Betty Blog #9

Betty Blog #9

By: Brett Lee

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One of the things I do enjoy about working with people in motocross is we can all bench race. We all see things the same, but also differently. Case in point: MXP Editor, friend and hardcore race fan Ryan Gauld takes on Justin Barcia. This week in his Maniac Monday blog, Gauldy said “What about the Justin Barcia meltdown? I’m betting Jeff Stanton was looking for a place to hide after seeing what that kid did after the incident with three corners to go. Tears, roosting, yelling, and basically a full blown Indiana University coach Bobby Knight-type snap fest. Hey Justin, shit happens out on the track. You’re a champion. Please don’t show us your true colours again. It’s not good for anybody.” He was fined $5,000 for this incident by the AMA. I agree with the AMA fine that was handed down. Roosting riders, crew or medics can hurt someone, is dangerous and must be addressed. In my opinion, his emotion in the interviews and his emotions that were flowing are true indicators of how competitive and driven he is.

I have heard or read from many elite athletes who say that it isn’t how they want to win that drives them; it is they hate to lose. They hate that feeling of losing and will do everything it takes to not feel the weight of losing. Justin Barcia is going through his breakout year. Yes, last season he won the East Coast Lites title but this year he is dominating the East Supercross Lites field. Few predicted this performance prior to the start of the series. He is in a tough field including World Champion Ken Roczen, MXDN Champion Blake Baggett, former supercross winner Blake Wharton and a field of aggressive, hungry racers. However, Barcia has stood tall above them all in 2012. Barcia brought in the services of seven-time National Champion Jeff Stanton who was renowned as a workhorse in his day. Stanton’s standard is high; he would not stay involved if the work wasn’t being done. Each time on the track this season it has been easy to recognize Barcia is riding to win. His desire to win is visible and, as mentioned, he has invested in his own effort to the point that anything almost less than winning is too much to take emotionally, evident in several post race videos (see Transworld rider round up below).

http://motocross.transworld.net/1000126921/news/how-was-your-weekend-houston-sx-2012/

That emotion that burst out Saturday is a sign to some of a kid unable to contain himself, a kid who’s not ready to represent the sport in a manner they feel he should. I see that young emotion too. What I also saw was a rider who wants to win badly, a rider that wants to be the best in a tough sport. His mindset is on racing and winning. It is what we all want as fans, what every team manager would love to have in a rider. For a kid who bets on himself, believes in himself, and wants to win badly, it is devastating to settle for anything else. As I said, I recognize that roosting people or riding in a way that hurts people is not right and cannot be accepted. What would have been the reaction if he pulled off the track and said “oh well” or was indifferent? I would question how badly he wanted to win and how badly he wanted to be a champion. Perhaps it is why you rarely see champions take losing well. Barcia is emotional; he has invested in himself and obviously wants to win.

Like I said earlier, yelling and roosting people isn’t what anyone is looking for, especially sponsors when outlining their marketing

Justin Barcia

programs. What sponsor do want is real people, real people doing unreal things. The real side of athletes is appealing. Ryan Dungey, who is a great champion often gets criticized for his approach to interviews because he lacks of emotion. Dungey follows PR to script and despite winning doesn’t excite people. Ryan Dungey wants to win as much as anyone I expect, and I am sure has emotional moments. Dungey is careful, he guards himself and sponsors by not saying something or acting in the wrong way. It appears he is always in PR mode, in control, and to me, a little robotic. He is in many ways easy to forget. Barcia, on the other hand, is raw, and like it or not you remember him.

As Barcia gets older, like all of us, age will settle him and put him in control of his emotions. As I said though, the fire to win is burning in the kid and it is there to see. He is raw and it will lead to choices he maybe would like to reduce. He is also fast. He is hungry, exciting to watch and when he makes the jump to the supercross class, don’t be surprised when he explodes from the gate going for the win.