T-Dog's Takes: The Dog Days of Summer are Here!

Notice that this column now has a sponsor? That’s right! Troy Dog joined the Blu Cru and you should too! I have one in my garage right now and I can’t wait to go shred it this summer! Thank you to Yamaha for believing in my ELITE columns on this dirtbike website enough to sponsor me. What a dream come true!

Welcome to another series and another season of the amazing Troy Dog Squad. If you’re new to what we do, welcome. The SQUAD is built by selecting the most ELITE athletes and promoting them like no one else can. The athletes run my face sticker on their helmet and get merch throughout the season. We help one another out. Once you’re SQUAD, you’re family and we will do whatever it takes to get you connected to the people you need to do so.

This outdoor season is going to see three ELITE athletes on the line. Below is the official word from me on the Squad’s plans for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Note: Justin Starling is about to sign a lifetime contract with us, but he is taking the Summer off because he is SX only and does what he wants.

Grant Harlan

As I wrote about earlier this week in my other column, Harlan will be contesting the entire series on a Merge Racing/Troy Dog Vurb/Kawasaki. The SQUAD’s first official long term athlete should have a great season. He loves motocross and he rides a 450 incredibly for a 21 year old. Har Dog has had some very good results outdoors in the 450 class, like knocking on the top ten good. I have full faith in the doggie that he will in fact make some noise. He’s got my logos all over him so let’s bleeping goooo.

Luke Renzland

I’m going to be honest here. Luke and I talk a lot. We just can’t seem to get anything done. Both of our programs are loose and this is how it goes. Will Luke show up to do some nationals this Summer? Yes. Will he have my sticker on his helmet as the agreement he never signed states he should? IDK. The good news is that the man we call Dozer Dog has one of the best personalities in the pits, but the problem is no one really knows that. I’m working on some ways we can change that this Summer, but we will see if I can actually accomplish this. Luke should be at about five nationals this Summer. He’s racing two strokes again and he’s going to be very fast and ahead of guys on full blown race bikes.

Ezra Hastings

I signed another rider to the SQUAD for a Summer deal and his name is Ezra Hastings. Hastings sat out all last season with injury and now he’s giving it a go this Summer to have some fun again. I go WAY back with Eazy Dog. I met his family at the local races when I was 17 years old and Ez was on a PW50 back then! If it weren’t for his father Billy, well I wouldn’t be a member of vurbmoto, or the CEO you know and love today, Back in the day, Billy was my way to the amatuer nationals, Mini O’s to be exact, and that’s where I met the Vurb boys in 2009 and the rest is history. Without the Hasting’s family taking care of me like they did I wouldn’t be in motocross media. I never would have made it to Racer X or PulpMX either. It’s rad. Now, Ezra is sneaky fast and he will be racing about half of the series on a GasGas in the 450 class. Time is crazy.

If you’re at a race this Summer, please stop by and support my ELITE athletes. Scream for them and bring them pineapples or something. Get their autographs at least. Let Har Doggie sign your mom.