Team Tedder Racing rider Justin Hill has had about as tough a start to the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship you can imagine, but he's not about to give up. Legendary American journalist, Eric Johnson caught up with the veteran, and they talked about the season so far.

“Oh man, it’s SO far away from where I want to be,” Hill admits with a laugh after two 14th places and a 15th, consistency that belies the challenges he's faced to get them. “It’s fine because you get dealt monkey wrenches in the sport so much. It’s just the most volatile things that a guy can be doing for a living. I dealt myself a pretty goofy hand at A1 (the Anaheim opener). It’s kind of a long-winded way to explain a crash, but basically, I crashed and blew my radiator cap off the bike. I got soaking wet. My whole bottom half I was just soaking wet from the antifreeze. I have coolant all over me and I get to my mechanic, and he got it all patched up.

"I was soaking wet and couldn’t grip the bike that well. I go out there and try and send it for one lap and crash hard, separated the cartilage in my ribs. So that’s just what I’ve been battling. It’s been one of the more mentally testing injuries for me because I can walk around, I can show up for these race weekends and get through it. Pain-wise, I can make it through the day, but every single thing I hit hurts. Every single thing I do just costs so much mental and physical energy.

"On top of that, every single time I ride I make it worse. Between Anaheim 1 and San Diego, and between San Diego and Anaheim 2, I was unable to ride. I didn’t ride one time. I was able to sit on a sim bike and sit in the hyperbaric chamber and do the rehabilitating-type things.

"Putting all of that in perspective, I’m actually proud of where I’m at. God, it’s been extremely frustrating. I couldn’t think of a more ridiculous way to be derailed but still being able to show up and ride. Like, today was the first day I was able to practice. I was seeing how I felt and we actually have some parts from the factory team that we’re going to test. Those guys are super awesome and excited to help us. Things are looking up.

"I’m going to have so much more seat time. I mean my brother Josh has said this to me, ‘The only guys that go out there and race when they’re hurt are dumb enough to think they’re better.’ And he’s right. That’s kind of my mental game. The way I felt leading into Anaheim 1 and before that silly crash, it was probably the best month on a motorcycle that I can remember ever having. I felt so good. It’s right there.

If you’re in a good place with the motorcycle and you feel comfortable, to me if that’s in line there is no other thing in your way. I feel like we have that. It’s a matter of not making stupid rookie mistakes like trying to send it. I was super excited. I was so pumped and I was so excited coming into the first Anaheim that I just made a bunch of 19-year-old mistakes. It was kind of crazy.

“I also work with J. Whipple a lot with just on the bike stuff. He’s fantastic at just technical things and technique stuff on the bike. He’s a buddy. Before Anaheim, I was like, ‘Dude, this weird. I’m 30 years old and I have those butterflies I used to have before the season when I was young.’ He was like, ‘I like to hear that.’ I said, ‘I think it’s good, too. It’s like I really care!’ I know I’ll get it all right back as soon as I’m at 100-percent.”

As a member of Team Tedder Racing, Hill is in the position of a privateer having to go head-to-head with the Japanese and Austrian factory teams that rule the sport. He talked about what that entails.

“I feel like I’m just fighting each rider I race against,” explained the former 250SX race-winning rider. “I’m trying to be better than them. Yeah, of course there are days where you see somebody that has the setup and does have all the stuff going for them and you always want to beat them. You want to beat the guy that is on a better seat. I don’t look at it that way. I just don’t think my seat is worse than everybody’s. I probably have it better than everybody out in the field.

"I really love my job. My crew I wouldn’t trade for the world. I’ve said that all along. This is my fourth year with these guys. I’m going to retire with these guys. I don’t really plan on going anywhere. I don’t look at it like, ‘I’m fighting the OEMs.’ I’ve got a lot of help from KTM. They try to get me whatever they can. I’m in a great situation because I can test those parts when they give us stuff try. But then I have the option of I liked it or I didn’t like it. Everything on my motorcycle is what I chose. I really like that. People’s preferences can differ so much.

“It’s very different because we don’t do a lot in-house,” explained Hill. “When you get on one of these OEM teams you have the motherships back in Japan that can make you any part that can do anything. If you’re on KTM, you have Austria. You’ve got these motherships that can be like, ‘We need this major part for the head. Can you make it?’ We’re not in that position, but we’re in a position where whatever is to market, we have the option to try.

"There are disadvantages and advantages. Our advantage is the feel of our team. Our team we are just doing the best we can. Everybody involved with my setup, we’re buddies and we just enjoy it. The Tedders go way back in this sport as a family racing group, just like me and my family do. I’ve never seen so eye to eye with a group. They treat me like I’m one of the brothers. There is nothing cooler that you can have that somebody that actually cares for your wellbeing and who is overseeing your day-to day program. I can tell you right now that there are a lot of organizations that you could ride for that don’t feel the same way. It’s a great feeling. I can trust my people. Especially and in particular my mechanic Jesse O’Brien. That guy is a straight ace in the hole. He sort of worked his way into us realizing how awesome he was. I try not to talk about him too much, probably because I don’t want to lose him. if people knew what kind of employee he was, there would be a bidding war for him. he has all the things that I don’t have.”

Next up for Hill will be NRG Stadium in Houston this weekend, followed by the Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas and Daytona rounds. He sees them playing to his strengths.

“I’m excited about Houston. Obviously, it’s going to be just a little different with the Triple Crown format with no free practice," he noted. "You have two qualifiers. Those two qualifiers are your final gate pick for the main events. So qualifying is just going to be bonkers. I’m looking forward to it. I like Texas; Phoenix, I’m a huge fan of because the floor is so big. They make big jumps. My main issue with the current state of the sport is how little all the jumps are. There is no lift. I’m looking forward to riding a track like at Glendale.”

And what does Hill make of the competition?

‘It’s a little bit weird right now," he admitted. "There is just this kind of vibe where I don’t feel like anybody is a crazy standout other than Eli Tomac and his switch. Amazing how gnarly he is. Chase Sexton is always so fast. I’m impressed with Hunter Lawrence, for sure. Kenny Roczen s always awesome. When I get into a position where I’m pushing, I’m about the same speed as they guys that I want to be up there beating. At Anaheim! gauged the top three guys and I just stayed in the same exact spot with them virtually the whole main. They’re not going faster than me; I just suck at starting these races. That’s the way I’m looking at it right now.”