Three years worth of injuries have slowed Casey Cochran's progress early in his pro career, but over the last two weekends of Pro Motocross, he was suddenly back! The Virginia native, who just turned 20, has gone 5-11-4-5 in the last four motos of the season, and his fourth overall at RedBud was a big step. He needs it, because the Rockstar Husqvarna team he rides for is shutting down at the end of the season and Casey needs a ride for 2027. Steve Matthes called Casey for the PulpMX Show, with co-host Zach Osborne, on Monday to get the latest.

Matthes: Casey. Good job, man!
Casey Cochran: Yeah thanks I was stoked. Finally got the ball rolling a little bit. So two good finishes and a good overall. So yeah, it was good.

You led some laps at High Point, I feel like? It's been building though. I think you got six right seventh in the moto. I forget what you got.
At High Point, the first moto where I led, I ended fourth in that.

Oh, fourth. Okay. So I'm just saying like, that's what you're building on, right? Like you rode really well, you led a bunch of laps and that had to be like, okay, I could do this. I'm back. And now, you didn't lead at RedBud, but you certainly rode much better. It's just such a confidence thing.
For sure, I'll be honest with you guys. I mean, after the first three rounds and not racing, I mean, for a year and then coming out and racing those first three, there was some, there was some dark moments in the mind for sure. Because you, you start second guessing. You're like, what is going on? Because obviously you're putting effort out there and then you go out and have some bad races. And then, yeah, High Point came at the perfect time, exactly what I needed. Definitely boosted the confidence and got me back to like, all right, this is this is what I do. So yeah, I think it just carried that into RedBud, and so it showed.

What clicked at High Point? Do you think like just the start and let's go and I got this?
One, I was so tired of getting roosted that I was like, ‘I'm not doing this again! So I was like, I'm just gonna get the holeshot!” I kind of just convinced myself that I was going to get the holeshot before we even went to the gate. And I was like, yeah, I'm tired of being mediocre in 15th place, so let's lock in.

[Laughs] Casey, it's been really cool because like, you didn't race supercross, right? Been out for a while. People forget. You come back. The class is deep. We know your situation with the team and needing to do something. So, like, do you feel like this is really putting your name back out there and you're getting some interest now? So dude, how fortunate that you figured this out this quick.
Yeah, yeah. As I said, it was a tough start to the season and obviously missing supercross. Overall the past three years, ever since I went pro, it’s pretty much been an uphill battle. A roller coaster with just injuries in my control and out of my control. So yeah, people definitely forget. You're only as good as your last race. So there was definitely some stuff we had to push through and some stuff that some people might have given up. We had to dig ourselves out of the dungeon and we're finally back on the horse and getting it. I think it's coming at the right time now. And hopefully, we can get some stuff rolling for next year. I actually talked to my agent earlier today. He called me and he's like, “Man, you got my phone buzzing a little more this week!”

Good. But the one thing that sucks for you is supercross is so important and you haven't been able to show anything there because of the injuries. So you know, leading laps and what you did this weekend is all great. But like yeah, supercross is huge. So you’ve got to put that in. You got to leave these people with like, no doubt, you know what I mean?
And all the supercross races I've done, which I did three in 2024 and then missed all ‘25 and then one this year. And the ones I did in 24 were like half ready. I mean, not fully ready. And then I was I was pretty young, obviously. And then going into supercross this year, I felt really good actually, going really fast at the test track and really confident because I believe in my supercross ability. I've always been super confident, more of like a methodical rider, I think that works in supercross for me. And yeah, unfortunately, just when I got hurt right before the season opener definitely set me back. And then when I went to come race Detroit, I had literally two days on the bike. And that injury that I had before supercross, they said just a collarbone, which was the biggest thing. But when I crashed, it was a pretty heavy one. I went over the bars, bike hit me in the back, and originally I thought I broke my back. So they actually put me in a helicopter and airlifted me to the hospital, and turns out it was my ribs on my back. I actually broke my ribs, and then I cracked my scapula and then broke the collarbone. So it was a little more than it entailed. And I think that's why I was out longer than some people were.

I don't I don't even remember Casey racing this year in supercross. I forgot!
Did one in Detroit and I crashed. I got like fifth in the heat and then I crashed in the main and landed right back on my collarbone. And I so I was like, all right, we're packing it up!

Osborne: Hey, Casey, how much easier is it racing at the front than racing in, like, 14th.
Bro? So much easier. Oh my God. Even like, sixth place is just so easy compared to that mid-pack. When you're in 15th, 20th, you can't even go. It's like everything you learn on the sight lap just goes out the window because you got five guys going everywhere, and you can't even go where you want to go. When you're in the front. It spaces out so early, and you can actually take the lines that you wanted to take and go where you wanted to go. And it's so much easier. When I did my first national after coming like from winning, I went 1-1 at the RedBud combine. And then I went and did my first national right after that. And I remember like fighting for my life in like 18th. And I was like, bro, the intensity is so high throughout the whole race. Like my whole amateur career, I'm like, dude, I've been riding at like 85% because like, you get a gap and you manage.

Casey, we talked about your team situation. I don't know how the Nate Dogg or whoever broke it to you, like, you know, they're taking Dax and taking Ryder D you didn't make the cut, obviously. You are maybe making them reconsider, but was that really tough for you?
I knew that coming into this year that this was like the last year on my deal with Husky anyways. So I knew I had to perform no matter what, but obviously the news of the team closing the doors was obviously something that, you know, then a future here isn't possible. So yeah, I remember the day I was in California actually testing and Nate Dogg called and he's like, yeah, we're shutting down and we'll be moving the moving some of the guys over to KTM and unfortunately, like, we don't have room for you.

Yeah, they were all on two year deals though?
Yeah they were. They were already signed for like the next year on Husky. So they just like moved them over I think.

I mean, like Nate's awesome. I have a lot of respect for Nathan Ramsey. So yeah, I mean, he's going to do what he's going to do. It's just yeah, for you, it's just a tough blow, right?.
Yeah it's a tough one. But Nate, I love Nate. He's helped me out so much. And even on that call when he told me, he's like there's anything I can do for you, let me know. And we're obviously going to put our best foot forward and do what we can in motocross. And that's what we're focusing on right now.

Are you a sand guy?
In Florida, I’ve been here the last eight years now so I’ve gotten pretty familiar with sand. Last  time I raced Southwick I think I went 12-11 or something. Get some good starts again. We’ve got the starts dialed in.

Osborne: That spot that Casey is in, it’s tough, because you know you can do it, you know you can be a fifth-place guy but even that’s not satisfactory to how you feel anymore. But then you get a bad start and you’re riding around in 15th with guys you feel you shouldn’t be around. It’s a hard pill to swallow but you can get through it.

Matthes: And Casey you’ve led laps?
Yeah I led like 25 minutes at Millville and I finished second, Levi won.

Matthes: Zacho, do you have any advice for handling Aldon?
Osborne: There’s no handling Aldon! You just do the work and the results come. Casey, do the work. There’s no way around it!

Matthes: Can we talk about [Julian] Beumer? He’s been really impressive!
Julian has impressed me. He’s down at Aldon’s and we ride together every day. We ride pretty similar at the test track but at the races he turns it up pretty good. High Point I was leading and he comes by me, and I was like “Julian! Really!” He was ripping.