The struggle for Schmidt would linger, as injuries and the adjustment to supercross took its toll. But one race would change everything.

After more than two years into his professional career and zero main events to his credit, Schmidt finally broke through at the 2013 season finale in Las Vegas. Although he only managed an eighteenth in the main, the night changed his career.

“After that night I knew I didn’t want to be a guy that just showed up; I wanted to be a guy that got top fifteens and made main events every weekend,” he said.

But more adversity would lie ahead.

Just before the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship season opener at Hangtown, Schmidt suffered a broken tibia and fibula and a torn calf muscle testing. The injury proved to be a blessing in disguise, though, as it provided Schmidt time to reflect and make a decision that would change his career path.

“I had a lot of time thinking on the couch and I knew I had to make a change if I wanted to make it, so I came back and started eating right and training right to get ready for supercross,” said Schmidt.

Schmidt shed more than thirty pounds leading up to Anaheim, dropping from a bulky 235 down to a slimmer 198. Determined to become a factor in his fourth professional season, Schmidt ramped up every aspect of his training, leading to a surprising fourteenth at the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross season opener.

Although Schmidt would make just two mains over the next six rounds, his confidence was rising. It was the same confidence that earned him the nickname “The Milestone Assassin” for his natural speed shown at the southern California test track.

With his results trending upward, Schmidt faced a new challenge: overcoming the mental barrier of racing the best in the world—unfamiliar territory for a privateer with one main event on his record entering the season.

“I think it was Phoenix that was my first A practice and it was gnarly,” said Schmidt. “Going out there and watching and riding with Villopoto, and watching them hit all the right sections—it was different.”

As Schmidt has grown accustomed to his new place in the upper echelon of the supercross hierarchy, making mains is no longer the imposing task it once was. Currently, he’s made eight straight main events and eleven of fifteen this year. He’s officially reached a new level, and the next step will be continued strength in battling the biggest names in the sport.

“Don’t get me wrong, it did [intimidate] me at first,” said Schmidt of battling the top guys in the class. “But the more I thought about it, I was like, ‘I’m one of the guys now.’ They get on a dirt bike and put on their shoes like I do every morning. Everyone is the same on the track.”

If Schmidt’s rise rings familiar, look no further than Weston Peick. Their physiques bring obvious comparisons, and their career paths aren’t that far apart. Neither were highly regarded amateurs. Both made their professional debuts in the premiere class. Both struggled with the adjustment to supercross—although Peick did have more success early.

Now with Peick landing a long-awaited factory ride for the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships with RCH, he’s become the rider privateers can look to and try and emulate.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say that I’m kind of in the spot Weston was last year, which is a big compliment in itself,” said Schmidt of the comparison. “Watching him land a factory ride makes me want to work that much harder.”