Kevin Windham (born February 28, 1978), is an American former professional

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

racer. At 17 he received a full factory ride from Team

Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below). ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...

. He has raced for many factory teams and holds several titles, back to back

AMA Ama or AMA may refer to: Ama Languages * Ama language (New Guinea) * Ama language (Sudan) People * Ama (Ama Kōhei), former ring name for sumo wrestler Harumafuji Kōhei * Mary Ama, a New Zealand artist * Shola Ama, a British singer * Ām ...

125 West

Supercross The AMA Supercross Championship (commercially known as Monster Energy AMA Supercross) is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from ...

Championships in 1996 and 1997, the 2005

Motocross des Nations The Motocross des Nations (in French) is an annual team motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History ...

team championship, and 2nd in points for the 2008 supercross season. In 1999 Windham won the United States Grand Prix of Motocross held at Budd's Creek, Maryland. Despite his longtime status as one of the world's fastest motocross racers, he is yet to win a major (250cc or 450cc) National or World Championship. He is better known by the nickname K-Dub on the racing scene. He announced his retirement from racing at the third round of the 2013 Supercross season.

AMA Supercross/Motocross Results

Personal

Born in

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of countie ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

, Windham began riding

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...

s from the age of three with friends in the spillways around the

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

bmx BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the earl ...

, fishing and flying his own plane.

Amateur experience

The 1994 AMA Amateur and Youth National Motocross Championships, at

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...

’s Dude Ranch, was the venue for Windham’s final races as an amateur. He won both the 125cc A Modified and the 250cc Open A Modified classes, setting a new lap record, taking out his seventh and eighth amateur national titles, and extending his personal winning streak at Loretta Lynn’s to eighteen consecutive motos.

Professional career

Kevin Windham has been described as "arguably the best rider to have never won a National Championship". Regarded as one of the most naturally talented riders competing in motocross and supercross, Windham has finished second in the overall points standings five times, without once winning. Though one of the oldest riders on the track in 2011, his acknowledged class, grace, and riding ability make him a favourite with the fans. In 1994 Windham turned professional midway through the season, riding a Kawasaki. He was awarded the AMA Rookie of the Year award, and after an impressive performance at Mt. Morris, PA, where he nearly beat Doug Henry for the moto win, he was signed by Team

. In 1995 Windham took five podium finishes in the 125cc East Region Supercross Series, with a best result of second at Minneapolis. He finished that series in 5th overall. He also had some strong performances in the outdoor nationals with a top 125cc Motocross finish of fifth at Delmont, PA. 1996 was a breakthrough year for Windham, with six supercross wins he scored his first 125cc West Coast Championship. Later that year he won four 125cc Nationals and placed second to Steve Lamson in the championship. In 1997 Windham had another strong season. He won all but two rounds of the 125 West Region Supercross series and earned his second title in as many years. He also had 125cc National Motocross overall wins at Buchanan, MI, New Berlin, NY, and Delmont, PA. Windham also made history by winning a 250cc Supercross main event in

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

, NC while still a full-time 125cc rider. He was the first person, and so far only, in motocross history to do this. In 1998 Windham moved to the 250cc class full-time for Yamaha and won the New Orleans and St. Louis 250cc Supercross rounds. he took five additional podium finishes and finished outside the top-10 just once in the 1998 Supercross series. He finished 4th overall. He took podium finishes in the 250cc Motocross National races at Budds Creek, MD, and New Berlin, NY, but failed to score an overall victory. He broke his leg at the Washougal, WA, event and withdrew from the series. After a bitter contract dispute, Kevin Windham signed with Team

Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...

for the 1999 season. In the 1999 season, after some initial struggles adapting to his new Honda, Windham hit his stride and won two Supercross main events and four motocross Nationals. He finished the outdoor season ranked second behind

Greg Albertyn Greg Albertyn is a South African former professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1988 to 1994 and in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1995 to 2000. Albertyn is notable for being the first South Afric ...

. Windham and Sebastien Tortelli both posed strong challenges to Albertyn all season, but eventually came up short. It is regarded as one of the most competitive motocross seasons ever. However, A high point of kevin's motocross career came in 1999. Kevin decided to race the USGP being held at Budd's Creek, MD only three days prior to the event. European Champion and motocross hero overseas

Stefan Everts Stefan Everts (born 25 November 1972) is a Belgian former professional motocross racer and racing team manager. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1988 to 2006. Everts is notable for winning a record 10 FIM motocross world ch ...

made a comment concerning the top US racers deciding not to race the GP, rather to focus on the US races and the time off the week end allowed. Everts said he thought the US racers were being cowards. This angered Kevin Windham greatly. Stefan Everts at the time was one of the toughest racers to beat. Kevin went on to dominate the race and left no doubt that Everts had nothing for him on that day. This race was very emotional for Kevin and it took years for Kevin to finally say he was okay with Stefan Everts. Kevin put the motorcycle he won that race on his trophy room, suspended from the ceiling. The 2000 season was more of a challenge to Windham, as he scored just one supercross victory at

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, TX, and lost both the supercross title to

Jeremy McGrath Jeremy McGrath (born November 19, 1971) is one of the most popular American Motocross/Supercross champions in the history of the sport, racking up seven Supercross championships. He was most active in the 1990s earning the title the "King of S ...

and the outdoor title to

Ricky Carmichael Richard Joseph Carmichael (born November 27, 1979) is an American former professional motocross and stock car racing driver. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1997 to 2007 and in NASCAR from 2008 to 2011. Carmichael is notable ...

, who was in his rookie 250cc National season. For 2001, hoping for a positive change, Windham switched to Team

Suzuki is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...

. It was a tough season, as it saw the beginning of Carmichael's domination for years to come. Windham did turn things around outdoors though, winning six motos. A titanic duel at the Washougal National between Carmichael and Windham is known as one of the best races ever, with Windham gaining the upper hand in both motos. He also won the season finale at Delmont, PA. In 2002, he began the season for Team Sobe Suzuki with a broken finger, and had difficulty adjusting to the race situation with crowds and lights. He also had problems with fitness, suffering arm pump, and fired his trainer. Windham broke his femur in a horrific crash in

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. Windham did not return to the circuit that season and many speculated that he would retire at the young age of 23, however the enforced rest allowed him to fully recover mentally and physically. In 2003, Windham missed the supercross series to spend time with Dottie and their new-born daughter. After over a year off, Windham announced his comeback for the 250cc Nationals aboard a Factory Connection Honda CRF450R. With an emphasis on having fun and just enjoying the sport, Windham rode better than ever before, claiming two overall victories at Unadilla and Washougal, and finishing on the podium at all but two events. He placed second to the champion Carmichael and cemented his status as a fan favorite. Carmichael withdrew from the 2004 Supercross season for knee surgery. After a long battle with Yamaha's

Chad Reed Chad Mark Reed (born 15 March 1982, in Kurri Kurri, Australia) is an Australian motocross and supercross racer. He is a multi-time champion record holder for the most main event starts in AMA Supercross history, with 265 starts as of 21 June ...

, Windham claimed 5 victories but still finished second to Reed in the title chase. By his standards, Windham had a mediocre summer and failed to win any races, finishing a distant third in the championship. In 2005, several weeks before the start of the season Kevin's mechanic, Jonathan, committed suicide. Windham went on to win the muddy opening round in

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-mos ...

. After a season long battle, he ended third in the championship behind Carmichael and Reed, but ahead of James Stewart. Windham won just one moto that summer at Unadilla, but was the only rider who could keep Carmichael in sight and finished 2nd overall once again. Teamed with Carmichael and 125cc Champion Ivan Tedesco, Windham helped his team win the 2005 Motocross des Nations in Ernee, France. Before the 2006 season Kevin Windham broke his arm in training and returned near the end of the supercross season. He rode a consistent outdoor series to finish a strong second overall once again. The 2007 Supercross season was lackluster for Windham, he had some good races and podium finishes, but went winless to end the season 4th overall. Carmichael had switched to a partial schedule, and Windham was beaten by eventual champion Stewart, Reed and

Tim Ferry Tim Ferry II (born March 18, 1975) is an American former professional motocross and supercross racer. He competed in the AMA Supercross Championships and AMA Motocross Championships for 18 seasons from 1992 to 2009, finishing in the top five in ...

. The outdoor season began with similar results, with Kevin finishing off the podium. But once the series headed to Unadilla, Windham broke through with his first outdoor overall victory since 2003 and first moto win since 2005. Windham would win the final moto of the season at Glen Helen Raceway. His series was up and down, and he finished a close 5th overall. 2008 would be one of Kevin's best supercross seasons ever. He never once finished outside the top 5, and finished up the season with 4 overall victories, including the Daytona supercross. The Daytona race was one of the most difficult in memory, as torrential rain flooded the course, making for treacherous conditions. Windham would take the win after Chad Reed's bike quit with just a few turns to go. As the season went on, Windham would pressure Reed extremely hard, and proved to be the fastest rider near the end of the series, but ended up falling a few points short of the title. He again finished 2nd in the championship. 2009 for Kevin has been nothing but bad luck for the Geico powersports honda rider. Kevin collided with James Stewart in the season opener while running in the top 5, finishing 15th. And a DNF in Indianapolis, while he was running in a strong in 3rd. In the 2010 supercross series Kevin once again showed he had what it takes to contend despite his age. He held the fastest qualifying times at a number of events including Atlanta, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida. He found himself on the podium more than once. Windham won two consecutive races at one point, in Seattle and Salt Lake City. At the end of 2010 he signed a two-year extension to his contract with Geico Powersports Honda. In 2011 Windham finished the Supercross season in seventh position. He rode the first half of the 450 Class Motocross Championship, filling in for injured Honda riders Trey Canard and Josh Grant, achieving a number of top-10 finishes. He volunteered to join GEICO Honda teammates Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac to replace Christophe Pourcel, injured two weeks before, at the 29th annual Supercross of Bercy at Omnisport Paris, however he was unable to finalize travel documents in time. In 2012 Windham continues with Geico Powersports Honda, entering his 19th season as a professional motocross racer. However, while battling with James Stewart Jr. on the Final Lap during Heat of Round 13 at Houston, Windham crashed hard and suffered several injuries. Consequently, Windham will be out for the remainder of the 2012 Supercross Season. In 2018 Windham took part at the most prestigious motocross event in the world known as the Motocross of Nations representing none other than Puerto Rico, he was invited to be part of the team by long time friend, extreme sports icon and Nitro Circus ring leader Travis Pastrana, Pastrana's Puerto Rican roots made him want to raise awareness for the situation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and made it his duty to do something about it. He contacted Gabriel Catala from the Puerto Rican motorcycling federation and it all took off from there. The team consisted of Travis Pastrana, Ryan Sipes and Kevin Windham. The team ultimately won the B-Final to make it to the main event, making them the most popular team at Red Bud Motocross during the event.

Career Highlights

* 2010 2nd (SX) * 2008 2nd (SX) * 2006 2nd (250MX) * 2005 3rd (SX), 2nd (250MX), team 1st Motocross des Nations * 2004 2nd (SX), 3rd (250MX) * 2003 2nd (250MX) * 2001 2nd (250MX) * 2000 3rd (250MX) * 1999 2nd (250MX) * 1997 1st (WSX), 2nd (125MX) * 1996 1st (WSX), 2nd (125MX)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Windham, Kevin 1978 births Living people American motocross riders People from Centreville, Mississippi Sportspeople from Baton Rouge, Louisiana X Games athletes