Caden Braswell joins Troy Lee GasGas to start Motocross

Caden Braswell will join Michael Mosiman in the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GasGas Factory team for the first four round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.

Braswell made six Mains in 2023 riding a Honda with one top-10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and another pair of 12th-place finishes.

“I’m looking forward to racing for Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing in the first four rounds of Pro Motocross,” Braswell said in a press release. “My goals are to do my best and I’m excited for the gates to drop on the 2023 season.”

Braswell will race these rounds in relief of the injured Pierce Brown, who broke his hand earlier this month while testing for the outdoor season.

“Tough news to break but unfortunately I broke my hand last Friday while prepping for outdoors and had to get it fixed up in surgery today,” Brown said at the time in an Instagram post. “I’ve also been dealing with a torn meniscus for the last month or so and I went ahead and got that fixed up today too thanks to Dr. Greenbaum. We’re on the mend and I’m going to be doing everything possible to get back ASAP.”

MORE: Hunter Lawrence overcame doubt and injury to win the Supercross 250 East championship

Braswell will line up at Pala, California this weekend alongside Mosiman, who has been missing from the lineup since he suffered a concussion at Daytona.

“We’re very excited to have Caden Braswell on board our MC 250F Factory Edition for the first four rounds of Pro Motocross,” said Max Lee, Troy Lee Designs team manager. “We have had a long relationship with Caden, he’s a great kid and works hard, so it’s exciting for him to have this opportunity and to see what he can do.”

While he raced on a Honda this year, the move to Troy Lee Designs will mark a return to GasGas. Riding with their amateur program, he was the 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award recipient following the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. He won the 250 Pro Sport overall as part of the GASGAS amateur program.

Troy Lee Design’s 450 rider, Justin Barcia remains sidelined for now with a collarbone and shoulder injury.

Other 2023 Injury News

450 riders
Eli Tomac, Achilles tendon | It was just a freak deal
Justin Barcia, collarbone and shoulder
Jason Anderson, vertebrae
Cooper Webb, concussion
Christian Craig, elbow
Dylan Ferrandis, concussion | Will not return until Motocross
Marvin Musquin, wrist
Malcolm Stewart, knee | Signs two-year extension
Aaron Plessinger, hip | returned at Salt Lake City

250 riders
Nate Thrasher, hip
Stilez Robertson, leg
Cameron McAdoo, shoulder
Jalek Swoll, arm
Seth Hammaker, arm and wrist
Austin Forkner, knee | Injury isn’t the hardest part
Jo Shimoda, collarbone | returned at Atlanta

INDIANAPOLIS – There were three red flags in the final 20 laps of the 107th Indy 500, including a stoppage with 14 laps remaining after a terrifying crash that sent a tire over the Turn 2 catchfence.

The tire narrowly missed entering a section of an estimated crowd of more than 300,000, landing in a parking lot in the gap between the grandstands and suites. The tire struck a white car that soon was surrounded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway security staff.

NBC Sports announcer Leigh Diffey said there were no reported injuries in the incident, which started when Felix Rosenqvist lost control entering Turn 1, hit the outside wall and then skidded down the track in front of Kyle Kirkwood.

The left-rear tire of Kirkwood’s No. 27 Dallara-Honda sailed over the Turn 2 catchfence after the collision. Kirkwood’s car also turned upside down and slid down the asphalt for about a hundred feet.

The car was turned over by the AMR Safety Crew, which then extricated Kirkwood from the car. The Andretti Autosport driver enthusiastically waved and clapped to the crowd while sitting up on a stretcher that was wheeled to an ambulance.

Kirkwood later told NBC Sports’ Dillon Welch that he was fine while standing for an interview outside the care center.

“Everything happened so quick,” Kirkwood said. “All I’ve heard is I was up in the fence, which is never a good thing in IndyCar. Thank God these cars are safe. It could have been a lot worse. I was seeing sparks flying everywhere. That was the scary part because you’re upside down and kind of stuck at that point.

“We felt like we were going to win it. I’m glad I’m OK. I’m glad the car was super fast. But I’m disappointed in that finish, no doubt.”

“I’m just glad I’m so safe.”

Kyle Kirkwood is okay after a scary crash ends his day at the #Indy500. pic.twitter.com/p1bsnDtKuZ

— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 28, 2023

After a 13-minute flag, the race was restarted on Lap 187 of 200.

“I got passed and got on the wrong side of the wake,” said Rosenqvist, who had started on the front row. “I almost got it but the rear came out right before the exit of the corner, hit the wall, and I tried to stay up there. Eventually, something broke in the rear. I came back on track and unfortunately Kyle hit me. It was really unfortunate for him as well.”

The race was restarted on Lap 194, but a crash for Pato O’Ward brought out another red flag with six laps remaining.

After restarting again on Lap 196, the race was placed under red for a third time at 4 p.m. for a multicar wreck on the frontstretch.

Caden Braswell joins Troy Lee Design factory GasGas team for start of 2023 Motocross season

Tire flies over Turn 2 catchfence in crash among three late red flags in Indy 500

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