We're nearing the end of off-season and will soon see how each rider matches up to the hype. Check out part two of The Hot Seat, where we give you an in depth analysis of who is safe and sound for 2013 and who is on the hot seat. Be sure and check back in tomorrow for part three of the series.
Honda Muscle Milk
Justin Brayton - Safe and Sound (They will give Brayton an extension into 2013 so long as he doesn't completely blow it this year. Which, in our opinion, he shouldn't.)
Trey Canard - Safe and Sound (Yes, he's been hurt, but he's also Trey Canard. Enough said.)
Ashley Fiolek - Safe and Sound (She won back her crown this year and is the most marketable face in women's motocross. Yeah, she's safe for sure.)
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Blake Baggett - Baggett is safe for another year with Mitch and the boys, but he needs to stay upright.
Dean Wilson - Safe and Sound. (He won an outdoor title and our guess is he will win a 2012 SX title. They want to keep him as long as possible.)
Broc Tickle - Tickle is definitely on the hot seat. It's a new 450 program for Tickle and he'll have his hands full in the 450 class. He needs to outperform expectations if he want's to be back with PC in 2013.
Tyla Rattray - Rattray will most likely move up or move over (to the GPs, that is).
Darryn Durham - Durham is probably safe, but this being his first year on a big team, he'll need to prove to the boys at PC that he can roll up front consistently. The pressure is on for sure.
DNA Shred Stix
Kyle Cunningham - Safe and Sound. (KC was a supercross standout in 2011 and one of the only non-PC riders to reach the podium outdoors.)
Gareth Swanepoel - Safe and Sound. (We're going to say that Swanepoel for two reasons. 1. He won a moto at Southwick and 2. Because last year was his first year in the States and we feel like the kid has some talent to grow with.)
Nico Izzi - Izzi is never safe. He's a rock-n-roll kind of rider that we could see going anywhere next year.
Ryan Sipes - Safe and Sound. (Sipes is probably the best rider DNA has, so yes, he's safe, providing he doesn't move up to a 4fiddy in 2013, that is.)
Austin Stroupe - Stroupe is anything but safe. His name wouldn't be Stroupe if he was. If he can actually make it through an entire supercross season we'll say he returns, if not, then who knows?
Ryan Morais - Morais will be competing in a rather difficult 450 class this year. We're not saying he's not safe, but we're definitely not saying he it, either.
Kyle Peters - He's a rookie who didn't necessarily impress in his short time with the team in 2011. He'll need to prove himself, just like every other rookie.
TwoTwo Motorsports
Chad Reed - Safe and Sound. (He ownes the team! Who is going to fire him, himself?)
