Monster Energy Supercross

Chatter Box: Justin Brayton

Justin Brayton on his mediocre starts.

Published

5 years ago

January 23, 2019

James Burfield oeurueo

The deal of the day on 24MX.

MX Vice Podcasts: Anaheim 2.

Justin Brayton has not quite met the expectations that most had prior to the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross series, but it seems as though he knows the reason for that. It all comes down to starts. What has caused something that was once his greatest strength to become a disadvantage? It is all covered in this exclusive MX Vice interview from Anaheim 2.

MX Vice: Everyone kind of looks at these Triple Crown races and your name immediately comes up, but tonight, I do not know, I guess you had a bit of a black cloud following you. It seemed like whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. Eleventh overall is not too bad though, I guess.

Justin Brayton: Yeah. It was a really strange night for me. Honestly, I do not know why I get labeled as that. I guess I did have some good results, but all my podiums last year and my win was a normal twenty-lapper. I guess I did do good in the Triple Crowns, but tonight was not good. It was strange. I was okay first main and crashed and went way back, then second main I somehow stalled my bike in the first turn. It took a while to get started and I was last there again, then in the last one I just kind of ran around in eleventh and that was about it. Really strange.

It was tough. I qualified fourth in practice. I felt good. Everything was fine. Just one of those nights where I never ever in any of the races had good track position where I could really ride and really race at the front. When you are in seventeenth and trying to come through the pack, it makes things difficult. I am not going to hang my head. It is all good. I had some good speed. Just need some track position. I do not know where my starts have gone, but I have got to get those figured out.

Site-Justin-Brayton — Justin Brayton currently runs eleventh in the 450SX series standings.
ConwayMX

I guess it was a tough track to make passes on as well, aside from maybe waiting for a mistake in the two long rhythms?

Yeah, pretty much that was it, but then if somebody made a mistake in front of you, you did not really want to go big because you did not want to land on them. Difficult track to pass, but I have honestly just got to get better starts. That is the main thing.

What did you actually think of the track as a whole? It was different, I guess. It was better than Anaheim 2 last year, that is for sure, but I felt like there was a lot of open space.

Yeah. I do not really like all the switchbacks. We all know that one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turns are the best way to build a supercross, but it is all good. Shoot… They did an amazing job to just have a dry track. I cannot really criticize them that much but, yeah, I was not a fan of the layout at all. I thought they could have done a better job with that, but in saying that, there were probably several people that might have liked it.

It was not a case of going the wrong way with bike set-up, as far as the difference between the daytime and the night show goes, was it? Maybe because you did so well in qualifying, you rested on that a bit too much and did not change with the track?

No. I just think it was honestly all starts. I think with track position, with a holeshot or a top five start I would just go with those guys. That is just how it is. When you have the speed, you can kind of go anyone’s speed, I guess, especially if you just get the start. I just never had the start. Like you said, the first main I was on the ground. The second main I was last off the start. Third main I was just kind of running around the middle of the pack. Tough night, but all good. Healthy and ready to fight in Oakland.

Today aside, we are three rounds in now. Are you happy with how everything is going as a whole?

Not really. My starts are just horrendous. I honestly do not know what is going on. That is kind of my thing I hang my hat on, getting good starts, and then obviously riding at the front and staying out of the danger in the middle of the pack when guys are not jumping triples and cutting from left to right. It is dangerous back there. I pride myself on getting good starts and I have not gotten any good starts, other than one heat race, and the heat race I had a good start in I won.

I am going to just go home for a couple days. My one-year-old boy just had surgery, so I am going to go and see him for a couple days, then I am going to fly back out here on Wednesday and get to work on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday doing some testing and trying some different stuff. We will get it figured out.

Site-Justin-Brayton-2 — A seventh in Glendale is the best finish Justin Brayton has had this year.
ConwayMX

Finally, with your starts, it is not similar to Bercy, is it? I remember night one your starts were horrendous and then you fixed something that made them amazing.

No, it is not that. I actually switched to a hydraulic clutch the week of Anaheim 1 and I think I am just struggling with that. Just need to get it figured out and test a couple different parts. It is hard when you are so used to something and it is so ingrained in your mind and your left hand, how you feed the clutch with the cable clutch and then switching to a hydraulic. The hydraulic clutch is amazing, but I just think I have got it so ingrained in me that I might need to make a change.

Is ditching the hydraulic clutch an option or can you not really go that way?

No, for sure it is an option. My teammates are on cable clutch. It is definitely an option.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: ConwayMX

Related Topics:450SX Anaheim 2 Justin Brayton

Up Next

An Animated Map: Oakland

Don't Miss

Crash Clip: Decotis at A2

Monster Energy Supercross

Injury Update: Justin Barcia

Host of injuries confirmed.

Published

4 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Edward Stratmann

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team’s Justin Barcia has provided an update on his condition following his savage crash in the SMX finale at the LA Coliseum. In a brutal blow, Barcia has revealed he’s suffered a few broken ribs, has a badly broken collarbone and a beat up lung. Here’s his post below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @justinbarcia

We wish him all the best for his recovery.

Lead Image: GasGas

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

Support MX Vice on Ko-fi

Features

Stat Attack: SMX Review

Check it.

Published

9 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Edward Stratmann

With the SMX Playoffs coming to a conclusion at the Los Angeles Coliseum last weekend for the finale, statistics maestro Paul Pearcy has provided MX Vice with some brilliant numbers to tuck into from what was a fascinating round of action. Enjoy

450 SMX

Jett Lawrence

1st in Qualifying: 1; Z Max
Moto Wins: 3; 1 at Chicagoland, 2 at LA (50% win rate)
Moto Podiums: 5; (83% podium rate)
Overall Wins: 2; Chicagoland, 1-1 at LA (66% win rate)
Overall Podiums: 3; (100% podium rate)
Laps Led: 42; 21 at Chicagoland, 21 at LA (44% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 2.33
Moto Finishes: 2.35
Overalls: 2nd (Tied with Roczen for best in class)
First Lap Position: 4th

Total Points: 163

Ken Roczen

1st in Qualifying: 1; Chicagoland
Moto Wins: 1; Race 2 at Chicagoland (16% win rate)
Moto Podiums: 6; (100% podium rate)
Overall Podiums: 3; (100% podium rate)
Laps Led: 15; 10 at Z Max, 3 at Chicagoland, 2 at LA (15% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 3.33
Moto Finishes: 2.33 (Best in Class)
Overalls: 2nd (Tied with Lawrence for best in class)
First Lap Position: 3.67

Total Points: 146

Chase Sexton

1st in Qualifying: 1; LA
Moto Wins: 2; 1-1 at Z Max (33% win rate)
Moto Podiums: 5; (83% podium rate)
Overall Win: 1; Z Max (33% win rate)
Overall Podiums: 2; (66% podium rate)
Laps Led: 32; (33% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 2nd (Best in Class)
Moto Finishes: 5th
Overalls: 4.67
First Lap Position: 2.67

Total Points: 126

Cooper Webb

Moto Podiums: 1; Race 2 at LA (16% podium rate)
Overall Podiums: 1; LA (33% podium rate)

Averages

Qualifying: 7.33
Moto Finishes: 6.33
Overalls: 6th
First Lap Positiion: 7.5

Total Points: 120

Aaron Plessinger

Averages

Qualifying: 8.33
Moto Finishes: 7.66
Overalls: 7.33
First Lap Position: 9.67

Total Points: 104

Adam Cianciarulo

Laps Led: 1; Race 1 at LA (1% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 5.67
Moto Finishes: 10.83
Overalls: 11th
First Lap Position: 9.83

Total Points: 96

Garrett Marchbanks

Averages

Qualifying: 8th
Moto Finishes: 8.83
Overalls: 8.67
First Lap Position: 13.33

Total Points: 92

Jason Anderson

Laps Led: 4; Race 1 at LA (4% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 5th
Moto Finishes: 8.83
Overalls: 8.33
First Lap Position: 8.16

Total Points: 91

Colt Nichols

Averages

Qualifying: 10.67
Moto Finishes: 9.17
Overalls: 8.33
First Lap Position: 12.67

Total Points: 90

Ty Masterpool

Averages

Qualifying: 10th
Moto Finishes: 10.5
Overalls: 10th
First Lap Position: 6.83

Total Points: 84

Fredrik Noren

Averages

Qualifying: 20th
Moto Finishes: 11.83
Overalls: 11.33
First Lap Position: 13th

Total Points: 79

Phillip Nicoletti

Averages

Qualifying: 19.67
Moto Finishes: 10.83
Overalls: 10th
First Lap Position: 10.67

Total Points: 76

Dylan Ferrandis

Averages

Qualifying: 7th
Moto Finishes: 10.33
Overalls: 10.67
First Lap Position: 5.8

Total Points: 71

Justin Barcia

Laps Led: 1; Race 1 at LA (1% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 8.67
Moto Finishes: 12th
Overalls: 12th
First Lap Position: 3.4

Total Points: 59

Grant Harlan

Averages

Qualifying: 23rd
Moto Finishes: 16.16
Overalls: 16th
First Lap Position: 14.16

Total Points: 44

Shane McElrath

Averages

Qualifying: 16th
Moto Finishes: 16.33
Overalls: 16.67
First Lap Position: 15.5

Total Points: 40

Kyle Chisholm

Averages

Qualifying: 25th
Moto Finishes: 17th
Overalls: 17th
First Lap Position: 17th

Total Points: 40

Justin Hill

Averages

Qualifying: 18.67
Moto Finishes: 17.33
Overalls: 17.67
First Lap Position: 16.5

Total Points: 31

Dean Wilson

Averages

Qualifying: 14.67
Moto Finishes: 16.67
Overalls: 17.67
First Lap Position: 15th

Total Points: 31

Josh Hill

Averages

Qualifying: 24th
Moto Finishes: 18.33
Overalls: 19th
First Lap Position: 18.33

Total Points: 25

Jerry Robin

Averages

Qualifying: 14.33
Moto Finishes: 18.16
Overalls: 19th
First Lap Position: 18.16

Total Points: 22

Jermy Hand

Averages

Qualifying: 18.33
Moto Finishes: 17.75
Overalls: 18th
First Lap Position: 19.25

Total Points: 18

Eli Tomac

Total Points: 13

Kevin Moranz

Averages

Qualifying: 22.67
Moto Finishes: 20th
Overalls: 21st
First Lap Position: 18.67

Total Points: 4

250SMX

1.Haiden Deegan

Race Wins: 1; Race 1 at Z Max
Race Podiums: 4; (66% podium rate)
Overall Wins: 1; LA
Overall Podiums: 3; (On the podium at all 3 rounds)
Laps Led: 13; 6 at Z Max, 7 at Chicagoland (13% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 10th
Moto Scores: 3.165 (Average of 3rd in moto 1 is best in class)
Overalls: 2.33
First Lap Position: 3.67 (Best in Class)

Total Points: 157

Jo Shimoda

Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at Z Max
Race Podiums: 3; (50% podium rate)
Overall Wins: 1; Z Max
Overall Podiums: 3; ( On the podium at all 3 rounds)
Laps Led: 14; 7 at Z MAX, 7 at Chicagoland (14% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 5.67
Moto Scores: 2.83 ( Average of 2.33 in moto 2 is best in class)
Overalls: 1.67 (Best in Class)
First Lap Position: 5th

Total Points: 152

RJ Hampshire

1st in Qualifying: 1; Chicagoland

Race Podiums: 1; (16% podium rate)
Overall Podiums: 1; LA

Averages

Qualifying: 4.67
Moto Scores: 7.5
Overalls: 7th
First Lap Position: 8.16

Total Points: 122

Levi Kitchen

Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at LA
Race Podiums: 2; (33% podium rate)
Laps Led: 29; 11 at Z Max, 18 at LA (Most in Class, 30% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 7.67
Moto Scores: 7th
Overalls: 6.67
First Lap Position: 6.67

Total Points: 114

Jordon Smith

Race Wins: 1; Race 1 at LA
Laps Led: 8; at LA (8% of total Laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 9.67
Moto Scores: 6.83
Overalls: 5.67
First Lap Position: 10.5

Total Points: 110

Justin Cooper

1st in Qualifying: 1; LA
Race Podiums: 1; (16% podium rate)
Laps Led: 1; at Chicagoland (1% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 4.33
Moto Scores: 8.5
Overalls: 8.33
First Lap Position: 7.83

Total Points: 101

Maximus Vohland

Averages

Qualifying: 7.67
Moto Scores: 8.5
Overalls: 8.67
First Lap Position: 11th

Total Points: 98

Tom Vialle

Race Podiums: 3; ( 50% podium rate)
Overall Podiums: 1; (33% podium rate)

Laps Led: 20; 10 at Z Max, 10 at LA

Averages

Qualifying: 8th
Moto Scores: 7.83
Overalls: 8.67
First Lap Position: 6.5

Total Points:90

Hunter Lawrence

Race Wins: 2; 1-1 in Chicagoland
Overall Wins: 1; Chicagoland
Laps Led: 9; all in Chicagoland ( 9% of total laps)

Averages

Qualifying: 6.67
Moto Scores: 4.5
Overalls: 4.5
First Lap Position: 7.75

Total Points: 89

Jalek Swoll

Averages

Qualifying: 8.33
Moto Scores: 9.33
Overalls: 9.67
First Lap Position: 10.5

Total Points: 88

Pierce Brown

Averages

Qualifying: 5.33
Moto Scores: 9.335
Overalls: 9.33
First Lap Position: 10.67

Total Points: 86

Ryder DiFrancesco

Race Podiums: 1; Race 2 at Z Max (16% of total Races)

Averages

Qualifying: 13.33
Moto Finishes: 10.33
Overalls: 9.67
First Lap Position: 10.5

Total Points: 72

Dilan Schwartz:

Averages

Qualifying: 12.33
Moto Finishes: 12.33
Overalls: 13.33
First Lap Position: 10.83

Total Points: 61

Talon Hawkins

Averages

Qualifying: 14.33
Moto Finishes: 14.5
Overalls:15
First Lap Position: 14.16

Total Points: 58

Seth Hammaker

1st in Qualifying: 1; Z Max

Averages

Qualifying: 1.5
Moto Finishes: 7.75
Overalls: 6.5
First Lap Position:5.25

Total Points: 49

Cullin Park

Averages

Qualifying: 19.67
Moto Finishes: 15.83
Overalls:16
First Lap Position: 13.5

Total Points: 41

Caden Braswell

Averages

Qualifying: 21.33
Moto Finishes: 17.5
Overalls:17.67
First Lap Position: 17.5

Total Points:29

Mitchell Oldenburg

Averages

Qualifying: 17th
Moto Finishes: 13.5
Overalls:13th
First Lap Position: 8th

Total Points:27

Coty Schock

Averages

Qualifying: 23.67
Moto Finishes: 17.25
Overalls: 17.5
First Lap Position:12.5

Total Points:25

Preston Kilroy

Averages

Qualifying: 18.67
Moto Finishes:16.5
Overalls: 17th
First Lap Position: 16.5

Total Points:25

Max Anstie

Averages

Qualifying: 14th
Moto Finishes: 16.5
Overalls: 16th
First Lap Position: 18th

Total Points: 14

Jett Lawrence
Austin Forkner

Averages

Qualifying: 9th
Moto Finishes: 12.5
Overalls: 13th
First Lap Position: 14.5

Total Points: 9

Derek Kelley

Averages

Qualifying: 19.67
Moto Finishes: 18.5
Overalls: 19th
First Lap Position: 18th

Total Points: 9

Carson Mumford

Averages

Qualifying: 16th
Moto Finishes: 19.5
Overalls: 20th
First Lap Position: 22nd

Total Points: 7

Hunter Yoder

Averages

Qualifying: 22nd
Moto Finishes: 20.16
Overalls: 21st
First Lap Position: 19.16

Total Points:6

Chris Blose

Averages

Qualifying: 23rd
Moto Finishes: 20th
Overalls:20th
First Lap Position: 19.5

Total Points: 6

Luke Neese

Averages

Qualifying: 22.33
Moto Finishes: 20.65
Overalls: 21.33
First Lap Position: 17.83

Total Points: 4

Chance Hymas
Joshua Varize

Averages

Qualifying: 18th
Moto Finishes: 20th
Overalls: 21st
First Lap Position: 21st

Total Points: 2

Lead Image: HEP Motorsports

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

Support MX Vice on Ko-fi

Monster Energy Supercross

The MX Vice SMX Review Show Episode #29

Listen now as the lads review the final SMX Playoff in LA.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2023

Edward Stratmann

The MX Vice SMX Review Show returns with Brad Wheeler and Ed Stratmann, as they talk all things SMX from the LA Coliseum.

The MX Vice SMX Review Show podcast is always available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and Google Play. Thanks to Fly Racing, Monster Energy, Fox Racing, Parts Europe, Scott, Bell Helmets, Acerbis, AS3 Performance, Kawasaki UK, KTM UK, O’Neal and Even Strokes for supporting the show. If you would like to become a part of the show, don’t hesitate to get in touch.