Going for the W: Justin Barcia
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 | 5:30 PM
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After just three of nine races in Monster Energy Supercross Lites East, the buzz is already building. Can GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia complete the perfect season?
Wait. What?
Are we really already hearing buzz about a perfect season with just one third of it complete? Sure are. That was the definitive feeling in the pits after last week’s St. Louis race, where Barcia proved he has the speed to straight-up pull away from fast kids Ken Roczen and Justin Bogle. The world had been waiting for the Roczen/Barcia showdown, and in their first real square off, Barcia was the better man.
Meanwhile, the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team is falling shy of their usual high standards. Darryn Durham has been good but not great so far, and Blake Baggett, who certainly has the ability to match Barcia stride-for-stride, has not been himself. Blake Wharton has been solid on the Rockstar Suzuki, but Barcia has the total package going right now. Speed. Starts. And smarts. At least, for the standard some often pegged as the wild child.
The Roczen/Barcia showdown has yet to materialize.
Photo: Simon Cudby
But go further back. What do past Lites class dominators like Christophe Pourcel, Chad Reed, James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto, Ivan Tedesco, Kevin Windham, Damon Huffman, Brian Swink, and Jeremy McGrath have in common? They completely owned their competition during their best year in the class, but never once did any of those boys pull off a perfect season in 125/Lites SX. Yup, it’s only half the races of the big class, but perfection is a narrow target that usually results not in accomplishment but in dissapointment.
Durham currently sits third in points. Can he stop Barcia?
Photo: Simon Cudby
To which I say, Barcia isn’t even aiming for it. Yeah, he wants to win badly and has the tools to do it. And just like last year, his starts are really, really on point, which helps immensely. But perfection? It will start with the start, and to expect anyone to nail nine good ones is a bit much. As often as Barcia is thought of as the wild child, he doesn’t carry a crash and burn highlight reel on YouTube. In other words, he gets aggressive with other riders, but he doesn’t ride over his head and throw it away as often as you’d think.
The point? At some point, Barcia will get a sub-par start, or deal with a quick washout or tipover. Not a yard sale, but just enough to make a race win a long shot. Then he’ll be smart enough to take his podium and his points and defend that number-one plate. No harm there, it happened to the best (see above).
The GOAT is the only Lites rider to go undefeated.
Photo: Racer X Archives
And the competition is certainly capable. We’d have skipped a lot of great races if we could just decide no one could win after three races. Rocze/Bogle/Baggett/Durham//Wharton and the rest will be back—on any given night, the night could be theirs.
For the record, the perfect season happened one time: in 1998, Ricky Carmichael won every single 125 East race. One time, ever. Half the races as the big class, with the competition sliced in half into two coasts. And it still only happened once.History says it’s hard to do.
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Barica is no RC. Not gonna happen.
RC could eat two Barcia's for lunch with some fries and a super sized diet pepsi.
I'm not trying to make a point, that's just a cool mental image.
Barcia should go to the 450 at the end of May. I think he is the only won who could keep RV honest outdoors.
I love watching Barcia ride, but what's up with his hair issues. He cuts the long hair and looks like a professional, then two weeks later is rockin' a mustache that makes him look like his name should be Bruce and walking the streets of San Francisco!
And don't get me started on Wharton!
@yzchris: Obviously the stache is having the desired effect, intimidation. You're already worrying about how the stache makes you feel funny in the pants area.
I know this is supercross but the guy has crashed a ton in outdoors. Not to mention he pile drove it overseas racing supercross and it cost him the win. Then pile drove it last year during supercross and supposedly broke his wrist (I personally feel it was a ploy and got paid to rock the wrist braces).
Put him on a 450 for outdoors and I see him as a top ten guy maybe. Won't be challenging for many wins. He has had rough luck outdoors, all of a sudden if you put him on a 450 he will do better? Yes he had good luck in one race that was plagued by rain (anything happens in the rain). Isnt that the race that Dungey came from almost a lap down to get 7th, Reed DNF'd and RV cruised around? Count his win streak on a lites bike, mx a 450 is way faster paced. Also takes alot more control which he has issues with.
I certainly don't want to jinx the guy but, yeah, I think he can do it. Roczen would be smart to throttle down, watch & learn. Whether he has that in him or not, we shall see. I would hate to see KTM's shot at the 250F MX title wasted over a SX learning experience.
Roczen came in with two or three weeks of practice under his belt. He came off a broken wrist the prevented him from riding. He was up to speed the first race with no time under his belt. He was set back by a cold last week. If he is 100% this week he will def run the same or better pace then Barcia.
@PW29--He did awful good on the 450 last year, top tens or better, got a win in Southwick, or did you forget?? He was overriding the 250 outdoors, he cant do that to the 450.. But he very much can go undefeated in supercross, nobody has even been very close to him this year so far.. I feel if he wins Daytona, he will do it.. I hope he does, just to piss off all the guys who hate the kid..
Top ten like I said. Won in the rain like I said (think that was the race Chad's bike broke). Top ten yes, top 5 yes, top of the podium dont think so. Every guy who has won a championship on a 450 has over rode their lites bike and came out with a championship. He hasn't been able to put it together. He would make more money staying on a lites bike and pushing for a Championship then he would moving up early. If he moves up early and fails as a 450 guy (like many do) he could miss out on a lot of cash. I wouldn't risk it. His odds of winning a lites Championship are alot greater and make him worth alot more cash to future prospects.
didnt chad reed win all his east coast races for yotroy...????
The first picture says it all..Barcia loose and ready...Roczen looks kinda scared.
When he is fully mended and without excuses then it is on right? Because up to now we haven't seen the fully Kenny right?
yeah...Barcia is no Rc but at least he would have raced him hard...if he could have caught him...lol! differnt era so these comparisons are pointless...
@joemezz Jesseman took one from him...
thanks dinosaurmedia ..i remember sobe suzuki..jessemen
@ BD200 I remember Bret Metcalf winning Southwick not Barcia.
I remember Barcia getting 7th at Southwick edging out 157 year old John Dowd in 8th.
@fred c'mon man, that's just uncalled for. Dowd is only 138
Barcia was running up front, then DNF'd 1st moto just like Reed. He won the second. Weather was a factor for everyone and the kid took it to the field. Granted #2 wasnt pushing it.
@PW ....you have alot of reasons Bam can't win but he does and IS , and alot of reasons Roczen will but he hasn't. Also did you actually watch any of JB20's 450 rides ...he looked pretty good to me ...a rookie sure , but he was flyin and he was in the hunt , enough to get Dungey all superpumped (at which point I guess he should have tried NOT to win). I think the 450 actually taught him alot about using a little less to get a little more and he has gotten better ever since....He and TC will be forces to be reckoned with next year. I think Wilson and Tyla will also become good 450 riders. The future looks promising.
@PW - Barcia went 3-3 at Unadilla, DNF-1 at Southwick, and 4-31 at Steel City on the 450 last summer. Not bad for the first 3 races on a 450.
@yzchris76 > From way back Heikki Mikkola had the mustache/chin music combo playin' way before anybody... And we can't forget Brad Lackey, Hannah, Pomeroy, Chuck Sun, Marty Tripes, Mark Barnett, David Bailey... Hell, even Nascar's Old Ironhead hisself Dale Earnhardt rocked the 'stache pretty well too. So did Tom 'Magnum' Selleck... Frank Zappa... Freddie Mercury...
Wait a sec. ... Scratch that last one.
Hang on i dont understand whats happening, did i miss something?
Last year Marty Smith # 17won the lights title and now # 17 aint racing this year,
and who is this short haired jock with the mow and #1?
@iluvyou long time that rider is Justin Nutduster from San Francisco.
I think Barcia would be hitting podiums all summer long in the 450 class, but is that all he wants out of his career? I think he needs another outdoor season in the lites class going up against killer competition, Marvin, Roczen, Wilson, Bagget, Durham, and Tomac. That is a brutal line up. I cant wait!
Didnt Fonseca have a near perfect season too?
@Fred, Barcia won the 2nd moto at Southwick..
Blondie is not going to have a perfect season, not a knock on him, just to many talented riders in the class. Barcia has looked great each week and is probally going to win the east, but even the best make small mistakes or get a bad start.
I see the Cushing Cannon going off for a win, Bogle has the speed and looks really at home on a supercross track. Each race he has gotten more comfortable and is gaining confidence, if he gets out front he will be hard to catch.
I think Honda will pull Bam Bam up to the 450's for the outdoors and let Tomac, Bogle, Hahn handle the 250's. Last year he showed he was not intimidated, could run the speed of the big boy's and now with the Stern Stanton in his corner he will do even better.
BD200 My point is it was a fluke mud race.The contenders laid up.There was no reason to catch him because of his 36th place 1st moto.The only contender charging was Dungey.We all know what happened to Dungey in that moto.To me Barcia is the most over hyped rider in a long time.
I never said he did bad and yes he did win one moto. I don't see him as a top of the podium 450 guy unless mistakes are made (this year). I think Deano will be alot better on a 450 cause of his size. Christian Craig did pretty good on a 450....
The payout of a Championship is far greater then getting paid to troll around trying to make a Podium. Most riders don't want to miss out on that unless they dont feel they have a chance and they are offered some cash flow.
I love watching Barcia ride. I wasn't a fan until last year. His "aggressive" riding style prior was a bit over the top if you ask me but he has since calmed down a little. You know he'll pull the aggression out if he has to and I think that's what gives him an advantage over the less experienced guys - he's in their head. I love it.
He has smoothed out and has the swagger. I think he can go undefeated if he stays off the ground. I wish him luck!!
Can't wait for Daytona!!
Barcia can do it. If Roczen pulls up on Barcia rear wheel, Barcia will just turn it up to the next level and leave Roczen in the dust. NOBODY has challegened Barcia yet. He is riding so smooth that he looks to have more speed up his sleeve, ready to uncork when necessary.
Wilsons size? This is the kid that cant keep his pants up because he's so skinny. I cant see that being helpful on a 60+ hp 230 lb missle on an outdoor track. Neither of those guys would be able to see RV lines after four corners. Better off to hone their skills and get faster.
I think barcia might have his own highlight reel of crashes on youtube soon enough. He hasn't even raced the big bike to know how his style would handle it...oh right he had one of his biggest crashes of his career and most youtubeable moment as he nearly took Dungey out with him in his first race. He has also never really been pushed, and we all know that's when you thow it away. Barcia just decided it was better to throw away the entire season and give up to Dean Wilson. How many times has a racer ran from his competition like that? The jury is still out as to just how Barcia will react when he is actually racing anybody, other than Pourcel, who had that crazy dominate year of winning all over this this little kid.
@Fred, the guys in the East Coast lites might disagree.. And Cahill, Barcia spanked Wilson last year in supercross..
a quote from fred: "To me Barcia is the most over hyped rider in a long time."
Would it be fair in the spirit of debate to say the same of Roczen...just my perspective of course - as mx2 championships don't mean much to me.
@bd200 Barcia definatly made Wilson his you know what...
xxktm. Yes he is big on his bike. May be skinny but he is tall. It's well known that he has his bike maxed with power because of his size. He has also stated that. Same with Baby Stew, if they can make a good transition I see them both being very good on a big bike.
Didnt Barcia podium at Unadill in the 450 class too?? Some guys wont give a good rider credit because of personnal dislikes... The kid can ride whether they like it or not..
Barcia's racing Karma has some big numbers in it, and I am looking for the day that his account goes to zero. I like the way he rides and all, but...
cahill, I watched Bammer hold off the Dunge for 28:30 in moto 2 at Unadilla - but I guess Dungey wasn't pushing him.. JB will contend for the outdoor lites title in 2012, don't think he's got what it takes to beat Deano tho.. unless he mixes it up with him and gets in his head.