Shane McElrath Bio
Shane McElrath (born 11 August 1994) is an American professional Motocross and Supercross racer. He is a two-time FIM Supercross World Champion, having won the SX2 class in 2022 and 2024, and he has competed as a professional in the AMA Supercross Championship and AMA Motocross Championship since 2013. McElrath has built a long career in the 250 class before transitioning to the 450 ranks, and he currently rides for Quadlock Honda Racing.
Early Life and Background
Shane McElrath was born on 11 August 1994 in Canton, North Carolina, in the United States. Canton sits in the mountain region of western North Carolina, an area with a strong outdoor and off-road riding culture that helped shape his early interest in two wheels. From a young age, McElrath was exposed to dirt bikes through local riding and amateur competition in the southeastern United States.
His progression through the amateur ranks was steady, and by his late teens he had attracted the attention of professional teams looking for emerging talent. That path led him to a professional opportunity with the Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Honda team, where he made his pro debut in the closing rounds of the 2013 AMA National Motocross Championship. The move from amateur standout to factory-supported rider marked the start of a long and varied career in the sport.
Path to NASCAR
This page covers Shane McElrath’s career in motorcycle racing rather than NASCAR, so there is no documented transition to stock car racing. His professional path has run through Motocross and Supercross, with stints in the 250SX West, 250SX East, and 450SX classes of the AMA Supercross Championship, the AMA National Motocross Championship, the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Supercross World Championship, and the Australian Supercross Championship.
Shane McElrath Career
Early Career (2013-2014)
McElrath made his professional debut with the Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Honda team in the final three rounds of the 2013 AMA National Motocross Championship. He was retained for the following season and made his AMA Supercross Championship debut in the 250SX West class. The 2014 supercross campaign produced several top-10 finishes, including a fifth place in San Diego, and he ended the year ninth in the final standings. A hematoma sustained at the opening round of the 2014 AMA National Motocross Championship forced him out of part of the season, and he finished 17th overall with two tenth-place results as his best finishes.
250SX Breakthrough (2015-2017)
In 2015, McElrath stayed with the Troy Lee Designs team as it switched from Honda to KTM. He finished as runner-up in the 250SX West class behind a dominant Cooper Webb, with two second-place finishes as his best results. Outdoors he ended the AMA National Motocross Championship 250 standings in ninth, with a third place at Glen Helen as a highlight. A standout moment that year came at the MXGP of USA, the final round of the 2015 FIM Motocross World Championship, where he qualified on pole in the MX2 class and finished second overall on his world championship debut.
McElrath moved to the 250SX East class in 2016 and posted two third-place finishes on his way to seventh in the overall standings. Outdoors he earned his first overall podium in the AMA National Motocross Championship with third overall at Muddy Creek, Tennessee, before an injury at Southwick ended his season. Returning to the 250SX West class in 2017, he won the opening two rounds at Anaheim and San Diego, added a win at Salt Lake City, and finished the series as runner-up to Justin Hill. He ended the 2017 AMA National Motocross Championship tenth overall, with a podium at Budds Creek.
Star Racing Yamaha Era (2020)
For 2020, McElrath left the Troy Lee Designs team for the first time and signed with Star Racing Yamaha. He returned to the 250SX East class and recorded three wins and five additional podiums, finishing as runner-up to Chase Sexton for his third career supercross runner-up result. Outdoors he placed third in the 250 standings, picking up a race win and two overall podiums in the process.
450SX and World Championship Era (2021-2023)
McElrath moved to the premier 450 class in 2021 with the SmartTop Bullfrog Spas Honda team, but a shoulder injury in the pre-season cost him most of his 450SX debut campaign. In 2022 he signed with the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WPS KTM team, where he steadily improved to top-10 results before the team folded after the second Detroit round. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna then added him for the 2022 AMA National Motocross Championship, and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha gave him a ride for the final four rounds.
That same year, McElrath joined Rick Ware Racing for the inaugural 2022 FIM Supercross World Championship and dropped to a 250 to race the SX2 class. He won both rounds of the world championship and was crowned FIM World Supercross Champion. In 2023 he signed with HEP Motorsports Suzuki, finished eleventh in the 450SX class with a best result of fifth in Denver, won the opening round of the 2023 FIM Supercross World Championship in Great Britain, and ultimately lost the title to Max Anstie in Melbourne.
Quadlock Honda Racing Era (2024-Present)
McElrath finished thirteenth in the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, scoring points at all seventeen rounds and posting a fourth in the deep mud at the second round, his best 450SX result to that point. After eight rounds of the 2024 AMA National Motocross Championship, he parted ways with HEP Motorsports Suzuki and moved to the MaddParts.com Kawasaki team for the final three rounds in a deal that also covered 2025. Following the American season, he joined Fire Power Honda Racing for the 2024 FIM Supercross World Championship and the Australian Supercross Championship, swept all four rounds to reclaim the SX2 world title, and added the SX2 Australian Supercross crown. He stayed with the same Honda program, renamed Quadlock Honda Racing, for 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
McElrath is known for his smooth, technical riding style and his ability to adapt to deep mud and rough outdoor conditions, which has produced some of his best 450SX results. He pairs consistent top-ten pace in the premier class with sharp short-format race craft in the SX2 class, where his starts and race-long consistency have driven two world titles.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include winning the 2022 FIM Supercross World Championship by sweeping both rounds, his 2024 SX2 world title sweep with Fire Power Honda, the 2024 Australian Supercross SX2 crown, his first 450SX podium with second place in the mud at Foxborough in 2025, and his 2015 MXGP of USA overall podium on his FIM Motocross World Championship debut.
Shane McElrath Career Wins
Shane McElrath has built a versatile resume that includes two FIM Supercross World Championship SX2 titles in 2022 and 2024, the 2024 Australian Supercross Championship SX2 title, multiple 250SX West and 250SX East race wins, a 250SX East runner-up finish in 2020, and race wins in the AMA National Motocross Championship 250 class.
FIM Supercross World Championship Highlights
McElrath won the SX2 class of the FIM Supercross World Championship in 2022 with Rick Ware Racing, sweeping both rounds of the inaugural edition. After losing the 2023 title to Max Anstie, he returned in 2024 with Fire Power Honda Racing and won all four rounds to reclaim the crown.
Other Wins and Performances
In the Australian Supercross Championship, McElrath won the SX2 class in 2024. In the 250SX West class he won at Anaheim and San Diego in 2017 and at Salt Lake City the same year, while in the 250SX East class he collected three wins in 2020 with Star Racing Yamaha. He also picked up race and overall wins in the 250 class of the AMA National Motocross Championship, including his first overall round victory at Muddy Creek in 2018 and a Budds Creek sweep in 2019.
Shane McElrath Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly verified details about Shane McElrath’s family background and racing lineage are limited. He grew up in Canton, North Carolina, where he developed his early interest in motocross.
Personal Life
McElrath is an American national born in Canton, North Carolina. Beyond that, no further personal-life details are confirmed in the available sources.
2025 Season Performance
McElrath stayed with the same Honda team for the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, now running as Quadlock Honda Racing. Building on good early starts, he became a consistent top-ten finisher in the 450SX class as the season progressed, and he earned his first 450SX podium with a second-place finish in the mud at Foxborough, Massachusetts. He closed the supercross series ninth in the final standings, his best 450SX result to date.
Outdoors, McElrath rode the final three rounds of the 2025 AMA National Motocross Championship with the MaddParts.com Kawasaki team. His results in that stretch were enough to qualify him for the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship playoffs, and he ended the three-round series in fourteenth overall, with a best result of eleventh at the final round.
Heading into the playoffs, McElrath’s momentum in the 450 class is real, with a top-ten supercross ranking and a maiden 450SX podium to his credit. The combination of consistent supercross pace and a deal that secured his outdoor ride through MaddParts.com Kawasaki gives him stability as he chases deeper results in the SuperMotocross World Championship playoffs.
