Red Bull Moto Spy 2020 | Episode Five

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Red Bull has dropped episode five of the Moto Spy series for the 2020 season and there’s plenty to see in the 20-minute plus video. Voiceovers from media members bring context to the clips and drum up the anticipation, but it’s the personal moments filmed at the practice tracks, in the gym, or at home that really reinforces what we see play out over the course of 17 weekends with defending 450 champion Cooper Webb, a rebuilt Ken Roczen, and the young roster of the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM team.

Not to read too much into things from a single video, but there were a number of things that caught my attention from episode five…

INTRODUCTION

It’s impossible to have a video about the series and not talk about the current situation we find ourselves in, which the Red Bull crew covered in the first few moments. Shots of a partially completed track at an empty Lucas Oil Stadium run on the screen while discussions between myself, Steve Matthes, Jason Thomas, and the DMXS duo play in the background. Don’t worry, there’s no COVID-19 talk in the video after this and you see plenty of riding from this point on.

COOPER WEBB

Since episode four ended with clips of Cooper Webb’s brutal endo at the Arlington Supercross, it’s only fitting that episode five starts with clips of the therapy (ice baths at home, Aldon’s hyperbaric chamber) the defending champion went through so that he could race in Atlanta.

We often see riders discuss track changes with the Dirt Wurx crew, but rarely hear what the talk is about. With Webb mic’d up, we’re able to hear him share his opinion towards obstacles on the track and the surface of the stadium floor. To no surprise, Webb is now leary of concrete. 

It was uncertain Webb would be capable of just seven days after what he said was the hardest crash of his career, but when it was time to race, the Red Bull KTM rider did exactly what was necessary to stay in the title hunt. His late battle with Tomac was incredible, as the two expertly worked their way through lapped riders and a challenging track, and Webb came out ahead to take the final place on the podium.

PIERCE BROWN

The Moto Spy series has done a very good job showing the accomplishments and setbacks experienced by the rebuilt Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM team in 2020 (their footage and edit of the Moreau incident at Tampa was perfectly done in episode four). Atlanta was another new chapter for the team, as it marked Pierce Brown’s pro debut in Supercross after he was advised to sit out the first two rounds. A very talented rider that has been part of the TLD KTM squad for years, Brown missed his final amateur season due to injury and entered 2020 with very little hype or attention, which made his performance in Atlanta even more impressive.

Placed in the B Group for Timed Qualifying, Brown’s best lap time put him in the top-five overall and proved that he had the pace of the field. Still, there were some rookie errors, including a face plant in the opening laps of the Main Event that hampered his final result. Keep an eye on him in the years to come.

It’s cool to hear the communication between the team and Brown, as the experienced crew shared words of advice throughout the day and allowed Brown to realize and reflect on his mistakes.

KEN ROCZEN

A win at Atlanta was a must for Ken Roczen. Second in the championship entering the weekend, the Team Honda HRC rider needed to score the maximum amount of points to stay close to Eli Tomac before the series headed to Daytona, a race many expected would go to three-time and defending outdoor champion Tomac. Roczen did just, as his dominant performance came all while Tomac tangled with other riders, battled for position, and finished fourth on the night. With Roczen’s win and Tomac’s finish, the two exited the ninth round of the season tied in points. Someday we will look back on this 450 Main Event as one of the most eventful of the era. 

Roczen carried the momentum from the Atlanta win right into his weekly motos at the practice track in Florida, which set the transition to the next segment of the episode…

CHASE SEXTON

Chase Sexton’s 2019 250 East Coast Supercross title changed his entire career plan. A talented rider, no doubt, he won only one Main Event through the course of the season (East Rutherford) and took the number one plate after long-time series leader Austin Forkner was sidelined by injury. Due to the AMA’s rules that intend to keep the 250 Class as a development division, the accomplishment meant Sexton would have to advance to the 450 Class sooner than anticipated and his move to Team Honda HRC would happen for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

Will Sexton be ready for the big class? That was certainly a question during the past offseason, as his success on the small-bore bike was rather limited compared to the standard barometer for a factory contract, but he’s backed up his 1E plate with massive improvement and multiple wins in 2020. He’s earned it.

The week between Atlanta and Daytona as an “all hands on deck” test for the Team Honda HRC staff and included Sexton’s first laps on the big 450. It’s cool to hear how excited he was to get a glimpse at the bike for the first time and he wasted no time getting up to speed. Tall, skinny, and very aggressive, the footage of Sexton on the outdoor track made me think of another rider’s style, which Ken Roczen also seemed to notice: Tim Gajser. It’ll be very, very interesting to see Sexton race this summer.