British Manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles to debut in the heart of American Motors
After more than a year of anticipation, Triumph Motorcycles makes their Monster Energy Supercross debut this weekend at Ford Field in Detroit for Round 5 of the 2024 season with a well-established rider in Jalek Swoll and newbie Evan Ferry sitting atop the flat black machines.
No matter where Triumph finishes, history will be made.
The iconic British manufacturer join Japan's Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Sweden's Husqvarna, Austria's KTM, Spain's GasGas and Italy's Beta Motorcycles to represent the sixth different country and ninth current brand to field an active SuperMotocross entry.
MORE: Triumph Motorcycles to join SuperMotocross in 2024
Also debuting this year, it took three rounds for Beta Motorcycles to qualify for a night show and earn manufacturer points in the highly competitive 450 division. Triumph has a different plan with intention to run the 250 East division in Supercross and the full 250 schedule for Pro Motocross.
Based on times laid down in Free Practice Saturday morning, it is likely that both riders will make the night show. With a solid performance in the heats, Swoll and Ferry have a good shot at being in the Main.
For now, that's the goal.
"I need a good start and try to get out of here with a top-five finish and be in the mix and then build off that," Swoll told NBC Sports on Press Day in Detroit. "I put in the work during the offseason. I feel good, feel confident, the bike's good. It's a good chance for me to go out and surprise people from what they think is going to happen. But it all starts with the start."
From there, Swoll will reevaluate his goals as the season progresses.
A longtime Husqvarna rider, Swoll missed last year’s Supercross season with an injury. He came back to finish ninth in Pro Motocross. His best points' finish was fifth in the 2021 250 West season and with how wide-open the 250 class is in 2023, with Jett and Hunter Lawrence moving up to 450s, that is an achievable goal for 2024.
In Free Practice on Saturday, Swoll was fifth fastest in the group that holds the title contenders.
If he finishes that well in the Main, Swoll will attribute his strong run to the familial atmosphere of his new home.
"There's something about being around some familiar faces and a family-like circle," Swoll said. "I'm just super happy. All offseason I've been stoked to be a part of history. It's been good, I'm looking forward to it and trying to keep the ball rolling."
Riding in fluorescent yellow livery on the black bike, Swoll and Ferry are easy to spot on track. In fact, they look a bit like high-speed highlighters zooming through the field.
As for the junior rider on the team, Ferry is just looking to make a name for himself.
"Success for me is just being in the Main Event and battling with those guys for as long as I can," Ferry told NBC. "Honestly, I really don't know how it's going to go. I haven't ridden since Loretta's last year so I'm really just kind of getting my feet wet and seeing how it goes."
Ferry made three starts in Supercross Futures last with a best finish of seventh in the season finale at Salt Lake City.
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