It’s been a wild year for mid-season team switch-ups. First, Colt Nichols and the Liqui Moly Beta Factory Racing team mutually parted ways, then ClubMX Yamaha announced that Garrett Marchbanks would no longer be a part of their team after the Red Bud National, and now Shane McElrath joins the list.
However, Shane McElrath’s situation is different from Marchbanks’ and Nichols’. Shane doesn’t have a contract lined up for 2025. Before ClubMX let Garrett Marchbanks go, he had already signed with Pro Circuit Kawasaki to return to their team for 2025. In Colt’s situation, he left Beta with another year and a half still on his contract. He was seen test-riding the HEP Suzuki RM-Z450 before the press release was posted about his official departure from Beta.
Read Shane’s explanation below:
Shane McElrath: “Obviously, it’s not ideal to switch teams mid-season. This year has been a challenge for me, but I was committed to maintaining integrity and finishing out the season with my best foot forward. Unfortunately, the team terminated my contract with six rounds left in the SMX series. It was not a mutual decision to part ways. However, with every challenge, there’s a silver lining. I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made in this industry and I feel blessed that the Madd Parts Kawasaki team was able to pick me up for the remainder of this year. They didn’t put any pressure on me to race so quickly, but I have enjoyed my first two days on the bike and I’m excited to line up on the Madd Parts Kawasaki KX450 this weekend. As of now, I don’t have a contract signed for 2025, and I’m looking to finish out the season strong with my new team.”
