With Beta introducing its 250cc four-stroke RX 250F for 2027, the brand needs to go racing in the 250 class. Liqui Moly Beta today announced Derek Kelley as the man for the job, with a new deal for next season as well as 2028. Exact details were not announced, but as Liqui Moly Beta is generally a supercross-only team, you can expect to see Kelly in either the West or East division of Monster Energy AMA Supercross on the bike. Will we see the team add another 250 rider to cover the opposite coast?

It's worth noting that Beta did race the AMA Pro Motocross Championship this summer but only after early-season injuries to its 450 riders. 

Kelley is racing for the MX6 Kawasaki team this year but missed time due to injury. While Shane McElrath will be making his Beta debut this weekend in the first SMX playoff round, you probably won't see Kelley racing on his new ride until 2027. Kelley's tentative plan was to get a few gate drops post-injury before the end of '26 via the SMX Playoffs. 

Beta USA's press release on Kelley is below. 

Beta USA has signed Derek Kelley on a two-year deal as the first rider in the Liqui Moly Beta Race Team’s expansion into the 250SX class.

Hailing from Riverside, California, Kelley turned pro in 2019 and quickly built a reputation as one of the most resilient, hard-working racers in the paddock. Over the past several seasons, he has consistently proven his speed against stacked fields in both AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. His indoor resume includes a career-best 6th-place finish at the Glendale 250SX West round, multiple top-10 main event finishes across both coasts, highlighted by top-eight rides in Anaheim, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, and a 7th-place finish on the global stage at the FIM World Supercross British GP.

Known for his relentless grit, technical precision, and bike-development feedback, Kelley brings strong race-craft to Beta’s 250 program as the brand enters its inaugural season campaigning the all-new RX 250F in Pro Supercross.

With testing and development already underway ahead of the upcoming season, Kelley is eager to take on the challenge of bringing Beta's new 250 program to the gate.

"I am thrilled about the opportunity to join the Beta Racing Team for the coming years! The team has built an exceptional environment where everyone is fully committed. I am also excited to work on the development of the new bike and can't wait to get started!" said Derek Kelley.

The move marks a major step forward for Beta USA's racing efforts, building upon the team's foundation in the 450 class and establishing a full factory effort in 2027.

"Expanding our program into the 250SX class is a massive milestone for Beta USA, and bringing Derek Kelley on board is the perfect fit to kick off this new chapter," said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager. "Derek has repeatedly shown the grit, speed, and work ethic it takes to compete with the best in the sport. His experience racing at the highest level, paired with his technical feedback, will be vital as we develop and race the RX 250F in Supercross. We are excited to welcome Derek to the Liqui Moly Beta family and can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."