Photos and Interview by: Chase Yocom – Written by: Dan Lamb
Since turning pro at the end of the 2011 Lucas Oil Pro Motocoross Championship, RCH / Yoshimura / Suzuki’s Justin Bogle had only stood on an outdoor national podium three times in his career before last weekend’s Budds Creek National. All three of those podiums came in the 250 class in 2014, and none of them had him standing on the top spot front and center.
Three long, hard-fought years later—two of which were on the 450—and the Cushing, Oklahoma rider can now call himself a premier class 450 national winner after his 1-3 performance last weekend. With just four motos left on the 2017 calendar and his team shutting down their operation and locking their doors for good in two weeks, Justin went out and proved to everyone that he is worthy of one of the very few vacant 450 factory spots available for 2018.
In the opening moto at Budds Creek, Justin got a second place start, passed Martin Davalos on lap four and rode away for his second 450 moto win of ’17. In moto two, Justin grabbed the holeshot before getting passed by both Blake Baggett and Eli Tomac on five. For a minute, it looked like the #19 might continue that ascent into the field, but he held tight in third for the remainder of the moto—securing the first 450 podium and overall win of his career.
After Justin’s win was in the record books, MotoXAddicts’ Chase Yocom caught up with him to talk about his day and his prospects for a job in 2018.
Justin, 1-3 on the day and you took home your first ever national win. I don’t know if anyone could wipe that smile off your face right now. (laughs)
It feels good. I haven’t had the best season, so to go out and get another moto win and then back it up with another solid moto… I know I got the moto win in Colorado, but my second moto was horrendous. So to back it up with two solid motos and get the overall, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s my first podium outdoors on a 450, so to make it an overall win, you can’t ask for much more.
You mentioned your first moto win in Colorado. You got the first moto win and weren’t able to back it up in moto two. Did you learn anything from that experience that you were able to apply today?
Of course. I’ve learned so much this year, man. I gotta give a lot of that up to all the people around me because this stuff is tough. The 450 class and learning how to adjust to that, it’s a challenge. I learned, and it felt different this time getting a moto win because, in the first one, I got way too excited. It had been so difficult getting to that point that my emotions kind of got the best of me. I was able to keep them in check this week, went back out there and got the win. It was awesome.
What did you think of the track today and the conditions? It rained a lot yesterday. It almost seemed a little bit slick out there today.
The track was really difficult. There were sections that were super deep. There were sections that were super slick. It was pretty one-lined; it was difficult. Like you said, we got a ton of rain for like a day and half. The fact that it was this good, it’s cool. It was tough with lappers. It made it so difficult with lappers, but we all had to deal with it.
We all know now that you moved down to “The Farm” and are woring with Ricky Carmichael. How much has that helped you out? In your 250 career, I don’t think you ever won an outdoor overall, and look at you now.
You know, moving down to the farm and working with Jeannie [Carmichael] and working with everybody down there—my trainer Cory—it’s been such a blessing, man. Life wasn’t too sweet there for a while. I made all these changes, took a leap of faith, and I’m a firm believer that when you bet on yourself, it always pays off if you truly believe you’re capable. I’ve never doubted my abilities. It’s a change—variety is the spice of life—and some times you just need a change. Everything is going good and I gotta keep it moving. Obviously, one win isn’t going to make or break me. I just gotta keep trying to get better.
Obviously, your win has come at a good team. Your RCH / Yoshimura / Suzuki team is closing the doors at the end of the pro motocross series here. Can you tell us anything about what you have going for 2018 yet?
Nothing yet. We’re obviously working and my agent Jimmy is on top of it. I’ve been talking to people, but as you see, there’s not too many options out there. All I can do is go out, get results, do the best I can do, and if I keep doing that, I should be fine.
I think with winning a 450 pro national you will hopefully land somewhere. (laughs)
You would hope.
