Photos by: Chase Yocom

At the the penultimate round of the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross series in East Rutherford, all the talk was about the team tactics played within the Red Bull / KTM squad with Marvin Musquin moving over and handing Ryan Dungey his third win of 2017. Nobody really blamed the KTM team for using team tactics and most agreed that Kawasaki would fight back at the Las Vegas finale if Eli Tomac’s teammate, Josh Grant, could get in the mix, but Josh has not raced for a podium all year long. In fact, the #33 has not been on the podium since 2012.

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At the Las Vegas finale, though, Josh brought speed that we have not seen from him in years and was right where he needed to be to help his teammate. After finishing second to Dungey in his heat race, the Californian started the main event back in tenth and, by the halfway point of the main event, had caught the five-way battle for the main event win.

With the race winding down and Eli doing everything he could to cause a mistake from the #1 bike, Josh put his Kawasaki between Eli and Ryan to finish with his first main event podium in five years. Unfortunately for “Team Tomac” it was not enough to win the 450SX championship, but that in no way takes away from the incredible ride by the thirty year old—who is in a contract year—and will no doubt keep him on a factory bike somewhere in 2018. I mean who doesn’t want a rider that can step up like he did when he is needed?

Good friends Josh Grant (33) and Jason Anderson (21) congratulate one another on their podium finishes in Las Vegas.

After his podium celebration was over, we caught up with Josh to talk about his night in Las Vegas and more.

Josh, third on tonight in Las Vegas. It’s been a long time since you have been on the podium, so tonight had to feel good.

Yeah, it obviously felt good to be back up there. It was a crazy night, right? (laughs)

 

Did you surprise yourself a little bit today? You’ve been really good over the last few rounds and looked good all day today, but you haven’t been that good in a while. (laughs)

I think with certain situations—how I was feeling today and what the team’s goals were, to get into the mix—I just knew my best chance was tonight just by how I was feeling, but I needed to get a good start. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the greatest start, but I came through the pack a little bit. I was able to get up into the mix obviously with how that all played out. I’m just stoked to carry some good momentum going into the outdoor series. Laying in a hospital bed at the beginning of the year wasn’t the best, but I was like, “Alright, this is going to be a building year.” I felt like I did a pretty good job at that. I felt like sometimes it wasn’t that good, but there were some times where we could see some light. I just want to build that momentum and keep building so I can get on the level with these guys [Eli Tomac and Ryan Dungey], so I can really be able to battle for it. I know I have the talent to do it; it’s just about putting it all together.

 

You came alive around St. Louis. Since then, you’ve had three top five and then the podium tonight. Was there something that just clicked with you or the bike at that point?

I think it’s just been building that confidence throughout the year and building a little bit of fitness as well. I just want to do.

Josh (33) finished 2nd to Ryan Dungey (1) in the heat race.

I was sitting with a couple people tonight and when we saw you get up into the mix to possibly help Eli someone said, “Does Josh have the fitness to hold that podium pace for twenty minutes?” And, yeah, you obviously had that and more. Your fitness has been really, really good. Is there something you can attribute to that this year?

Honestly, it’s more just riding. It’s been all about building. That was it. With every race or every race weekend, I just got a little bit better, a little bit better and a little bit better. I carried that through. Towards the end of the season at Seattle I had a crash and the guys wouldn’t let me race because I rung my bell a little bit, but I went back-to-back top fives and then obviously this weekend. I’m happy with where it’s at, but like I said, I have to stagger those blocks up, build that base and get on the level of these guys. That’s the only thing that’s going to change it.

 

Is there something you found inside yourself, because you’ve been to the top of the class, you’ve had your struggles and now you’re once again climbing that ladder to the top? You’re obviously showing you can get back to that level, but at your age, what has reignited that inspiration to do it?

I just know how I ride a dirt bike; that’s it. I know I’m confident of knowing I have the capabilities to do it all; it’s just a matter of the fitness, the time put in and all that stuff—and obviously having a good team. We work hard. We’re at the test track every day, and it’s one of those things where I just wanted to keep that going, that fire. You know, I’m 30 years-old. These guys are 21, 22, and it’s not easy, but I feel like I have the talent to do it. It’s just a matter of building myself to get on that level again. I actually feel really good.

Josh’s ride in Vegas may have secured him a new contract with Kawasaki.

Are you feeling good heading into the outdoor series now? These twenty-minute main events have to help you guys with your outdoor fitness as well.

Yeah, they help, for sure. Honestly, I think it’s a little bit more grueling to do a twenty-minute moto on an SX track than it is an outdoor track. Outdoors you have that time to settle in or at least take a breather where SX is so high intensity. You have to be on point all the time. I feel like it will help bring it into the outdoor series so when I go to outdoors I’m pretty good at suffering. So it’s good.

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.