Having returned to the Monster Energy Supercross series 250 division, Garrett Marchbanks is well into one of the best starts of his career. A solid seventh-place finish in the season opener was followed by his first podium of 2024 in San Francisco. That was the fifth podium of his career in 36 starts, but he’d waited two years since getting No. 4.
“I honestly didn’t know what place I was in until the last lap,” Marchbanks told NBC Sports the day before San Diego’s Round 3. “Once I passed (teammate) Phil (Nicoletti), I saw it was for third.
“First podium in two years - super-pumped about that. Wish I had done that in A1, a hard-packed round, but it still feels good to get one in the mud. Hopefully this weekend we come into San Diego and get another one.”
MORE: Garrett Marchbanks reflects on his 2020 Daytona SX win
Marchbanks wouldn’t have to wait nearly as long to get that next one. In fact, if not for running into the back of a bike he was trying to lap, Marchbanks might have earned his second career victory.
“Once I passed RJ (Hampshire) for the lead I was like, ‘Holy Crap! I’m actually leading,’ ” Marchbanks described the pass in the post-race press conference. “It’s been a long time, since Daytona, that I’ve led some laps. After that it was more putting my head down, pretending I was at the practice track.”
Those laps led at Daytona in 2020 resulted in a win in what would be the final race before the COVID-19 pandemic paused the season for a couple of months. Once the series returned to action, Marchbanks would earn a second consecutive podium at Salt Lake City, followed by a fifth-place the next week as Supercross rode out the pandemic at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
“It’s been four years since I had back-to-back podiums,” Marchbanks said. “I didn’t think it would take that long. I’ve dealt with some injuries and sickness issues. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going into A2.”
The 2020 season was Marchbanks career-best so far. Finishing no worse than seventh in the first six races, he crashed in the season finale and suffered a lacerated liver, bruised lung and torn ligaments. Even with that one bad result of 22nd in the finale, Marchbanks took fourth in the points’ standings.
Last year was arguably better. After missing the Supercross season, Marchbanks returned to the Pro Motocross season opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California and struggled to finish 16th in the 250 division. He was 20th the following week before he and team manager Mike Bonacci sat down and ran the numbers. Due to some trimming of the field with injury, they would have a better shot at qualifying for the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship with a switch to the 450 division.
Marchbanks swept the top 10 on his 450, easily qualified for the SMX Playoffs and finished seventh in the points.
But there was an added benefit to riding in the bigger division in 2023.
“The 450 (experience) definitely helped; the higher pace in the 450 class,” Marchbanks said. “I got to ride the 450 frame quite a bit and that’s what we’re racing on right now in the 250 class, so that translated into Supercross. I didn’t have to work too much to become comfortable with it. In the first week or two I was comfortable with the bike.”
Currently third in points with two podiums and a worst finish of seventh, Marchbanks finished ahead of points leader Jordon Smith and second-place Levi Kitchen last week. If he gets his wish again this week in Anaheim 2 and podiums on a hard-packed surface, Marchbanks will continue to cut into that advantage in time to take a week’s break as the 250 East division runs there first race in Detroit.
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