News 26 Mar 2011

Barcia focused on title as East Coast Lites head to Canada

Monster Energy AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship points leader Justin Barcia has no plans of slowing down as the championship heads north of the border this Saturday.

Atop his GEICO Honda CRF250R machine, Barcia has recorded two wins and three runner-up results in the first five races of the season and has a comfortable 17-point lead in the championship standings.

“I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing all season and that will keep me up there,” Barcia said. “I want this thing bad. It’s all I’ve ever thought about since as far back as I can remember. I’m not going to let off until it’s over.

“I feel like I’m riding the best I ever have and I’m riding smart and it’s turning into podium finishes every weekend. It’s an exciting time for the GEICO Honda team and we want to stay after it.”

Coming off a second-place finish in Jacksonville, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Dean Wilson looks to Toronto for another big race.

“I am happy to get back into the swing of things,” said Wilson. “I had a few bad weekends, but now I feel like I am back in the groove. Hopefully I can get some more wins and be in the mix for the championship in Vegas.”

Overcoming a tough weekend, Wilson’s teammate Blake Baggett, who failed to qualify for the main event in Jacksonville, is also keeping a positive outlook as the team heads to Toronto.

“I was pretty bummed out after not making the main in Jacksonville, but now the pressure is off and I can focus on getting some more wins,” said Baggett. “I know I am fully capable of winning and I really want to get another win in Toronto.”

Barcia, who won last year’s Toronto race, will be joined this weekend by teammates Kevin Windham and Blake Wharton.

After overcoming a couple of early-season spills, Windham is hanging tough in the top 10 of the supercross standings and captured his best finish of the season in Jacksonville with a fourth-place effort.

Wharton currently sits tied for fifth behind his championship-leading teammate in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites rankings.

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