shoulders too.
Maybe there’s enough support staff to keep HD from needing to worry about details, but it seems like more stress for probably not a huge amount more income after all costs are paid.
Honest question. How does it make financial sense to run your own team if you’re already on one of the best factory teams?
Haiden is probably able to make close to $1-2 million a year as a 250 rider if he keeps winning.
$2 million plus as a 450 rider
I think only reason factory teams can pay what they do is because they are backed by billon dollar companies that are well diversified. JGR had nascar money right?…and still folded.
Do factories still pay win and championship/race win bonuses if you’re not on the factory team?
If I’m way off base I apologize. Anyone else have any insight?
They’re trying to take the nascar model approach.
Lease bikes and training facility. Cut down on cost. Spend little money up front and make bigger money on the back end with sponsors and bonus etc.
it def works if done right. MC and CR22 as well as RCH proved it.
JGR folded cause coach told Coy to stop playing with a hobby.
Lot of companies these days want B2B and if you can do that through other sports then they’re on board. Deegans bring in a lot with YouTube and that’s why having their own team makes sense on many levels
Thanks for the insight.
Pit Row
If Star and/or HRC can’t afford a rider they may be over valuing themselves….i would think this would be a terrible time to this with bike and parts/gear sales slowing down.
Ask Ricky what would of happened if Ken won the SX title in 2016… They weren’t making money.
These teams have big insurance policy’s etc to protect them. That’s who pays if titles are won or guys hurt etc.
Did any of the teams mentioned actually turn a profit? It sounded like Reed was having to dip into his own money most of the time, and it also sounded like RCH was break even at best. Not sure about JGR, including their performance parts business but if Coy was told to stop playing with his ‘hobby’, it sure sounds like it wasn’t generating profits.
"The Deegan's starting a team", must be a Brian Deegan plan. And its the dumbest plan I've ever heard. HD38 needs to keep signing contracts for established teams. NOT ride for himself on untrusted equipment or personnel. Brian needs to take a step back and stop getting involved in his son's career.
If Brian started Metal Mullisha and was very successful in doing so why couldn't he do it with Haiden?
Of all the top riders racing today i think only Haiden and Jett could make this work to where it would be more profitable and enjoyable. Chase, JCoop, Webb, etc, they just do not appear to have the social media presence.
And for those who say why would Haiden want the headache? I don't think he would do much in the way of running the team and his work load would be the same. His mother and father would be the ones taking on the headache.
If the revenue they can earn from all avenues, less expenses not covered by Star/Yamaha, is more than Star can pay they are not over valuing themselves. I have no idea how the numbers look but Deegan (or Mirtl) isn't going to take a leap of faith, he will put in the diligence and know their best plan. He's done pretty well for himself when it comes to these kind of business decisions.
I don't think HRC wants the Lawrence's on a Customer Red Bull HRC bike winning races, they want to win races with them abroad a Honda HRC 450 with the corporate colors, Honda will never have problems to pay Jett and Hunter or make them happy, after all Honda is the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, they are so loaded with cash that their MXGP, AMA SMX and WSBK programs don't have a title sponsor, no other OEM is wIlling to do that, plus they can also afford to compete in MotoGP and in F1, Honda wants to win with their racing división, HRC, not with a Customer.
Reason Coy was told to let go of Mx was the contract with Toyota on nascar side and they couldn’t switch manufactures in bikes. They were essentially locked. Hence why they were rumored with Ducati a while back.
Also his son was coming up into has car and that was a major priority. So Mx kinda got put aside.
They want to be back in but the opportunity needs to make sense.
(RIP Coy)
All their nascar sponsors loved the b2b and cross overs at the time with monster coming into nascar as well.
These teams make money. It might not be a ton but they make some money. I just wish this industry would open up more about finances etc like other sports do.
I mean essentially PC even FC Honda, TLD when there were Honda and KTM are and were privateer teams. Or even Hewitt when he ran his deal before getting taken over by factory.
Ya they get help from manufacture with bikes and some small $ but they still function on sponsors etc.
Honda has let go of MC, RC, Rossi, Stoner and Marquez in the recent future. I’m sure there’s more in the past. They’ll ride the Lawrence brothers until they do not want to.
I keep waiting to see all the tears and brain melting posts from the “Vital Deegan Lynchmob” but all I can seem to find is you insisting it’s happening in every other thread.
I don't see it... But I am a very traditional old school racer. And I acknowledge that Brian is different and probably thinks in ways we haven't seen too much of before. A few private teams have been successful at the highest level, but not many. Most of the time the full factory teams are on top and I think that's where Brian needs to hold on to his horses a little...
Post a reply to: Craig/Deegan/Star