Justin Hoeft

He’s been around for a while. I saw his first pro race at Washougal in 2017. He got 11th in the 450 class. I remember talking to his dad walking back through the pits and them being really cool nice people.

Buddy has been fast for a long time! 2012 he won against the likes of sexton, forkner, granted he is 2 years older than chase & a year older forkner but still. He raced pro a few years & I don’t remember him getting a rockstar deal or factory bike. I assume he’s making more money in off road like a slew of the other guys in his position. Martinez, Colton aeck are couple others who made the transition to off road.  
 

Pro: 

Justin is a bad dude on a bike and had been since he was on mini’s. He beat a lot of fast kids on 80’s. He had some big crashes and injuries when he was younger but always bounced back from them. I believe his dad raced pro at one point as well. His younger brother Tyler was very fast as well. Just a fast family that loves moto.

What bike was he running ? YZ250 as a 250cc  

Carlson was on Suzuki with an KTM300 motor 

 

wasnt he on the team with Martin Castelo, they had a youtube reality-type show where there were tryouts and only a handful of people got a ride (4-6 riders I think?) and then it followed them through the Supercross season?

ibcorp team or something like that.

Correct. IBCorp.  I was wrong on Washougal being his first pro race. Wasn’t even his first 450 race. 

Justin was a really fast amateur. Some of you may have heard of his brother Tyler Hoeft who was also a very fast amateur who crashed and passed at one of the Amateur nationals at Freestone in 2015. His first major pro race was when MXGP came to Glen Helen in 2016. He raced the MX2 class and went 9-13 for 11th overall. I was his mechanic for that race on the TLD KTM team and funny enough, it was my last race as a mechanic. My son was born in August of that year and I wanted to not be on the road. His dad Darrin was also a ripper and had best finish of 6th in the 125 west sx in 1990 at seattle

One more rodeo for me! First one for the ripper @justinhoeft!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKLsn7wAFZY/?igsh=MW8wMm1ta2hlMXNhNg==

He’s been fast for a long time. This is a little dated, but a little info on him. 
 

https://racerxonline.com/2017/05/31/unsung-hero-justin-hoeft

He rode so good that day. 

Oh yes he did! The result could have been better too but in the second moto he got into it with Samuel Bernardini and got pushed back a couple spots! I was pretty proud of the dude!

Havent seen him for quite a while but I run into Darrin when he comes to Havasu during the Jet Ski world finals!

And his results from Saturday were awesome too! 

If you want to see him first hand, come out to Pala/Fox this Sunday. NGPC is there this weekend, and these boys rip!! The PRO field isn't gigantic, but the level of riding is outstanding and worth checking out! 

Justin's the real deal. I've always believed he can be a Mcadoo/Kitchen/Hampshire level rider if given the opportunity. I think he found his calling racing off-road, though.

Really fast am, won a good amount at Loretta's on minis and was looking like he'd be one of the next guys.  He was in the Sexton, Cantrell, Forker, Falk, Markolf, Stack, Ames, Lopes generation.  Signed to TLD KTM end of 2014 (I believe) before they were the factory effort.  Things were going well, then his brother passed in 2015 at Freestone.  After that I think he did another race or two, I remember he raced Cal Classic, but don't remember seeing him at all until MXGP 2016 which he was still an amateur at the time and he did really well.  I think that was his last race with TLD for whatever reason.  He was really quick not sure what happened with the team.  Came back to SX with IB Corp in 2017 I think, but didn't do much bike was probably not very good, then I think stopped trying to ride professional SX/MX and started doing the off-road stuff.  Was one of my favorite amateurs growing up.  Now he's working at Universal Studios.

That was his last race for TLD right?  What happened?  Sucked to see him get tossed aside and not get a second look from any teams.

I am a fan of this guy because he is a baller. This crash was epic and I always think of it when his name comes up for some reason. The Ryno had these guys all pumped up. Go big or go home.. or both.

He’s that kid that ALWAYS steals number 27 from me at DITD, right?! 

And…for the most perfect reason, too. 

Stoked for The Hoeft Moto Family 

Those LL mini class results show how dumb it is the OEMs put so much $$ in the am scene…how many of those names do you recognize today? How many talented people are out there that just didn’t get a shot or the rug was pulled from them too soon?

I’ll be in the same race but in +25. Start last row #492 on a Kawi! Only time I’ll see hoeft is when he laps me about an hour into the moto 😂 he does get a 6 row head start though 

Ryno is a 🤡

You and I are in the same boat, I race the 2 stroke class that is the line before yours. Hoeft and the rest of the pros fly past us expert riders like we are standing still. 

Damon is good friends with Justin’s dad, Darrin. They grew up racing together. 

Hoeft was super smooth all day long. He beat Carson in the corners. Such a good rider 👍

If I remember correctly he was starting to come around and put up some good results at or near, maybe after the incorporation deal then had a bad crash and busted his heel. Believe that injury is what caused him to be forgotten as he was just starting to come alive.  Always been a fan and was fun to watch him last weekend. 

See ya there! 

Watching Hoeft and Brown in the 2nd moto going at it was absolutely insane! Those 300s sounded bloody amazing!

Damon’s First cousin Michele is married to Darrin. 

Watching MattyB's video I noticed how smooth Justin was riding compared to Carson. Carson looked faster but was making small mistakes and Justin just kept chugging along.

I have the exact opposite takeaway from those results. Six guys from that class went on to get factory rides, and another six guys made it to support teams. Justin Cooper was a 13th place guy while attending public school full time and eventually his talent was recognized and he became a 250 champion and 450 factory rider. The cream eventually finds its way to the top. I would have guessed the odds of any particular rider in a given Mini Sr class to reach a factory or support team ride would be far worse than 12/40.

Story time... I was taking pics at a Milestone Straight Rhythm Ride Day (2014 I think?) and I just so happened to take this picture of Justin and Tyler.

Fast forward to Tyler's memorial ride day at Glen Helen and I see this:

Fast forward a few years and I'm at Wyvern taking pictures of Justin Hoeft when he was on that IB-Corp team and I walk up to Darrin (his dad) and say Hey you know that picture of Tyler you used at his memorial? and he said yeah and I said I took it! and he said YOU TOOK THAT?! and grabs me and hugs me and picks me up and says THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.. Man I've shot on the floor at Anaheim, walked next to Chad Reed as he walked to the podium after his come from behind win at A2, but seeing how happy Justin's dad was knowing who took that shot of his kids that day is the coolest moment I've had being a photographer. With all that being said, the Hoeft's are good people and I'll always believe in Justin's talent.