For the most part, until Jeremy McGrath formed his own team after switching from Suzuki to Yamaha in 1998, 250cc class factory supercross/motocross bikes were used exclusively by factory team riders — not by riders with their own private teams. Since that time, other non-factory teams, with full factory support, have sprouted up in the premier 250cc class.
Riders such as Mike LaRocco and Kevin Windham mount full fledged factory Hondas each weekend, despite the fact they do not ride directly for Honda. This has allowed a select few riders to race with the best equipment, without necessarily encountering the same level of pressure and bureaucracy of riding directly for the factory.
What is also interesting is the fact that the top riders now have a real option to form their own teams, and create, in effect, a bidding war between the factories to support their efforts. Kevin Windham may be in this position for the 2004 season. He does not having a binding contract covering the 2004 season, so he is a “free agent” and his bargaining power is huge given his results outdoors this year.
As the sport grows, we could see a shift away from the factory team model to a circumstance where more and more private teams with factory support exist. Indeed, many successful motor sports have evolved this way.
In the meantime, it will be very interesting to see what Kevin Windham does next year. If he creates his own team, will he attract large, outside-the-industry sponsors like McGrath did, and what bike will he ride?
