Photos by: Chase Yocom
Since leaving HRC / Honda with nine podiums and two wins over the first two years of his career and moving over to the JGRMX / Monster Energy / Suzuki [Yamaha in ’15 and ’16] team in 2015, Justin Barcia has been on a long streak of injuries. Justin only missed two Supercross’ in his freshman and sophomore 450SX seasons, but since the move to JGR in year three, #51 has only competed in 21 of a possible 43 Supercross events, and what’s even tougher is he has zero wins and zero podiums for the JGRMX team. Justin does have a couple of wins outdoors, but the people signing the checks on that multi-million dollar salary want those inside the stadiums.
Heading into 2017 the JGRMX team switched from Yamaha to Suzuki, and with the injury bug hitting Justin for the second straight off season just before A1, he returned in Minneapolis and has been playing catch up since. So far Justin has gone 17, 16, 9, 11 in the first four rounds, and the obvious frustration of a rider that knows he belongs up front has brought out the aggressive, hard hitting Bam-Bam in Barcia. In Daytona, though, we finally saw a glimpse of that talent that won him back-to-back 250SX East Championships and two main event wins on the 450.
In Justin’s Daytona SX heat race, he got the start and went wire-to-wire for his first heat race win since way back in 2015. It was a huge boost of confidence for him, and you could see the emotion in his celebration. Unfortunately in the main, a first lap crash ruined his chances for that first podium in years, but Justin still charged from the back to finish 11th.
After the race, MotoXAddicts’ Chase Yocom and Jason Weigandt caught up with the #51 and talked about the emotions of the heat race win, aggressive riding and his season struggles as a whole
After the heat race win, were you a little emotional?
I didn’t cry like Mike Alessi. (laughs) Everyone knows he cried, so I’ll say his name. I was definitely pumped on it—not even pumped or anything, but just like it felt good. It’s been a tough road.
I thought I heard them say your last heat race win was back in 2015?
Yeah, in Oakland.
When you were out front, it’s not just that you got the start; you pulled away even. Were you feeling good?
I was feeling better. I came back after I hurt my wrist riding and really did two deep weeks of riding. I think I did a little too much, and I was feeling kind of crappy these past couple of weeks with arm pump really bad. I went and got some blood work done this week and saw a few things that didn’t look how they should look, so I kind of fixed that a little and I felt better today. I wouldn’t say I was anywhere near 100%, but I definitely rode way, way better. There’s good things to take away from this weekend for sure. The main event—I don’t like to say good luck or bad luck or anything—it wasn’t very good luck. I crashed in the first corner.
What even happened there? Do you even know?
I don’t even really know, honestly. Then I was riding pretty good and staying pretty close to Ryan [Dungey], and then I got tight. I rode a little better at the end and caught up to those six, seven, eight, nine guys in front of me and then it was over. It’s a little frustrating.
Is the arm pump better this week?
Yeah, much better. I felt much better. I’ve been working on some stuff and starting to get better. Yeah, just keep on trying.
Eleventh place, I know it’s not exactly what you want but it’s another improvement weekend. Are you happy with it for the most part?
The heat race was great. That was the highlight so far. I’m not getting bummed or anything, because I don’t have really any expectations right now. I’m just doing the best I can and trying to get better every weekend. I did get better this weekend. My results didn’t show in the main event, but all day I did get better. Move on to next week, keep working on things I need to work on, better myself and hopefully by the end of the Supercross season I’ll be doing some good races and going into outdoors I’ll be healthy and fit and be good.
You’re starting to get some confidence back obviously with that heat race. The people; do they need to be looking out for Bam-Bam again here soon?
No, I had the fight with [John] Gallagher this morning in the semi. I don’t know, last weekend I got into it with a couple guys. (laughs) No one crashed and it wasn’t like it got crazy, but everyone was pissed off. Gallagher gave me a warning today and I just wasn’t really having it. I was just like, “No, you’re wrong.”
What is it this year with those warnings and stuff?
I don’t really know. I came back and I’m doing the best I can and I’m just trying to do my own thing and really not get in anyone’s way or fight with anyone. I’m just trying to better myself every weekend and then—I don’t know—people get frustrated. Feld loves using the highlights of aggressive riding and stuff, but then AMA slaps you on the hand as much as they can. It’s a very awkward position to be in as a rider. Like, “Oh, don’t ride aggressive. ” Oh, we love it!” Like when Weston [Peick] got into it, they used that highlight reel but he got fined.
We saw that one quite a few time. (laughs)
Yeah! It’s like, let’s figure this out. There’s a difference between super dirty, stupid riding, and hitting people vs. going at it. I think hitting people’s not right, like punching people but, hey, what the hell. (laughs)
Sometimes it comes down to that, right? (laughs)
I guess. (laughs) I don’t know. I try not to. No one got disqualified.
