The 2019 Vital MX Awards - It's Time To Vote! 5

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Vital MX Awards. Just like last year, we’ve got three prime categories (Racer of the Year, Product of the Year, and Person of the Year) where we’ll hand out the hefty Vital MX “Knobby” trophy. For these categories, winners are determined via a blend of votes from our readers, the Vital MX staff, and industry ballots. 

Deadline for voting? That's November 30, 2019. We'll announce the winners after that.

PERSON OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Who's your pick for the person in the MX/SX industry who made the biggest impact on the sport during 2019? A real mover and shaker.

Roger DeCoster

Person of the Year? This one might equally fall into the Lifetime Achievement Award category. 

Five World Championships of his own, plus and a multitude of other National, MXoN and Trans-AMA/USA titles. He’s also been the Team Manager for Team USA’s MXoN for years (through good and bad). He spent time managing the Honda and Suzuki factory teams before moving to KTM to launch their program here. After handing over the Red Bull KTM Team Manager role to Ian Harrison, he’s now moved into the role of Motorsport Director for KTM and Husqvarna North America.

Team Fried

Person? How about entity? The work that Tom Journet, Matt Rice, Jason Anderson (and guest-member, Zach Osborne) did leading up to the MXoN was probably the best long-term insights ever into a Team USA MXoN effort that we’ve ever had. And the time they spent over there? It was a serious effort.

Eric Peronnard

Eric has long been one of the most impressive event organizers around, with things like the U.S. Open, Geneva SX (as well as the work he does with the Paris SX), and many of the global MX/FMX events at the X Games. Need a Supercross in Hawaii? He’s your guy. He also created Endurocross here in the U.S., and brought it back from the brink this year after it had been sold to a publishing group. He was also the event organizer for this year’s Red Bull Straight Rhythm, which was likely the most fun event of the year.

Ryan Sipes

Last year Ryan was a candidate in the same category, and this year he’s competed in an even wider variety of events. Supercross? MX Nationals? 125 All-Stars? Hillclimb? Flattrack? Red Bull Straight Rhythm? ISDE? That’s an impressive swath of motorcycling. About the only thing missing is road racing, trials, speedway, and maybe some sidehack racing...and we wouldn’t be shocked to see him take on any of those.