For this edition of Classic Ink, we are going to take a look back at some of Renthal’s moto ads from the 2000s.
The 2001 season marked the changing of the guard in Supercross. Jeremy McGrath looked unstoppable early, winning two of the first three rounds and seemingly on his way to an unprecedented eighth title. But his win at round three would be his last in 250 Supercross. Ricky Carmichael took over at round four and never looked back. Watching them battle at round three, it felt like we were in for an all-time season. Once RC started winning, however, the McGrath era was officially over. Two very different riders and personalities, yet both driven by an insane will to win that carried them to the very top.
Coming into 2001, the 125 class belonged to Suzuki and Travis Pastrana. Fresh off outdueling Stéphane Roncada for the 2000 125 National Motocross title, Pastrana looked destined to dominate for years. He delivered on the hype by winning the 2001 125 East Coast Supercross championship, but a string of brutal crashes and concussions during the outdoor season shattered his momentum. While Travis went on to become one of the most successful and recognizable figures in moto through freestyle and rally racing, many hardcore fans still wonder what he could have achieved if he had stayed healthy on the dirt.
The big beneficiary of Pastrana’s outdoor misfortunes was veteran Mike Brown. After several seasons racing in the 125 Grand Prix series overseas, Brown returned stateside and found himself in an epic late-season battle with fellow GP veteran Grant Langston for the 2001 125 National title. At Steel City, it looked like the South African had finally gotten the better of Brown — until a broken wheel on the final lap handed the Pro Circuit rider his first 125 championship in one of the most dramatic season finales in motocross history.
RC’s move to Honda in 2002 was both shocking and off-putting to many fans who felt Honda was trying to “buy a title” after several seasons of playing second fiddle to MC and RC in the 250 division.
2002 brought the next fast Floridian to the pro ranks: James “Bubba” Stewart. The former mini-star made an immediate impact, riding with a level of skill and creativity that looked next-level from day one. His raw talent was on another level, and he quickly became a fan favorite with jaw-dropping moments like his awe-inspiring conquest of LaRocco’s Leap on his KX125.
Honda/Yamaha of Troy was a powerhouse satellite team on the AMA circuit for nearly two decades serving as a landing spot for former factory riders like Larry Ward and Brian Swink and a launching pad for the careers of young stars like Ernesto Fonseca, Jason Lawrence, and Chad Reed. The Fifth Dragon was still going strong in 2004 with a lineup that included colorful mix of up-and-comers and established veterans headlined by second talent Josh Hansen and 2001 AMA 125 Motocross Champion Mike Brown.
In 2004, Renthal ran one of the coolest and most clever ads in motocross history by mirroring the cover of the August issue of Racer X. Ricky Carmichael had missed the entire Supercross series due to an ACL injury and was making his return at the motocross opener in Hangtown. To commemorate the champ’s return, Renthal partnered with Racer X to produce this one-of-a-kind ad celebrating his Hangtown win. The iconic ad appeared on the back cover and mirrored the front cover’s design and style right down to a selection of bar pads in place of the barcode found on every issue.
In 2004, Honda finally joined the Europeans by equipping the motocross machines with a high-quality alloy bar. The standard Renthal #971 bar was a welcome addition and one less thing you needed to purchase when bringing home your new CR or CRF.
In 2005, the arrival of James Stewart to the 250 class had the hype machine in overdrive. Unfortunately, reality did not quite live up to the hype with an early season crash sidelining the ultra-talented Kawasaki rider for much of the season. Wins at Dallas, Seattle, and Houston proved he had what it took on the big bikes, but he would need a few more years and the retirement of Ricky Carmichael for him to capture his first premier class title.
Pro Circuit Kawasaki was an absolute powerhouse in the 2000s with riders like Mike Brown, Ivan Tedesco, Grant Langston, Ben Townley, and 2006 rookie Ryan Villopoto capturing titles for Mitch and Renthal. I wonder if RV noticed that Rental misspelled his name in this ad?
Renthal’s relationship with Team Honda was one of the oldest in the pits with the two combining for championships all the way back to the 1980s. Unfortunately for Big Red, the departure of Ricky Carmichael to Suzuki in 2005 put a serious dent in their winning ways in the premier division. Andrew Short, Davi Millsaps, Travis Preston, and Ivan Tedesco proved very popular with the fans but they never showed the speed and consistency needed to be a serious title threat on the 450s.
2007 was one hell of a year for Renthal and Kawasaki with Pro Circuit sweeping both coasts and the James Stewart capturing his first 450 Supercross crown.
The arrival of Monster Energy to the factory Kawasaki team in 2008 made for a very handsome motorcycle on the back cover of Racer X, but it also led to some serious tension within the Stewart camp. Stewart’s longtime personal sponsorship with Red Bull was in direct conflict with the new team deal and would play a significant part in his move to Yamaha at the end of the ’08 season.
With the departure of Stewart to Yamaha, the mantel of Kawasaki’s Top Gun fell to 450 rookie Ryan Villopoto. RV was paired with veteran Tim Ferry in 2009 and did an admirable job of holding up the green team’s honor by capturing two indoor victories and the motocross season opener at Glen Helen before exiting the series with an injury.
In 2010, one of the most hotly debated questions in the pits was how the arrival of 2009 AMA 450 Motocross Champion Chad Reed would affect chemistry under the Kawasaki tent. On paper, the Reed–RV pairing looked like a potential powerhouse for Monster Energy Kawasaki (and Renthal), but the two barely raced together. Early in the season Reed crashed in a tangle with James Stewart and suffered a broken hand. Later, RV’s brutal broken leg at St. Louis ended his shot at a first Supercross title. Reed returned to win the Hangtown motocross opener before Epstein-Barr virus forced him out of the series.
