Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda’s Cole Seely will race in the inaugural Monster Energy Cup at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium on 15 October.
Seely, 21, captured his first Supercross Lites class win at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and followed up with another win at Qwest Field in Seattle.
After earning a career-best fourth overall in the 2011 Western Regional Supercross Lites class championship, Seely enters the Monster Energy Cup as one of the Lites class favorites.
“For sure the wins at Dodger Stadium and Seattle were a huge boost in my confidence,” said Seely. “I have always known I would win, and I think it took me a little longer than some of the other guys to get my first win.
“I now know that I belong up front at the Monster Energy Cup and I am going to work hard to win the Monster Million as well as the West Coast Lites Championship this upcoming season for myself and the team.”
With $1-million on the line and the track being designed by supercross icons Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael, the racing will be intense.
“The intensity will be up there, and I think a lot of guys will be going for it,” said Seely. “It should be a great event, and I am sure all the top guys are going to show up and give it a shot.
“I love to race supercross and motocross, so combining both aspects should be interesting. The opportunity to win a million dollars certainly motivates me, but I love racing, so I am going to go out there and do my best.”
The unique hybrid track will consist of supercross/motocross terrain and will have a tremendous motocross-style influence, making it unlike any other stadium race in the world.
The Monster Energy Cup posts a $250,000 purse with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check, and $1-million will be paid to a rider that wins all three main events.
Other confirmed riders to date include James Stewart, Chad Reed, Mike Alessi, Andrew Short, Wil Hahn and Josh Hansen.