Feature Story
Familiar Faces, Fresh Perspectives
The Stories Behind Monster Energy® Kawasaki's Newest Faces
With the 2027 SuperMotocross season approaching, the Monster Energy® Kawasaki family welcomes two accomplished riders to their respective lineups, bringing proven talent, experience, and championship ambitions into the upcoming year. Malcolm Stewart joins Monster Energy Kawasaki in the premier 450 Class, while Nate Thrasher joins Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki in the 250 Class, each bringing an established professional career and a different perspective on the opportunity ahead. For Stewart, the move marks a return to the brand that supported him throughout his amateur racing days, while Thrasher joins a team he has admired since childhood. Although their connections to Kawasaki began in different ways, both riders have spent years building their careers in the industry and now have the opportunity to bring those experiences to their new teams.
Malcolm Stewart
450 Class - No. 27
Stewart's history with Kawasaki began long before his professional career, when Kawasaki Team Green™ provided the support and opportunities that helped him develop as an amateur racer. Looking back, some of his favorite memories have less to do with racing itself and more to do with the people and experiences surrounding it. “There are so many good memories from my Team Green days. Growing up, I always felt like Team Green was at the top of the food chain in amateur racing, but it was bigger than just racing. They always had the coolest dinners at Loretta's, and the support system was huge. It's all those little things you don't fully recognize or appreciate as a kid. Looking back now, I realize how special it was to be part of that program, and I'm grateful for everything they did for me.” Years later, the opportunity to return brought those memories back, along with the realization that many of the people who helped shape his early career are still part of the Kawasaki racing family. “I always wanted to come back to Kawasaki at some point in my professional career. I just never knew if the opportunity would come around. When I got the call, it immediately took me down memory lane, thinking back to being a kid at the races when my brother was racing for Team Green. What's really cool is that a lot of the same people are still in that building today. There's something special about coming back to a place where you have that kind of history and so many familiar faces. It really feels like things have come full circle.”
Nate Thrasher
250 Class - No. 22
For Thrasher, Kawasaki's influence began from a different perspective, watching the riders he admired establish themselves among the industry’s best. Growing up as a fan of Ryan Villopoto, he followed Kawasaki's championship success and remembers the dominant performances of various riders under the green umbrella. Now, those childhood memories have taken on new meaning as he prepares to represent the same program. “Growing up, it was the best team out there, for sure. I was a huge Villopoto fan and remember watching him win championships. Watching different riders dominate was super special, and now being part of that team means a lot. Hopefully, I can continue that legacy of winning and bring the team another championship.” The Tennessee native joins the five-rider lineup alongside reigning 250SMX World Champion Levi Kitchen, Seth Hammaker, Drew Adams, and Nick Romano, bringing seven career 250SX victories, including his most recent win at Cleveland Supercross earlier this year. After spending his entire professional career so far with the same racing team, Thrasher has found the transition to be easier than expected, and returning to California for training has been a welcome change. “I wouldn't say there's been a huge adjustment going from one factory team to another because everybody does things pretty similarly. I hadn't been to California to ride and train in probably six years, so that's been cool. It's been fun doing it all with Levi [Kitchen] so far, and I can't wait to get down to Florida, keep grinding, and get ready to race.” Having already spent time riding alongside Kitchen, Thrasher will continue his preparations in Florida, where he plans to train with both Kitchen and Romano. As he settles into Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki, the opportunity to work with Mitch Payton and the team's experienced personnel provides a foundation for pursuing his first professional championship.
Both riders bring extensive experience to their respective teams beyond their race results, shaped throughout their careers. Stewart has watched the sport evolve over the years, learning to approach racing with a different perspective. “As you get older, you start to appreciate the sport in a different way. You learn to handle the highs and lows, not just as a racer but as a person too. One of the biggest things I've learned is to never lose sight of why I fell in love with racing in the first place. At the end of the day, I get to race a dirt bike for a living, and not many people can say that. It's something I don't take for granted.” Thrasher shares that perspective gained through experience as he enters his seventh professional season. “Every year, I've learned a little bit, and every time you're on the track, you learn something, good or bad. Going to the races almost feels like another practice day. Hopefully, I can take everything I've learned throughout my career and turn it into success this year.”
While much of their preparation revolves around the upcoming season, both riders have personal interests that offer a glimpse into their lives away from the track. Stewart, an avid fisherman, takes a particular interest in the Kawasaki Jet Ski® personal watercraft lineup. “If people don't know, your boy Malcolm Stewart is a hardcore fisherman! Kawasaki actually makes a Jet Ski that is equipped for fishing, so that's right up my alley. I'm definitely looking forward to that side of things too!” Thrasher, meanwhile, has his sights set on an entirely different kind of adventure, hoping to experience international travel for the first time with his wife. “Outside of racing, I'd love for my wife and I to travel internationally. I'd love to go to Italy, so hopefully we can make that happen.”
As the 2027 SuperMotocross season draws closer, Stewart and Thrasher have more in common than a new set of team colors. For Stewart, that means reconnecting with the people and memories that helped shape his earliest experiences in the industry, while Thrasher looks to follow in the footsteps of the champions he once watched from the stands. Their arrival brings exciting, fresh perspectives to the Monster Energy Kawasaki family as they prepare for the season ahead.
