Entering his second season of Monster Energy Supercross, Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha’s Parker Ross will look to build on the lessons learned during his rookie year and put them to work in his sophomore campaign, with a clear long-term goal in mind – earning a place on a factory team. In Profiled, MotoOnline previews year two for the 20-year-old as he looks to take the next step forward.

Ross contested the majority of the 2025 250SX West schedule with SLR Honda, choosing to sit out Salt Lake City, and also failing to qualify in Indianapolis. And despite deciding to line up only weeks out from A1, he managed 13th in the standings in a field stacked with emerging talent and established race winners. While the results sheet didn’t feature headline finishes, there were clear flashes of progress, highlighted by a career-best ninth place finish at Glendale.

“I didn’t really know until around this time last year that I was racing, so I was kind of winging it,” Ross recalled. “That was our phrase at SLR for Honda – just winging it, like the wing for the Honda logo. We didn’t really have a strategy, it was just more so going out there and trying my best and living with the results.”

Consistency became a big focus throughout the season, with Ross gradually improving his race craft and getting more comfortable with the intensity of Supercross. Each weekend brought small gains as he adapted to the pace, fitness demands and pressure that come with racing at this level. Rather than chasing one-off results, the emphasis was on putting together solid performances and learning how to manage races from start to finish.

Image: Octopi Media.

“The intensity is just insane,” he continued. “Those guys are so good, and I don’t think the front guys get enough credit for how skilled they are. You’ll be in 15th place and it’ll feel like you’re battling for a top five.

“Fitness-wise, it’s not more about being fitter, it’s about being confident using the fitness I already have. Before, I was unsure of how the race was going to play out and how to use my energy. Now I know you sprint at the beginning, settle in, then sprint again at the end – it’s all out.

“Learning that flow of the race, knowing when to push the guys around you, and learning how to use your fitness to your advantage instead of sprinting too long and hanging on at the end – that’s been a big part. Just learning, honestly.”

A major factor in Ross’ continued progression has been stability within his environment. His move from SLR Honda to BarX Yamaha after the opening round of Pro Motocross last year provided a team atmosphere that has prioritised rider comfort and taught him the ins and outs of testing.

“I feel like I adapted to the outdoor bike really quickly for some reason, like it just kind of suited me,” added Ross. “Then it’s been harder on Supercross – just the bowl turns and everything have been a little bit of a different change compared to the Honda and everything, but the REP guys have been super good, especially with interpreting what I’m saying and understanding what I’m feeling.

“It’s hard to have a good relationship like that sometimes, but I feel like we have a really good one. I can say, ‘Hey, I’m pushing in the end of this turn,’ and they understand that really well. So it’s been good, and I think we’re at a really good spot right now. We did a lot of testing at the beginning of [the pre-season], getting the bike feeling really good in the turns and in the whoops, and it’s been fun.

“I like testing. I’ve never really tested before – it’s usually been like, ‘Here, this is your set-up,’ and you just make it work with clicker changes. Now it’s like, ‘Oh, you don’t like this set-up? We’ll do a whole different shock.’ I’ve never really had that before, so it’s like being a kid in a candy store. It’s been fun”.

Image: Octopi Media.

Looking ahead to 2026, Ross enters the season with a clearer direction and a stronger base, choosing to stay with the BarX Yamaha team despite having other options on the table. Rather than chasing change, the focus has been on building from what he learned during his rookie Supercross season and continuing to grow in a familiar environment.

With a year of experience behind him, Ross now has a better understanding of what he needs on and off the bike, allowing him to concentrate on improving his results instead of starting from scratch. That stability could prove important as he looks to take a step forward in his sophomore campaign and move closer to his long-term goal of earning a factory ride.

“Yeah, I had a couple of teams reach out to me, but I just liked BarX,” he admitted. “I enjoyed being around the team and the guys there. Even the guys I was riding with – I really enjoy being around Dilan [Schwartz], we’ve got Lux [Turner] now, and Cole [Timboe] was going really good outdoors. It just kind of feels like a little family.

“I’ve also been really good friends with Myron [Short], so that was a big factor too. I trust Myron and I trust what he sees in me. It all kind of came into play. I’m based in SoCal, they’re based in SoCal, I didn’t have to move, and I factored all that in. The other deals were good, obviously, but I chose BarX because I liked it. I feel like a happy rider is a good rider. I’m happy where I am, happy with the team I’m around, and I think that’s a big factor in staying anywhere.”

Image: Octopi Media.

The goal of Ross for 2026 is simple, but ambitious – to continue refining his craft, move closer to the front of the field, and put himself in position to earn factory-level opportunities in the future. With a full season of Supercross experience behind him and a focused approach ahead, Ross’ second term in 250SX shapes as a defining chapter in his young professional career.

“I believe that if I keep working hard, stay consistent with my training, and keep doing what I’m doing, it won’t be too hard to get onto one of these factory teams or start beating some of those factory guys,” Ross commented. “I don’t think I’m that far off. It’s about getting a little bit better each day and believing in myself.

“A lot of it is confidence – if you go to the line believing you belong there, you’re going to be one of those guys. It’s kind of like fake it till you make it. Sometimes you have to fake the confidence until you really have it. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, keep training with my trainer, and I think I’ll be there soon.”