Kawasaki Team Green™ Pro Circuit Off-Road has revamped its rider lineup for the off-road season. Competing in the National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC), the team welcomes longtime motocross and off-road rider Justin Hoeft in the Pro Class, alongside Colton Aeck, who will compete in the Pro 2 Class. Dalton Shirey will race a variety of series, including the AMA West Hare Scrambles, AMA National Hare and Hound, Best in the Desert, and more. The team will also support up-and-coming amateur rider, Kodiak Lehman in the NGPC series.

Looking to strengthen Kawasaki’s presence in off-road competition, suspension expert Jim “Bones” Bacon brought the concept of creating a new team to Kawasaki and Pro Circuit personnel, and in less than three months, the team was formed. As a former desert racing champion, Mitch Payton’s deep roots in off-road racing played a key role in the push for creating a team and establishing a stronger off-road presence. Bones also enlisted the assistance of former Team Green rider Billy Fullmer to help manage the program.

The team saw early success even before the NGPC season began, with Hoeft making an impressive debut at the iconic Day in the Dirt at Glen Helen. Hoeft captured three race wins over the weekend, including the toughest event of the weekend, the Coup de Grace race. The 90-minute endurance-style race on the Grand Prix course saw Hoeft battle to the finish to claim the coveted victory aboard his KX™450X.

Shirey opened the AMA National Hare and Hound season last weekend with an impressive third overall finish at the Winter Classic. The course consisted of two grueling 40-mile loops through Johnson Valley, with terrain that ranged from dry lake beds and flowing sand washes to technical trails and rocky obstacles.

The NGPC season officially kicked off on January 13 at the American Grand Prix, where Shirey captured the Open AA Class win, Hoeft finished fourth in the Pro Class, and Aeck secured fifth in the Pro 2 Class. The series continues this weekend with Round 2 at the Gold Rush Grand Prix, the team looks ahead to a promising season filled with strong performances.