Monster Energy is proud to welcome freestyle motocross trailblazer and 15-time X Games from Jarryd McNeil on Episode 41 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.
CORONA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Get ready for a rider who walks the walk and talks the talk! Monster Energy is proud to welcome freestyle motocross trailblazer and 15-time X Games from Jarryd McNeil on Episode 41 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.
Recorded inside Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California, this new 57-minute episode gets inside the mind of the 31-year-old Moto X phenomenon and nine-time X Games gold medalist. In an unparalleled career, McNeil made history by claiming the most X Games medals in the Best Whip discipline and earning the record as the most decorated Australian athlete at X Games.
When he first came on the American freestyle motocross circuit as a relatively unknown rider, the welcome was not always friendly. "I kind of struggled with riders trying to hate on me. I was like, 'Why… I'm just trying to make a career in the U.S.,' said Monster Energy's McNeil on UNLEASHED. But gradually, he built respect. "People realized, 'This guy has bike skills. He's not just a whip kid.'"
For a full look at what drives the exceptional athlete and recent father, fans can now tune in to Episode 41 of UNLEASHED featuring Jarryd McNeil. Released today, the new podcast is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
Growing up in rural Kerang, Australia, Jarryd McNeil was raised riding dirt bikes for transportation on his family's dairy farm. He soon developed a need for speed and competed as a motocross racer in the junior leagues. But at age 18, McNeil flipped a switch and began experimenting with freestyle aerials. This set the course for a milestone-heavy career, as the Australian upstart began dominating the Best Whip and Step Up disciplines at X Games, so far capturing nine gold medals across both events. His current record of 15 X Games medals makes him the most decorated Australian athlete at X Games – and the newly minted dad is far from finished!
Listen to McNeil's plans and career highlights in conversation with our two podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke "The Dingo" Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass on Episode 41 of UNLEASHED. Also joining the interview, acclaimed painter, model, and UFC numbers girl Brittney Palmer contributes questions and background information to the episode. Tune in right here.
Asked about his upbringing, McNeil said he feels most rooted in the countryside of Victoria, where he was born. "I'm a country boy at heart, so I represent the countryside with the hat and all that," said McNeil, who often gets mistaken for a professional bull rider at airports. He did not envision a career in freestyle motocross – although he had been riding dirt bikes as a young kid.
Initially, McNeil started racing in the junior motocross leagues in 1999. "We were always traveling. I had a really successful racing career as an amateur. Won the Australian championship and was the fastest amateur in 2007. Went into my pro years and didn't have the support I needed," McNeil remembers.
After doing halftime shows performing freestyle tricks at Super X events to make money, he decided to go all-in on trick riding at age 17. There was no turning back from there. He joined the Crusty Demons tour alongside fellow young upstart Jackson Strong. "We were the grommets on tour. We definitely did a lot of shows and events at that time."
Once he got rolling as a freestyle rider, McNeil became almost unbeatable. He was first invited to X Games in 2010 and instantly reached the podium with second place in Best Whip. At X Games Austin 2015, he clinched his first gold medal in Best Whip and started a dominating run that also included the highest air records in the Step-Up discipline.
He is now tied for most X Games gold – nine gold medals – in motocross with Travis Pastrana. "There have been a few medals, and I've only been in X Games twelve years. So, looking at it that way, every year I pretty much got two medals," said McNeil on UNLEASHED.
In another record-setting feat, his 15 total X Games medals are the most for any Australian athlete. At X Games Austin 2016, he achieved a personal milestone: Double gold medals in Best Whip and Step Up. "It was two gold at one X Games, and that was the first time I did both. And 30 minutes before I got my gold in Step Up, I got a call that I closed on my house. My first property in the U.S. That whole weekend was just sick."
When he's not competing, McNeil has put in the laps touring with the Nitro Circus showcase and wowing stadium crowds with his stunts. "We do three shows a week with Nitro Circus. Most weeks, I've been getting two or three days at home, maybe."
Time at home is precious now because McNeil became the father to a baby boy in 2021. He is already thinking about passing the torch to future generations. "My kid will definitely get a dirt bike! I was two when I started riding. He's already pretty dialed on a strider bike."
Want to hear the whole story from Monster Energy's Jarryd McNeil himself? Visit the landing page to access Episode 41 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring Australian motocross trailblazer Jarryd McNeil.
Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke "The Dingo" Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show 'The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo' on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any type of background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.
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The UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast is here to celebrate the personalities behind the Monster Energy lifestyle. With each episode dedicated to a unique guest or topic, listeners learn about living on the edge and advancing the state of the art in the world of high-energy sports as well as music, games, and pop culture from individuals at the top of their game. More than a drink, Monster Energy is a way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans – and the podcast is an extension of this unique DNA.
For more on Monster Energy and the UNLEASHED Podcast, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Also, follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive content and athlete features.
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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