Training Day at SOBMX with Partzilla PRMX

By Billy Rainford

On the way home from the 2022 Mini O’s at Gatorback, I stopped in at SOBMX to check in with the Partzilla PRMX team to see how their preparations were coming along for the 2022 Supercross season.

Here’s a look at my day:

Julien Benek is a 250 rider for the team but he crashed and tore his liver and gave himself a concussion in a practice crash a couple weeks ago. He still wants to be ready to do the 250 West series but they will have to assess his health as the season closes in.

He’s staying with the team in South Carolina and working out off the bike as much as he can to keep himself in the best possible shape and readiness. You can watch our interview HERE.

New to the team is #508 Hunter Yoder. Hunter brings a ton of skill and excitement to the team. He came up through the amateur ranks as a rider to watch and should be able to keep improving his SX game heading into the new 250 West season. That’s team mechanic and racer himself, Joe Kremkow, with him.

We’re all very familiar with the skill and speed of New Zealand rider #86 Josiah Natzke from his success in Canada this past summer. He’ll head into his first Supercross season when the 250 East starts. He’s new to the indoor game but should pick it up quickly and already looks solid. We talked about it all and you can watch it HERE.

Joe watching Josiah put in a session.

Of course, everything is under the watchful eye of this guy, team owner Julien Perrier.

A familiar name to Canadians joining the team is #219 Chase Marquier. Chase road up here for the Manluk Racing team. He’ll ride. the full 450 series for the first time.

If you listened to our Tailgating interview, you’ll know that Hunter said he took most of the summer off the bike so he’s riding himself back into race shape.

#976 Josh Greco was also there preparing to race the 450 class on a 450. He said he did it all on a 250 last year. He really likes talking about guns! Lol

#170 Devin Simonson is returning to the team. It’s good see him back on the bike. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off.

Bench racing out in front of the shop at SOBMX.

Here’s your introduction to the newest mechanic on the team, Cole Smith from Oregon. The girl at the front counter talked him into trying this bag of hot, cheese popcorn. He liked it.

These are the guys who were riding while I was there. Preston Masciangelo shorted a triple and broke both his wrists, and you saw what Julien Benek was doing at the top. #68 Cade Clason was ill so he didn’t make the trip from North Carolina while I was there. Coincidence?

Josiah thinking about another rin through the whoops, perhaps?

Over on the MX track was Quebec rider #237 Nathan Germain. I spoke with him after the Mini O’s, too, and you can watch that here:

Joe stylin.

As Cole would say, the numbers don’t lie! I’m assuming that’s something he’d say…

Chase starting the watch for another session.

You may not remember his face but that’s Kraig Riese on the left. He came down from Alaska to race our series a few years ago. #96 is Tristan Moffitt also from Alaska who is racing Arenacross and getting some SX prep in.

Hunter having some fun to start his session.

Jyire Mitchell is still calling SOBMX home and is planning to race again real soon – as soon as Julien has his bike up and running for him…

Justin Rodbell didn’t want any photos taken of his lower body while I was there. He hadn’t told his sponsors about his ruptured achilles tendon yet. He’ll head in to get that thing hooked up and begin the long rehab that comes with it.

There’s a better look at Tristan and Kraig.

Thanks for letting me hang out for a day and night, guys, and it was nice to meet the new guys. Good luck with the rest of your prep and we’ll see you at the races…