Press Release

Barcia starts title defense with Texas-sized win at Cowboy's Stadium


ARLINGTON,
Texas (Feb. 18) -- GEICO Honda rider Justin Barcia began defense of his
2011 Supercross Lies East championship with a convincing victory
Saturday night at Cowboy's Stadium. Barcia battled rookie teammate
Justin Bogle and Darryn Durham throughout the first half of the race
before passing them both in Lap 9 and riding away for the win. 

Senior team member Kevin Windham also had a solid night, finishing seventh overall.

"We
had a little battle there for the first several laps," Barcia said. "I
didn't want to take my teammate out so I played it safe. Once I got
around him and got a little space I was able to go after Durham. It took
a couple of tries but once I got past him I just rode my own race and
finished it out.

"I
learned a bunch tonight. I'll take that and go home a train for
Atlanta. You couldn't ask for a better start for this GEICO Honda team.
I'm pumped up with this win."

Barcia has finished on the podium in 10 consecutive Supercross Lites events.

In
frantic Supercross main event, Windham kept his cool and avoided
trouble to cruise through to another top-10 result. He remains fifth in
the championship points.

"Another
night that was pretty good all the way around," Windham said, "but I
just expect more from myself for this GEICO Honda race team. The end of
the race was a little disappointing because I gave away a few positions I
shouldn't have.

"Next weekend is big. It will be my 200th career start and we really want to have a successful night with that going on."

Bogle
was putting together a great inaugural race in the Supercross Lites
class before Malcolm Stewart cleaned him out hard on Lap 12. Bogle's leg
was caught up in Stewart's rear wheel and it took him several moments
to untangle himself. Bogle did get up and finish the race but by that
point he had fallen to 14th place.

"I'm
as mad as I've ever been after a race," Bogle said. "I've been really
nervous all day, and I'm never nervous before a race, but once we
started I was just letting it go. I got a good start and stayed up there
in the top three for a long time and I would have been top five at the
very least, but (Stewart) wrecked me and I was stuck under him.

"In
a weird way it's kind of encouraging to have done as well as I was
doing because I really wasn't riding as well as I know I can. Now I got
to put this behind me and get ready for Atlanta."

The tour continues next Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

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