Official PR: Barcia to Race 450
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 | 12:45 PM
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Torrance, CA: American Honda is pleased to announce that GEICO Honda rider Justin Barcia will ride for the American Honda Racing team and race a factory Honda-prepared CRF450R at the remaining four rounds in the 2011 AMA Motocross Championship.
“I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to ride the Honda CRF450R in the 450 class,” said Barcia. “I can’t thank GEICO Honda team owners Rick Zielfelder and Jeff Majkrzak enough for allowing me to take advantage of this opportunity. I raced the CRF450R to the overall win at the Bercy Supercross last year and I felt great competing on the bike, so I’m excited to now get the chance to race several rounds in the Motocross series on it. I’m also really looking forward to working with the factory Honda team. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a professional racer over the past three years and this whole experience is only going to help me develop my skills even more.”
American Honda Racing Team Manager Erik Kehoe welcomes Barcia to the Honda starting line-up. “Justin has been a part of the Honda family for many years now, having entered the professional ranks through Honda’s amateur support program,” said Kehoe. “He has a lot of experience racing Honda motorcycles and he’s earned a lot of success in both his amateur and professional careers. Trey Canard showcased his talents aboard the factory-prepared Honda CRF450R last year when he filled in for six Supercross rounds, and obviously that was a significant career opportunity for him, while Cole Seely enjoyed racing several Supercross’ with the team this year. We are pleased to work with Honda-supported teams and give the younger Honda riders the chance to gain valuable experience riding for the factory team when opportunities arise.”
For more information, contact American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (310) 783-3745.
About American Honda
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and MUVs in the U.S. American Honda’s Powersports Division conducts the sales, marketing and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.
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YEAH!
First to see barcia on 450 outdoors. GO DILLA!
YEAH!
First to see barcia on 450 outdoors. GO DILLA!
Good Lord! He knocks himself stupid all summer on the 250 so they reward him with a 450??? Keep the ambulance running boys!
Oh lord... please keep this guy alive....
The Asterisks crew has already started thier preparations.
hahahahaha,,, those are some funny posts... hahahah.. Reed tweeted that Barcia is going to be his "wing man."
@mxmofo
Yep, the two of them flailing their arms and legs in unison off into the horizon!
LOL Reed better just hope JB does not take him out somehow!!!
This could be really really good or really really bad for Justin .
JD
Anyone up for a Factory Honda Yard sale? I call dibs of the wheels and motor...
I dont know why you are talking like this about barcia. He should be doing great, if anyone cant remember, he won a title halfayear ago. And he had mono
Oh Lord... please keep those valve stems in one piece...
Barcia hasn't even lined up at the gate yet, and he's already center-punched poor ol' Stevie Matthes.
J. Barcia: 01
survivors: 00
Boy I guess that Matthes guy was way off wasn't he???
mxmofo is right who else does honda have to help back reed every rider is hurt barica rides like no other .....
Can't wait to see him on 450. Will have a lot of NY cheering for him that day!! Help reedy out barcia!!
awesome! can't wait for this kid to go full time on the 450 and see how he cleans out bubbles when due! barcia, warton, hansen, and tomac will not take sh1t from no one nor will be intimidated by them seasoned pros. go bam-bam!!!
Insuranceman227... I would LOVE to see you get the motor, I am sure you could do SO much better than Barcia...DUMBAZZ... Talk about a yard sale
I think I will contact American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (310) 783-3745 for more information.
I am a BAM BAM Fan. The guy has crazy speed, never backs down, is a great starter and has not been 100% Health wise. Yes he has crashed a lot. But look back to his rookie season when he ran up front at Hangtown both moto's. Guy has been there since day 1. He also, just had an incredible (crash free) supercross season. The guy has serious skill but something is off physically. The Mono story looks to be real and it hurt him bad outdoors this year. The 250 class is so deep it is hard to run top 10. I think it will be easier for him to run top 10 on the 450 barring any horrendous get offs
Obviously Honda has motovation to put a guy out there and hope to get Reed some help. I truly hope Barcia keep it rubber side down and does not interfere with what has been an awesome outdoor season. I have been pulling for RV2 all year and hope RD1 (5) finishes a close second. I would not be overly dissappointed if Dungey won but PLEASE....PLEASE let it be a Ryan not a Reed that takes this title.
Justin, think about your possible future MXDN Teamates and accidently clip CR22 instead. Let the US title belong to one of our own!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can see Honda needs someone besides Reed out there with Grant and K-Dub out and I am sure its an awesome oppurtunity for Barcia to jump up to the 450 and get the experience.... but I feel a little premature....Can he run with Reed, Villopoto and Dungey ....HELL NO......Can he ruin someones day and title hopes if he happens to start up front?, HELL YES....Barcia is being put out there to be a bumper ala road block for Reed, no doubt about it...as Reed says " my wing man"....better hope Reed doesnt fly through Barcias jet wash......But I dont think he will be up front with those guys.....
Love my Hondas..... Barcia is a cool kid and obviously a great rider or he wouldnt be out there....The timing to me is odd, so obviously its (A) first and foremost to play team tactics with Reed and help him, how??? who knows if he is running midpack or worse on the ground and (B) simply having another Honda out there that can run top 10 for manufacture bike presence.....Barcia has what, 1 or 2 top 3 moto finishes this year and he was supposed to be a top title contender for the outdoors goin into it and he hasnt done much......so I dont see him playing much of a spoiler role or wing man...he may bang bars with Weimer and Short...but wont be up front
@Trendkiller, hope it is going well for you man! Imagine the Honda heads if Barcia got a jump on Reed and in the first corner knifed his front end and let his nose wheelie give Reed a 19" Knobby UPPERCUT like Marvin received! Oh would the Internet blow up not to mention the man from " down under " or Kurri Kurri
To Red54M, Rattray and Willson,not American,Reed not American,The chances of an American wining the title,Slim !!!
@Johnsy, you missed something bro, I am talking about the 450 title, thus the Mention of Villopoto, Dungey and Reed, Barcia is racing with them the rest of the season as per this article. Oh and GO BAGGETT in the other class, go old glory!!
holeshot and then - stay clear of the fences - you heard it here first
panic rev
rev limiter - whatever
BARCIA WITH THE HOLEY!!!!!! Finishes 4th on the day.
run with weimer and short?..i hope your joking..maybe he will before he shifts into second..short stinks this year and weimer rides like a weiner...he on the fastest bike in the world,,he will be on the podium with reed...chillaxin..
I just hope Barcia doesnt podium. he is really gonna mess it up for the top 3. Now why didnt they give trey's bike to REEDY.
Barcia is off the pace this summer. He has been repeatedly getting beat by priviteers. Mono, broken nose- both shouldn't be a factor anymore but I can't see him comin' out of his shell just cuz he's on a different bike-(maybe if he was on one of Mitches PC bikes he would win) but really, I like the guy- don't care if he's a little wreckless, rubbin' is racin', but somehow he needs to regroup, and I believe he will. But as I wish him good luck, I'm thinkin' maybe next year. Gonna be tough to beat the three R,s. We shall see.
@Dgizzy - Reed rides a factory Honda CR450F outdoors.....so he does have Treys bike....
@ the Real deal - Again, I like Barcia but i dont see hin coming out and running up front in the 450 class when he cant run with the top 250 guys....Remember, just last year Barcia was clickin off some moto wins and the year before as well....I agree with the statement above....he is off pace.....and of course he looks fast on a 450 when he is by himself......we'll see what happens i guess.
Panic REV alright,Jumping down the Gravity cavity,,Ala Bob Hannah,,Buuuurrrrp! Results at the Dilla'
1.The Dungenator
2,Speedy Reedy
3.Moto~Poto
This IS Motocross,,(so ride SX only if you want)
250
1,RATtray
2.WILL's son
3.BAG it
Come On Mookie !! Get out front..There's less rocks..Top five baby..
Sorry Seely, you should have been smarter in Las Vegas.
Matthes 1-0 Nob from fox
This is JUST what I've been waiting for: seeing Justin 'Barge-in-on-ya' gettin' schooled by the big boys. YEAH BAY-BAY! The 450 journeymen ain't gonna be puttin' up with his 'take out' style of riding, and I'm sure he'll be eatin' dirt sammiches all day! Bring yer floss Justin, you'll be gettin' grit outta yer teeth for weeks afterward! Too bad that Honda hadta lower their standards this far. That's the way I see it: blind in one eye, and not being able to see out of the other!