Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team rider Seth Hammaker opened the AMA Pro Motocross Championship by racing to 2-1 moto scores at Fox Raceway in Southern California to snag the very first AMA Pro Motocross overall victory of his career.
Round two of the series, the Hangtown Motocross Classic, saw the Pennsylvanian charge to 1-9 moto scores for the third spot on the podium.
Round three at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Colorado brought 2-12 finishes for seventh overall. In possession of the red plate headed into High Point, Hammaker placed fifth in the opening moto before he looped out his Kawasaki KX250F in moto two and ended up with a torn labrum, his summer of racing brought to an abrupt end.
Undergoing shoulder surgery to repair the damaged labrum shoulder, Hammaker has been out of action and looking at a lengthy recovery period. Currently in Southern California and connected with the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki as he looks to get back up to speed, we checked in with him.
“I’m actually currently in California for now,” pointed out Hammaker. “I’m recovering from my latest shoulder injury, unfortunately, from the High Point crash in moto two there. I dislocated my shoulder and when it came out, it tore up my labrum. I had to get that repaired. I’m about three and a half weeks out of surgery now, but everything has been going good. I’m out here working with Dr. G (Dr. Rey Gubernick) and doing therapy and I feel like I’m making really good progress. Other than that, just trying to stay busy and keep it going.
“It does feel like something is missing in your life when you don’t have that dirt bike,” continued Hammaker. “I put everything into it. All of us athletes, you know we put so much into the sport that when you don’t get to race, when you don’t have that, you have to try and find something else to focus on and not let your mind go crazy. I also feel like just the adrenalin rush, that feeling, it’s so hard to get with doing anything else. Especially while you’re hurt. I do other stuff.
“I really enjoy the golf. I put some time into that, but obviously I can’t do that with the recovery of the shoulder. There are just things that you have to find to take over a little bit because it’s easy to watch the races on the weekend and kind of stir yourself crazy.”
Hammaker was in possession of the 250MX red plate and absolutely hitting critical mass on speed, performance and momentum when his season was derailed.
“Absolutely,” said Hammaker. “I felt amazing. This was my first time in the outdoors and being in the championship hunt and having the points lead. I had really good results and I just felt like I was riding at my best ever in the outdoors. And the body is feeling good. To have that come to a halt as quick as it did was tough. It went from one extreme to the next really quick. That’s our sport and that can happen at any time.
“That’s what is frustrating at some points, but at the same time, it’s all part of it. It happens. I think now it is trying to learn from what mistakes were made or what led into it and just look at all the different aspects to it to be just that much better when I do get back on the bike.”
And the damaged labrum and shoulder are rapidly healing up and gaining strength as Hammaker begins to look at getting back on the motorcycle.
“It’s all been really good,” he said. “With my shoulder, I tore the labrum and I had eight anchors put in there, so it’s all tight again. I hope it should be going nowhere at this point. I’m feeling really good, though, from three and a half weeks out and I feel like this the quickest I’ve recovered from a shoulder surgery and injury. I’ve had a lot of them and I definitely know what to do with going through the process of recovery and stuff.
“My plan would be to start riding in mid-September if I keep progressing like I’m doing. It could be early September, but at this point, I don’t think I’m going to make it back for SMX, unfortunately.”
Hammaker has been in step and in contact with Mitch Payton and the Corona, California-based Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki organization.
“Yeah, I’ve been in close contact,” said Hammaker. “I stay with Mitch while I’m out here in California. Yeah, Mitch and his family, I have a great relationship with them and they do so much fir me. Yeah, I’m just kind of hanging out. It’s cool to hang out with those guys away from the racing aspect of things. It’s part of our lives. I want to use every opportunity every day to work to be better toward 2027.
“I want to make sure that I do everything and don’t leave anything on the table,” Hammaker said. “I want to put my best foot forward each and every day and work on the bike and work on myself and just come into 2027 with no doubts that I can go out there and win championships and races. And I just re-signed with Mitch and Kawasaki, so I’m really happy with that. I love to keep the relationship going.”
Hammaker has proven to both the global motocross community and himself that he’s a championship contender.
“It makes me feel really good. I want to pick up where I left off,” Hammaker said. “To already have wins in supercross and coming up second the last two years in the 250SX East championship, it’s time to lock it in now and really start getting these things done at the end of the season. That’s the next step that I need to take and I’m fully capable of it. I have all the things I need to do it. I just need to go out there and some fun with it and go get it done.
“There is nothing like thinking about doing it, but it’s the coolest feeling when it does happen and that’s the feeling that you chase. That’s the motivation that I use during the race. You keep fighting through the injuries and all that. You remember why you’re doing it. The goals you set for yourself. There’s nothing better than that and it’s all part of the journey.”
