JUSTIN BARCIA | GRIT-216 | 450SX

JUSTIN BARCIA | GRIT-216 | SX 450

Justin Barcia's rejuvenation of battling for top-tier finishes was alive and well, and was carried into racing action at the Atlanta Motor Speedway amongst one of the longest tracks race fan's had ever seen! This played into the aptitude of the New York native, where the course forced athletes to remain technical while simultaneously promoting speeds that could be found on an outdoor circuit. And Barcia took advantage of that notion by slamming into every berm on the race track with little regard for fear, bursting through segments of practice with his patented engine revving that he was notorious for. His speed would only heighten as the day progressed, leaving the fans in awe as he stormed through turn number one of heat number two seeking the highest honor (of claiming the holeshot). He would force Eli Tomac to the outside of the racetrack with a daring drift to the right, "closing the door" on the number one before attempting to decisively take the lead from Jason Anderson in the moments that followed. But the number twenty-one was having none of it and fought back, which created immense anticipation throughout the crowd with the rivals having a storied past of aggression with one another. However the racing remained clean, with the number fifty-one doing everything in his power to overtake the Kawasaki rider - literally from start to finish throughout this five-lap quest. The pace these two were engaging in (along with Chase Sexton, who was third) would be insane; displaying world-renowned skills that only the elite could even fathom. One lap after another, Barcia would nearly clip the rear wheel of the New Mexico native, but couldn't seem to make the pass stick as they came into the final moments of the moto. Attempting to create a daring run throughout the final rhythm sections and whoop-pad(s), it was evident that Barcia aspired for victory, but would fall just short as the checkered flag flew to claim second...however a twist in the plot of this heat racing narrative was then announced, as Jason Anderson (who was previously declared victorious), would be docked one position after going off-track in the early stages of the moto - designating Justin Barcia, as the new winner! He returned to action with the same mindset for the main event, however, an initial jump from the line (around the sixth-place residency) would leave many of his rivals just ahead of him; though he quickly moved to fourth prior to beginning the initial sand section. It was Sexton, Roczen, and Anderson in the bike lengths ahead; but it was evident that exhaustion was catching up to Jason Anderson as he began to fade, leaving Barcia now behind the number ninety-four machine. Barcia was relentless with his pressure of the German rider, seeking to sweep through the outside of both sandy straightaways (despite them being longer routes) in hopes of making a pass stick before the halfway mark. It was to no avail, but the stamina of the number fifty-one would flourish as single digits began to appear on the clock, with Barcia now attempting to pass the Suzuki athlete upon the outside of the initial whoop section. Just under seven minutes were left before the white flag when this move was attempted, and as Barcia powered into the following on the outside, his will to move forward couldn't be nullified. He blitzed through the second set of moguls while eyeing the inside of the next left-handed circuit, forcing Roczen to the outside upon making a spectacular move with excellency! Now second, he would maintain this designation to the finish-line and seem to embody a sense of accomplishment when passing the checkered flag...knowing, that he was on the cusp of victory in the coming rounds!

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