Aj Catanzaro, sometimes known as Albert, has been present in the motocross world for over 12 years now. One thing is for sure; he loves dirt bikes and everything associated with them. But who is Aj Catanzaro, and how did he develop his motocross career over the years?
Who Is Aj Catanzaro?
Albert Aj Catanzaro is a professional American motocross and supercross racer and riding instructor.
Catanzaro was born on the 4th of June, 1993. He turned AMA Pro in 2010 when he was only 16 years old.
Catanzaro’s main racing focus, at least over the last few years, is the 250SX series. He has also competed in the 450 class and done some outdoor Pro motocross as well.
He’s participated in over 80 races but has never earned a podium position.
That said, I’d still be very happy with riding like Aj. I think most people in the dirt bike world would.
Actually, in a recent video I saw with Aj, someone was heckling him for not having great results at the professional ranks and still going on to coach and teach other riders.
The criticism often seen is, “this guy barely ever makes the main event in supercross, why is he teaching people?!”
As the common phrase goes, “those who can’t, teach.”
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that’s the case with Aj Catanzaro. He may not have the professional results of Eli Tomac or Ricky Carmichael, but he’s still in the top 1% of all dirt bike riders in the world. That’s Aj’s response to the haters, “most people would be happy to ride like me.”
He’s had some good results in the past, just in recent years his results have not been stellar. Plus, he’s getting “old.” Almost 30 isn’t old in the real world, but it’s near the end of a motocross or supercross racing career for most riders.
Aj’s training isn’t just about making you the fastest rider possible, it’s also about teaching you to be safe and have the correct technique and form. Plus, he does bring in some of the best guys and biggest names in the industry to teach in his program, like Jett Lawrence.
Family, Personal Life, and Net Worth
Very little is known about Catanzaro’s family and personal life. Unlike other professional athletes, motocross and supercross professionals don’t generally grow much of a following or fame outside of just the dirt bike industry.
Aj married his wife Ally in September 2020, and they live together in Portland, Connecticut.
Catanzaro constantly travels across the United States for his business, The Moto Academy. This year, he even took his academy’s teachings international.
The exact net worth of Aj Catanzaro is hard to estimate. However, it’s estimated that he has a net worth of at least over $120,000.
He has multiple income sources. According to him, the highest income comes from his Moto Academy, where he earns his living. This isn’t all that surprising, given his race results. This is not a knock on AJ, but it’s just a fact of the sport. With race results like his, he’s certainly not taking home the big bucks racing dirt bikes.
His YouTube channel is also popular, with over 100K subscribers. Since he joined YouTube on December 16, 2016 he has amassed nearly 21,000,000 total views on his videos. If we assume his CPM on his videos is $15, that would mean he’s earned about $315,000 from YouTube.
That’s not bad at all, but over a six-year period, it’s about $52,500 per year.
Aj Catanzaro Racing Career
Aj Catanzaro became a pro Motocross racer in 2010, racing at Unadilla in the 250 class. He raced with a Kawasaki KX250F and won 29th place.
The next year, in 2011, he participated in his first Supercross SX Lites E race in Houston, finishing in 16th place (P16).
Catanzaro’s greatest race track achievement was at Indianapolis in the 250SX East class, where he earned 4th place and came close to securing his first podium appearance. He raced with a Kawasaki KX250F.
His next biggest achievement was securing 5th place at the St. Louis 250SX East race in 2014, where he raced with a Honda CRF250R.
In his career, Aj has raced almost every race bike brand there is, including these bikes:
- Honda CRF250R
- Kawasaki KX250F
- Kawasaki KX450F
- Yamaha YZ450F
- Yamaha YZ250F
- KTM 250 SX-F
- Suzuki RM-Z250
When Catanzaro founded The Moto Academy in 2016, his number of appearances on the track started to decrease. That same year he participated in only 4 Supercross races, riding a Kawasaki KX450F.
2017 was a more active year for Catanzaro, with 11 race appearances.
His last greatest achievement was at Southwick MX338 on a 125, where he finished in 5th place riding a KTM.
List of Achievements
Here is a list of Aj Catanzaro’s most notable achievements in his racing career:
- 4th place in the AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship in 2013
- 5th place in the AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship in 2014
The Moto Academy and Partnership With Jett Lawrence
In 2016, Aj Catanzaro founded The Moto Academy, where he gives dirt bike riding lessons to younger riders.
His academy has been the focus of most of his attention since then, and he stated, “Of course, I would love to make the money and be consistently in the mains, it’s just so difficult to balance my work and my racing.”
The academy is his main source of income, so his main focus is being an instructor, rather than training.
Besides practical and on-the-field riding, the Moto Academy teaches riders through video tips and an online mobile app. The academy provides private live streams of riding sessions as well.
The academy provides special giveaways for new and existing student riders to motivate them further.
In 2021, Jett Lawrence joined Catanzaro’s Moto Academy. Lawrence is one of the most promising young talents in the world of dirt bikes.
On the 11th and 12th of August 2022, Aj Catanzaro brought his Moto Academy on tour to Ireland. The academy was located at the Vernonmount Motocross track for two days, attracting a lot of interest from international riders.
The following week, the academy also visited England.
Sponsorship From Maxxis
In 2019, Aj Catanzaro and his Moto Academy entered the Maxxis sponsorship program.
Since then, Catanzaro trains and races with the Maxxis MX-ST tires.
He also uses Maxxis tires for his truck.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aj Catanzaro
Aj Catanzaro currently rides for Maxxis tires and under the sponsorship of his own company, The Moto Academy. In 2023, it appears he will be riding a Honda, but it’s not “for” Honda.
Aj Catanzaro is from Portland, Connecticut.
No, the Moto Academy is not free. It has an affordable monthly subscription of about $20-$30 per month, and comes with a 7-day free trial.
Aj Catanzaro started racing professionally in 2010, but had raced amateurs for years before that.
Moto Academy is run by Aj Catanzaro, who has guest teachers join him like Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, and James Manni.
