MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 2021) – When the fastest riders on the planet and the world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series converge on Southern Maryland’s famed Budds Creek Motocross Park on Saturday, August 21, it’s going to serve as a memorable moment for race fans across the region and for racer Jarrett Frye.
The 20-year-old competitor from Mechanicsville, the same small town in which Budds Creek is located, is the state’s most promising talent since Travis Pastrana became a household name some 20 years ago. With the 31st running of the Circle K Budds Creek National mere days away, Frye is giving the hometown fans reason for excitement as he prepares for his first professional race at the track he grew up racing on.
Frye currently rides for Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing, arguably the top team in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and is in the midst of his sophomore season of professional competition. As a rookie, Frye showed flashes of the potential that made him a sought-after talent for the Factory Yamaha effort. He completed a condensed 2020 season 15th in the final 250 Class standings, highlighted by a sixth-place finish, with an eye for improvement during a full, 12-race championship schedule. Now, eight rounds into the 2021 season, Frye continues to fight for his place in the most competitive field of competitors ever assembled in the 50-year history of Pro Motocross.
Currently, Frye sits 16th in the championship standings, and while his second year of racing at the sport’s highest level hasn’t brought the success he’d hoped, he’s finding his top form at an opportune time. Just last weekend, Frye enjoyed his best outing of the summer on what was considered to be the most challenging racetrack of the season at New York’s Unadilla MX. His season-best ninth-place finish was more impressive than the result might indicate, given the immense difficulty the track presented, and it showed that Frye has the speed, skill, and patience to be a front-runner. With his homecoming race looming, Frye is bringing added motivation into the Budds Creek National, eager to perform in front of family, friends, and a loyal group of supporters.
“It’s going to be cool to race Budds Creek as a professional,” said Frye. “I grew up riding there and I’ve been going to the Pro Motocross National as a fan for as long as I can remember. I’ve always dreamed of someday being one of the riders lining up on the starting gate and now that moment has finally come. I’m excited to get out there and see what I can accomplish. I know I’m going to have lots of support from the fans, which is going to make it even more special.”
With its technically demanding layout filled with off-camber corners, dramatic uphill climbs, and steep downhill descents, Budds Creek Motocross Park is easily one of American motocross’ toughest racetracks. It separates the riders who are willing to push the limits and those who are not, and given his years of experience growing up riding on the deep, tacky soil, perhaps no one is more poised to find success at Budds Creek than Frye. With the hometown crowd on his side, all eyes will be on Mechanicsville’s own budding motocross star as he looks to complete the inevitable breakout ride that serves as a testament to the level of talent he possesses.
“It’s always nice to have an opportunity to come to a track that you’re familiar with,” added Frye. “With Budds Creek being my home track, it’s obviously a place I’ve spent a lot of time riding. That brings me more confidence coming into this race, because I know the track so well and it will allow me to try to turn that into an advantage against everyone else. My goal for Saturday is to try and be in the top 10 in both motos, but ultimately I’m just going to go out there and give it everything I have. ”