Meet Team Suzuki MX Rider, Blake Baggett

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

From a Suzuki press release:

Blake Baggett has joined Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing after concluding a solid four-year career on 250cc machines where he became AMA 250 Motocross National Champion in 2012 and compiled 14-career wins in the series.

This result placed him tied for seventh with Motorcycle Hall of Fame legends Broc Glover and Marty Smith on the all-time AMA 250 Motocross wins list.



Known more for his abilities on big outdoor motocross tracks than in the close confines of Supercross stadiums, Baggett has nevertheless shown flashes of brilliance during his AMA 250 East/ West Region Supercross career having earned four victories and a host of podium finishes. He owns a pair of 250 SX East victories at the prestigious and gruelling Daytona Supercross.

As a motocross racer Baggett became one of the elite riders of all time in the 250c class during his four pro seasons. After being a series contender and earning five victories, he finished third in the final 2011 AMA 250 Motocross Series. It was a breakthrough for Baggett and set-him-up for an epic 2012: It all came together for Baggett during the 2012 AMA 250 Motocross campaign, when he again scored five wins and four additional podiums on top of that to secure his first national championship as a pro.


The 2012 championship has proven to be the highlight of Baggett’s career to date. In the last couple of seasons he’s been plagued by injury, including a bad wrist break that greatly hindered him in 2013. Just prior to the 2014 AMA Motocross season Baggett suffered a scary eye injury, that not only threatened his 2014 season, but came close to costing him the use of the eye. Amazingly Baggett rallied and in spite of still recovering throughout the summer, he challenged for the championship before ultimately finishing runner up in the 2014 AMA 250 Motocross Championship; one of the most outstanding runner-up seasons in AMA Motocross history.

Internationally Baggett has twice been a proud member of the U.S. Motocross of Nations team. In 2011 he was part of the team that won the prestigious international competition alongside Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto.


Baggett – who makes his 2015 debut at this weekend’s AMA/ FIM World Supercross Championship opener at Anaheim in California aboard the RM-Z450 – hopes to build a legacy on the big bikes, just as he did on the 250s.

Name: Blake Baggett.
Hometown: Grand Terrace, CA.
Residence: Grand Terrace, CA.
Nickname: El Chupacabra.
Birthdate: 1/31/92.
Height: 5’7″.
Weight: 135 lbs.
Number: 4.
Turned Pro: 2009.

RACE HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2014: Sixth place in the AMA 250 East Supercross Series (won the Daytona Supercross 250 East and scored three other podium results before suffering an eye injury in training and missing the final two rounds of the series). Second place – AMA 250cc Motocross Championship (three wins, with three additional podiums).

2013: 29th place – AMA 250 West Supercross Series (broke a bone in his wrist in the first round and missed the rest of the 2013 Supercross season). Fourth place – AMA 250 Motocross Championship (won Budds Creek 250 National and scored two additional podiums).

2012: Fifth place – AMA 250 East Supercross (scored four podium finishes). Champion – AMA 250 Motocross Championship (five national wins, plus four additional podiums). Represented Team USA in Motocross of Nations (USA finishes third).

2011: Fourth place – AMA 250 East Supercross (two wins, plus four additional podium finishes). Third place – AMA 250 Motocross Championship (five national wins, plus three additional podium finishes). Was part of the winning US Motocross of Nations team.

2010: Fifth place – AMA 250 East Supercross (won the Arlington (TX) round, plus one additional podium finish at Houston). 23rd place – AMA 250 Motocross Championship (best result fourth overall at High Point, before being injured at Budds Creek and missing final eight rounds).

2009: 25th place – AMA 250 Motocross Championship (after winning an amateur national title at Loretta Lynn’s he raced the final three rounds and scored two top-10 finishes).

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

More by Troy Siahaan

Comments
Join the conversation
Next