Personally, I’ve recognized Zach since he was on 50s, and he is at all times been one of many nicest, most honest riders I’ve been fortunate sufficient to know. He was a fierce competitor who as soon as virtually stop as a teen to begin school, solely to dig his heels into the grime once more and preserve attempting. After he posted his retirement announcement, I went again and checked out a couple of previous tales we’ve completed on Zacho in Racer X journal. Needless to say, Zach Osborne’s profession was fairly the journey.
Hailing from Abingdon, Virginia, Osborne began out as KTM’s first fully-supported minicycle prospect in America, a relationship that began approach again in 1999 when KTM North America was nonetheless based mostly in Ohio. Osborne didn’t have the success he would have appreciated, successful only one AMA Amateur National title rising up as a child at Loretta Lynn’s, however later he would discover himself in the uncommon class of prime professionals who had many extra success and titles as professionals than they did as youth/newbie riders—guys like Jeremy McGrath, Doug Henry, Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto, and Jeremy Martin.
But Osborne was not a direct success as a professional. For the primary three years of his profession, which started in 2006, he didn’t rating a single top-five end. The assist he had from KTM disappeared and he ended up with Yamaha of Troy. That additionally did not work, and he quickly discovered himself in a kind of MX exile in Europe, driving for Steve Dixon’s England-based Bike It Cosworth Yamaha squad, attempting to make a reputation for himself on the MX2 Grand Prix circuit of the FIM Motocross World Championship aboard the #338 YZ250F. He turned the change of surroundings into an opportunity to reinvent himself. He additionally loved the journey of racing in practically two dozen completely different international locations alongside the way in which, turning into essentially the most profitable American on the GP circuit since Mike Brown was final there in 2000.
Osborne lived for durations in England, Belgium, and even Norway, the place he spent a darkish winter coaching on the slopes with Kenneth Gundersen. He took his first general win in Turkey, and was one in every of these Yanks who would race for Puerto Rico on the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, by no means guessing that he would possibly in the future be chosen for Team USA (which he can be in 2017). In 2010 he discovered himself often battling with a few younger MXGP title contenders for the MX2 title: Marvin Musquin and Ken Roczen. He additionally most likely by no means imagined that they might each get offers to race in the U.S. Zach did journey a Yamaha in the SX Lites class in the West Region in 2012, lastly incomes his first AMA podium a full six years after first turning professional.
Finally, in 2013, GEICO Honda determined to convey Osborne again to the U.S. with a 250-class deal. He had two strong years with the staff, nonetheless carrying #338, however nonetheless no wins. The GEICO deal was adopted by a transfer to Bobby Hewitt’s Rockstar Energy Husqvarna staff, which mainly introduced him full-circle again to the KTM North America Group, which had bought Husqvarna. Zach spent practically two full years there inching nearer and nearer to that first win. It lastly got here at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Maryland, a monitor he knew nicely as a child. The win marked the primary 125/250 nationwide win ever for Husqvarna and for the rider.
It was in 2017 that the route of Zach Osborne’s racing profession modified once more, solely this time it was straight up. In what can solely be described as a breakout season, Osborne gained his first SX races and the 250SX East Region title with the all-time, last-lap, do-or-die, winner-takes-all move for the title on Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy on the Las Vegas finale. He then gained the Lucas Oil 250 Class Pro Motocross Championship by ending on the rostrum in 11 of 12 rounds. He even received the decision to journey for Team USA on the ’17 Motocross of Nations, and our journal employees named him the 2017 Racer X Rider of the Year.
Process of Determination function in the January 2018 subject of Racer X Illustrated.
“I feel like over the last three or four years I’ve become very adamant and passionate about being the best I can be, period, and not worrying about anyone else,” he instructed me for the function I wrote on that unimaginable turnabout. “I’ve just been taking what comes to me, and has been grown to me, in stride. I’ve fallen in love with riding again, so I guess it’s all just come full-circle from where I was when it all started for me as a kid. Finally winning a couple of titles this year just fuels my fire even more.”
Osborne repeated as 250SX East Region champion in 2018 however was injured early in the 250 nationals, abdicating his title to Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing’s Aaron Plessinger. For 2019 he moved as much as the 450 Class and struggled at instances, however by mid-2020 he had clearly discovered his rhythm and confidence once more, successful his first 450 supercross fundamental occasion, then successful the Lucas Oil 450 Pro Motocross Championship, an unreal thought a half-dozen years or so earlier than.
Now Zach Osborne is finished with skilled motocross, and his legacy would possibly simply be that he had probably the most nomadic and profitable careers in historical past, becoming a member of the likes of “Bad” Brad Lackey, Danny Laporte, Donny Schmit, Mike Brown, and Grant Langston as world vacationers who went the place they needed to to seek out an opportunity to maintain racing and did the work to make it to the very prime, regardless of most pondering it an unimaginable dream. Osborne proved virtually your entire motocross world mistaken, apart from the few staff homeowners who did see one thing in him and gave him one other shot: Steve Dixon, Bobby Hewitt, and GEICO Honda’s Rick “Ziggy” Zielfelder and Jeff Myzscak.
“People always ask me when I might stop, when I might be ready to do something else, and I see myself doing this for a long time—certainly for as long as God gives me the health to keep doing this. I have a bright future ahead, even after all these years,” he mentioned again in 2017, 5 years earlier than that point lastly got here for him.
So congratulations to Zach Osborne and his spouse, Brittney—in addition to their daughter, Emory and son, Bode—on making it to the largest end line of all collectively. Osborne was a category act, a never-surrender competitor, and a tremendous champion. (And Zach, 5 years from now, once you change into eligible for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, you need to anticipate a name.) And learn Kellen Brauer’s nice profession write up on Osborne.