The dirt in Birmingham, Alabama, is famously fickle. One minute, it offers perfect traction, and the next, it turns into a slick mess that tests the patience of even the most seasoned pro.
Round 10 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship proved to be just as unpredictable for the Dirt Legal DBDRacing WMR KTM team.
Coming off a high-intensity Triple Crown in Indy, the squad rolled into Birmingham ready to tackle the first East/West Shootout of the season. This format is a total gauntlet, cutting the field down to only the top 20 riders from each coast for the night show. There is zero room for error when the fastest guys from both sides of the country are fighting for the same pieces of dirt.
Fresh Faces and Big Milestones
The team was stoked to introduce our newest signing, Anthony Rodriguez, just days before the gate dropped.
Rodriguez jumped into the Dirt Legal colors and immediately hit the track with teammates Kessler and Phelps to scout lines during the Friday press session.
His arrival also marked a massive milestone for our program: the official debut in the premier 450 class. Stepping into the deep end of the displacement pool adds a whole new level of pressure and competition.
We are leaning into that challenge because we know that pushing the limits on the track is exactly what our fans do in their own garages. Shout out to the CEC Motor & Utility family for stepping in as the Birmingham title sponsor to keep the bikes spinning this weekend.
The Roster Breakdown: Marcus Phelps #105
Marcus Phelps showed up in Alabama with a serious point to prove after a rough outing the week before. He found his flow early during the Friday sessions, carving tight lines and showing the kind of corner speed that usually earns a ticket to the night show.
Phelps ended the day 25th overall among the East Coast riders, which is a solid showing in such a stacked field. While he narrowly missed the qualifying cutoff, the performance was one of his most consistent of the entire year.
Consistency is the name of the game in Supercross, and Marcus is proving he has the pace to run with the pack.
Jace Kessler #511 and the Rhythm Struggle
Every rider has those days when the rhythm feels just an inch out of reach.
Kessler struggled to find that perfect flow state in the Birmingham clay, which made it tough to put together the heater laps needed to crack the top 20.
When you are dealing with a combined-coast field, being off by a fraction of a second means the difference between racing and watching from the stands. But don’t count him out just yet.
With his home race in Detroit up next, we expect a much more aggressive Kessler to show up behind the starting gate. He knows those Michigan tracks well, and the motivation to perform in front of a home crowd is a powerful fuel.
Anthony Rodriguez #123: Racing Through the Fever
Making a team debut is hard enough, but doing it while fighting a fever is a different level of misery.
Rodriguez looked right at home on the KTM during the Friday press day, but by Saturday morning, he was battling a sudden illness. Most people would have stayed in bed, but he chose to white-knuckle it and head to the line anyway.
After a P26 qualifying effort, Rodriguez fought his way into a transfer spot during Heat One. A small mistake during a pass attempt sent him into the dirt, forcing him to save his remaining energy for the LCQ. He launched to a strong start in that final qualifier, ultimately crossing the line in 10th place.
Finishing that high while feeling that low is a testament to his raw talent and grit.
Looking Toward the Motor City
The East/West Shootout is an unforgiving format where the margin for error is basically non-existent.
While the Birmingham results weren’t exactly what the team aimed for, the move into the 450 class and the addition of Rodriguez are huge steps forward. They are constantly evolving and getting faster, which is the only way to survive in this sport.
The team is now shifting focus to Detroit, returning to a standard race format where the goal remains simple: find the flow early and stay on the gas.
Transitioning from the Track to the Trail
We love racing because our roots are buried deep in the dirt bike world.
In fact, the frustration of having a world-class machine like a KTM and not being able to ride it on the road is what started Dirt Legal in the first place.
We wanted fellow riders to have the freedom to enjoy their bikes on the trails and on the street without a headache. The problem is that most state agencies make it nearly impossible to get a license plate for a dedicated dirt bike. They want you to jump through hoops, fill out mountains of paperwork, and spend your Saturday waiting in a crowded office just to be told no.
That is where we come in.
We are experts at making almost anything with a motor street-legal, including your favorite dirt bike or even a retired military Humvee. If you are tired of the runaround and want to actually use the vehicle you spent your hard-earned money on, we have the fix.
Ready to get your ride on the road? Register your vehicle with Dirt Legal today.
