Team Preview: Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM – WPS

A glimpse of what’s to come for the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM – WPS team.

Millsaps returns after a successful summer in Canada.

Photos: Simon Cudby

Who’s In:

#4 Blake Baggett

#18 Davi Millsaps

#34 Benny Bloss

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Who’s Out:

#10 Justin Brayton

#29 Andrew Short

BTO Sports

Last season’s Supercross Results:

Millsaps: 14^th Overall 450SX

Brayton: 8^th Overall 450SX

Short: 27^th Overall 450SX

Last Season’s Motocross Results:

Bloss: 6^thOverall 450MX

Short: 9^th Overall 450MX

Brayton: 11^th Overall 450MX

Offseason Grade: B+

Baggett will ride a KTM for the first time in his professional career in 2017.

The Rundown:

The former BTO Sports KTM team will now be known as Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM – WPS. Team Manager Forrest Butler was busy this offseason trying to find a replacement for Andrew Short and build for the future. The team added Blake Baggett and kept fill-in rider Benny Bloss on the squad to join lone holdover Davi Millsaps.

Millsaps is fresh off of his dominant summer in the Canadian MX1 class in Canada, so he should be as fit as can be come Anaheim 1. He’s always a threat for great results if he’s mentally in a good place, which seemed to be the case over the summer. If we can get the same Davi that we saw in Canada I don’t see why he can’t win a supercross or two this year. He’s the veteran in this group of riders as he enters his thirteenth year as a professional.

Baggett is entering his fourth team as a professional and third brand. He was smart in getting this deal finished early as many top riders are struggling to find a ride for next year. It was also smart because of the fact that BB4 spent most of the 2016 season on the injured reserve. Baggett is always a dark horse in the 450 class. You never know what you are going to get with him. He’s without a doubt going to show a lot of speed, although that doesn’t necessarily show up in the results. Baggett crashes a lot and has come back from a lot of injuries in his career. I think this team will be a great fit for Baggett. He doesn’t have to be the star of this new team, which was often the case over at Yoshimura Suzuki. I think that pressure could have been one of the downsides to being the only rider on the track for the team. He’ll have a great foundation to build on with this new team on his KTM. Sometimes all a rider needs is a fresh start. Baggett will be a sleeper this year.

Bloss is entering his second year as a professional. The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship 450MX Rookie of the Year will be interesting to watch this season. Will his height bother him on the supercross tracks? Will he be able to back up his awesome summer? Bloss was a revelation ever since he stepped onto this team at the end of supercross season. He went from struggling rookie in the 250SX class to a consistent rookie 450MX guy.

I think that Bloss will struggle in supercross next year at first, but then I think he will tame himself down and learn as he goes. Do I think he will finish in the top ten in points? That depends on the amount of injuries in the class. If he stays healthy, and everybody else does as well, then I say that he’s right on the edge of the top ten. He’ll be a 10-12 guy with a stacked field and an 8-10 place guy with injuries. When the outdoor season comes around all bets are off. I see this kid getting on the podium in some motos next summer. Benny and the Jets is going to make some noise this year and will be right behind Austin Forkner as the new guy to watch.

TLD/Red Bull KTM is next.

Preview Schedule

10/14 – Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – WPS KTM

10/21 – Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM

10/28 – Red Bull KTM

11/4 – Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Factory Yamaha

11/11 – Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha

11/18 – GEICO Honda

11/25 – HRC Honda

12/2 – Rockstar Husqvarna

12/9 – Factory Monster Energy Kawasaki

12/16 – Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki