Roger De Coster retires as US MXoN manager
'I always wanted our sport to become bigger, more important and more respected around the world,' De Coster said in a news release. 'This is why I raced in many places around the world besides the GPs — Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Australia — and ended up in the United States for good. For me, the Motocross of Nations became the single biggest race of the year, and I am very thankful to the U.S. riders and all the people who supported this event with their best efforts and gave me the support to fulfill a lot of my dreams.'
Guidance of Team USA in the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) moves to the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) director of racing, in an arrangement similar to most FIM National Federations.
'The hardest job in the world might be following in the footsteps of Roger 'The Man' De Coster because it should go without saying that no one can fill Roger's shoes,' said AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier. 'Of course, that's not our intention here, but simply to adopt the model that other national teams use with success, allowing ourselves to leverage the contributions and input from our riders and their managers. Team USA almost always includes riders from multiple teams with different ideas and strategic thinking.'
Dan Beaver,
De Coster has managed Team USA 36 times in MXoN, four of those in the Trophee des Nations race that, prior to 1984, featured 250cc motorcycles. De Coster won all four Trophee des Nations races and 21 MXoNs.
'There has not been a more important or popular global ambassador for this entire sport than Roger De Coster,' said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. 'In the 1960s, Roger helped introduce Americans to professional motocross through the Inter-Am tour, and then showcased the sport to much of the rest of the world during his reign as a five-time FIM 500cc World Champion in the 1970s.
'After retiring as a racer in 1980, Roger quickly moved to America and helped lead Team USA to the top of the world for the first time in 1981, and he has helped maintain that success ever since. Throughout his time with American Honda, Suzuki, and most recently KTM, Roger De Coster has played a vital role in leading each brand to new heights on the AMA circuit. His influence and leadership contributions will be felt for many years to come.'
This year's MXoN event is at Ironman Raceway USA in Crawfordsville, Indiana, October 3-5. This week, it was announced that the U.S. will also host the MXoN in 2028 and 2031.
'Roger has inspired generations of racers to want to compete in the Motocross of Nations and represent their home countries,' added Feld Motor Sports Vice President - Supercross, Dave Prater. 'Roger is in a class by himself, and his success with Team USA is unequaled and will go unmatched. On behalf of Feld Motor Sports and the SMX League, we would like to thank Roger for his enduring commitment and passionate leadership to Team USA.'
De Coster was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.
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