American Honda released the following video to thank Trey Canard for his 10 years of service as a factory rider on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship circuits.
The Oklahoma-born 25-year-old Canard is leaving the team, most likely to make way for now two-time Lucas Oil 450cc Pro Motocross Champion and former FIM MX2 World Motocross Champion Ken Roczen. Canard has reportedly signed a deal to race alongside reigning Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey over at Red Bull KTM, replacing Dean Wilson, though no official news of either move has been announced as of yet.
After overcoming the adversity of his losing his father at the age of 13, Canard dedicated himself to the sport of motocross, and he began to produce results that would one day see him earn the attention of Honda. At 15, he swept the B class at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Tennessee, and a year later he returned to the event and capture the Lites A and Lites A/Pro Sport titles. He was also awarded the AMA Horizon award, which recognizes professional level talent of the future. Immediately thereafter, the Factory Connection Honda team signed Canard to his first factory contract, and he has been a factory Honda rider ever since.
A mild-mannered man with a professed deep faith in God, Canard was nonetheless a demon on the track in his first full season on the AMA Supercross tour in 2008, where he earned the 2008 250SX East title in his rookie season. In 2009, while racing in the series for the same team under GEICO livery, Canard suffered a broken wrist that would sideline him for the rest of the season. He recovered strongly in 2010, scoring five wins in the AMA Pro Motocross Champpionship to hoist his first career national professional title. He then went on to help Team USA score the Motocross of Nations victory at the end of the year before stepping up to the 450cc class with Team Honda.
After earning three 450cc Supercross-class wins in 2011, Canard appeared set to make his mark in the class, but a devastating femur injury would once again force him out of action for most of 2011. He returned for just one round of the Pro Motocross Championship before re-breaking the femur, which sidelined him again.
With the leg finally healed, Canard was optimistic about the 2012 AMA Supercross Championship, but he would only race two rounds before suffering another major injury, a broken back, when Ryan Morais landed on him during the Los Angeles Supercross at Dodger Stadium. The injury, which required surgery to fuse his T10, 11 and 12 vertebrae, would keep him from racing for the rest of 2012. Even so, Honda continued to show its support for Canard by renewing his contract.
Canard enjoyed a fairly successful 2013 season, posting a sixth-place series finish in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series and a fourth-place finish in the Lucas Oil 450cc Pro Motocross Championship, but a broken arm suffered on Thanksgiving weekend 2014 while practicing for the supercross season would see him miss most of 2015 as well. Canard returned in 2016 but injuries once again checkered his results. One can only hope that wherever he lands for 2017, he will remain healthy and live up to the potential he has always shown.
The following is from American Honda:
TORRANCE, Calif. (Aug. 24, 2016) – American Honda Motor Corp., Inc. extends its sincere appreciation to Trey Canard, who has dedicated his entire professional career thus far to the Honda brand. Through high points and challenging periods, Canard’s commitment to racing and his fans has never wavered, and it has been a pleasure having him and mechanic Brent Presnell in the Honda family for the past 10 years. Everyone at Honda wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.
Your Privacy Choices