There’s a new trend in our sport that’s popped up in the last few years. One that has new racers relying on an old hand to guide them on and off the track. Want proof? Just look around at the races and you’ll see the old heroes everywhere – you can’t swing a dead koala and not hit an ex-pro who is trying to help out a new pro.

There’s no doubt that Rockstar Suzuki’s Davi Millsaps is the surprise leader of the 2013 supercross series-he’s been very, very good this year. And Davi’s got many reasons as to why he is killing it this season. A few of them are a new team and motorcycle that he’s agreeing with and as well, the help of Ezra ‘Yogi’ Lusk.

Lusk once was one of the sports top stars but like so many others, he ran up against Jeremy McGrath and couldn’t bring home a major title in his time. Still as a factory Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki rider Lusk won supercrosses and nationals and retired after the 2004 season as one of those guys that, when it was his night, couldn’t be beat.Lusk and Millsaps are old friends and a couple of years ago Millsaps reached out to Lusk for help in his program.

Millsaps has had an up and down relationship with his mum (Colleen Millsaps who founded the popular Millsaps Training Facility which is a camp-like place for riders) and away from the structure of mum, Davi didn’t always stay on the right path.

Davi Millsaps uses one of the most experienced ex-professional’s in the business. Image: Simon Cudby.

Enter Lusk and his guidance. Ezra’s been through rough times with his family during the Honda days and has seen it all. Plus he’s always been a very self-motivated guy and with perspective on what it’s like to be a retired guy, can help Millsaps realize what he’s got right now. It appears to be working as Yogi has been a big help to Davi so far.

Over at the factory Honda truck there’s Trey Canard and his incredible comeback from injury. Three years ago Canard used a strong second half to grab the 250MX title and some of that credit has to go to Tim Ferry, the retired factory rider who Trey tagged to help him for that summers nationals. Through the ups (that title, some 450SX wins) and downs (injuries to leg and back) Ferry’s been there helping the 41 with his mental attitude and training.

As Ferry likes to say to anyone, there’s no helping Trey with the actual riding as he’s doing things that Ferry wasn’t, but the psychological rollercoaster that is part of being a pro motocrosser is something that Ferry knows all too well.

And Canard leans on that knowledge and what is needed on a day-to-day basis-for Canard it’s learning to rest and relax as he’s a driven person on and off the track. Ferry’s work with Canard inspired Canard’s former (and current) teammate to get himself his own mentor.

Next to Canard at Honda is Justin Barcia, a rookie in the 450SX class and already a race winner. Barcia’s got six-time motocross and supercross champion Jeff Stanton in his corner. Stanton’s work with Barcia isn’t so much at the races stuff, it’s more training and what to do during the week.

Eli Tomac’s combination of Buddy Antunez and his father John Tomac has worked well for him so far. Image: Simon Cudby.

Jeff isn’t one to stand around and help out someone that isn’t doing the work so seeing as how Stanton has stuck around for his second year, it’s safe to say that Justin is working hard and doing the right things. The Barcia/Stanton combo is going to be tough to beat for years and years.

One of the up and coming stars in the sport is GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac. Last season’s 250SX West series champion is in his last year of the 250 class and looking to make the jump up to the 450 class as soon as he can. And in his corner to handle the riding aspect of things is former factory Suzuki and multi-time arenacross champion Buddy Antunez.

The Budman keeps Tomac sharp when it comes to the riding of the bike, while father John handles the training for Eli. Antunez sharpens up the skill of Tomac every now and then and is a part of Team Tomac.

JGR Yamaha’s Josh Grant has enlisted the services of former Japanese national champion and top AMA privateer Kyle Lewis for a trial basis and Johnny O’Mara, former guru to Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, has been hired by amateur rider Mitch Covington to try and replicate what he did. O’Mara was one of the first guys to come back to the sport and be the one on one coach for a rider when Carmichael made the switch to pros in 1997.

Others like Rick Johnson, David Bailey and Mike Kiedrowski have also at one time or another been ‘that guy’ for a rider.So next time you’re at a supercross, look around at the guys in the t-shirts and hats on – at one time they were the heroes of the sport and now, they’re just paying it forward the best way they know how to.