by Steve Cox
Josh Grant to Honda
Friday, October 8, 2010 | 11:06 AM
Share
Comment
Email
PrintThe dominoes continue to fall during silly season. In perhaps the biggest surprise of silly season, it looks like Josh Grant will be racing alongside Trey Canard on the factory Honda team.
Grant has obviously shown plenty of speed this year, including the first moto at the Colorado National, where Grant caught and passed Ryan Dungey on his way to an easy moto-one win. However, Grant has been plagued with injuries, and it sounds like he will get a fresh start at Honda with a two-year deal to race the factory CRF450R.
Grant is a product of Honda, racing for the company as an amateur and then in his first few years as a pro with the Factory Connection Racing team, and he will finally land at the top level of Honda's motorcycle racing program.
So, who's next?
Did you like this article?
Check out CAUGHT OUTSIDE
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
One of the most successful—and controversial—team managers of all time, Larry Brooks is looking to return to the races. Page 146.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Anybody know where Reed will land? I thought he would get the job at Honda, Retirement? Grant should consider himself lucky to get this ride. Hope he repeats A1.
CRAZY !!! to say the least but extremely interesting now not knowing where crafty n cr22 will land. Factory Honda and Metal Mulisha do not mesh and so I wonder if Grant will be allowed to wear his hat stupid sideways on the podium. hahaha, I'll get some feedback from that I bet. No doubt he is fast and can win but its not like he had inferior equipment at Gibbs, bike cant give him consistantcy. No matter, A1 is already shapping up to be ****IN!!!
Looks like Honda is trying to get in on both sides with clean cut nerdy Canard and tattooed bad boy wannabe Grant. They do have 2 top contenders tho. Both of these riders will compete for wins.
Maybe Reed will end up with Metcalfes ride at Geico since he left for Suzuki. Hence Chad got a CRF motor built at Pro Circuit before he left for Aus.
That punk Grant could not win the womens championship.
Happy to see Grant landing this deal. Team Honda will be super solid for 2011, Canard is no joke on the Honda and he showed that last year, as for Grant what can I say, he is just a natural beast on a dirtbike. This is getting more interesting by the minute. Next year seems to be the one for the perfect storm to take place. Can't wait for January 8th.
Wow...didnt expect to see this. Honda must be on a tight budget, cuz I really wouldnt consider Grant a elite rider. Hes fast, but isnt consistent enough. But best of luck to him. Maybe he will do better finally getting off of one of those crappy new Yamahas
Maybe Honda hired Grant to get that one big win per season ala Hansen and X Games. Asking for any more would be like begging Canard to drop an F bomb on the podium and flash a gang sign.
What was Eric Kehoe smoking when he signed Grant over Short?
I have to admit that I am pretty surprised by this. Grant is a good rider though and this could be a good home for him. Sometimes the intangibles are what makes the difference. Maybe he will find the chemistry with this team to get to the next level... Good Luck Josh!
I have to disagree with everyone on this, I think this was good move to sign a quality rider with podium speed in SX and MX so long as he is healthy for what was probably a fair salary to both parties. He wasn't healthy at all this year but you saw the flashes of speed/potential in CO where he passed Dungey and checked out. What this tells me is Honda has one more big signing, either Reed or Pourcel coming next.
With this news I am calling CP 377 to be 3rd man at Kawasaki. RV2, Weimer+Pourcel.
WoW! didn't see that one comming...guess they didn't want to pony up 2 mill. for Pourcel...or mess with Reed...wonder if Reed will go to Hart and Hunington now like Ping was saying? I bet Grant got some sort of ride for bonuses contract and what kinda dough he stands to make at honda if he does win next season..
Hahahaha Yamalink, too funny.... I started out not being a Grant fan in his early days as a pro. But I've come to respect him as a rider. I think that he has the stuff to be a contender week in and week out. I wouldn't compare him to Hansen. Grant actually has the ability to focus and train and prepare for his career, unlike the other Josh who seems to lose focus every time a new type of car-rim hits the market. Barring too many injuries, I think we will see good things from Josh Grant in the next two years with Honda. And I'm not surprised they cut Shorty either. I love the guy--hes a great rider and a great personality. But in his time as a pro, he's never been able to make it all click. and as much as I hate saying it, I don't see it ever happening for him. I hope he proves me wrong with KTM and DeCoster, though.
WOW!!! I didn't expect this (had to plagarize Turner97 some)...but who knows, he might do really well on the Factory Honda's. Granted he did well on the JGRMX Yamaha's but just couldn't quite put it together there at no fault of JGRMX, cause they are a good team too. Best of luck to Josh, I hope he shows the results that he is quite capable of.
What is with allways saying it is a silly season? that sound so stupid! That saying went out 5 years ago when art akmen left the Moto stage get real......
Grant remainds me of Broc Hepler, Fast but always getting hurt. Grant has never finished a hole series yet, I bet Honda got him cheap.
Good move. There are very few 450 riders who are capable of winning and Grant is one of them. Consistent? No. But they had consistency with Short and zero wins. Honda as a corporation isn't used to losing so I bet they wanted a mid-priced rider who could get the top step of the podium occasionally now that Millsaps is gone.
Great News!!! The real Josh Grant is back! Go Red Riders! Villo, RD5, Reed, K-Dub, and Grant, the only 5 riders to win in 450 SX & 450 MX the last two season.
Zundapp... You forgot Tommy Hahn...
pretty sure tedesco won at night in MX last year too, don't leave him out.
I was guessing he would end up at H&H. He and Carey Hart are buddies. But this is a big oppurtunity for him. Hope he makes the best of it.
If I were Honda, I would've kept Short but, this really works out well for everyone. KTM gets the R&D expert, stable, consitent Short who IS capable of wins and Honda gets what they think they've been missing (i.e. a rider capable of beating dungey). I'll 3rd the "I didn't see this coming". Also, if the holeshot "factor" was the bike and not Short, Grant out front early could be dangerous.
Really wanted to see Hart Attack have a potential winner like grant. Cant believe he went to honda to ride that junk. I like grant, would love to see him win it all... Just not on a honda
who the hell is Josh Grant?
REED will be riding a Honda for HART & HUNTINGTON & PINK !!!!
What is Honda doing? I thought they just got rid of Milsaps? Good for Grant- tat's don't pay for themselves. It's like the third coming of Travis Preston. Can I get a What What!
rmz26, always bashin some bike or rider. Whats your national number again? Thought so... I think its great that Reed and CP don't yet have the huge contracts everyone expected them to sign. More dough for lots of other riders.
i admit i am a little dizzy from the giant Alpinestar FLASH on the side of my screen, but i think josh is gonna get it straight and kill it on a honda
wow, unbelievable! Good luck to Factory Honda, looks like Kehoe and the boys never learn. Grant over Milsaps or Short? Thats BIG hope on Kehoe's part. Should've kept Shorty, Grant certainly wont be winning a championship that Shorty couldnt nail and he wont be top 3 at the end of the year either. Remember there can only be one winner., the rest is exposure and you cant knock Shorty for that. Oh well at least Reed and Canard will be representing the FORMER powerhouse brand in 2011.
Hopefully Grant will make me eat crow because I'm not sure who I would pick if I were Kehoe. Who else fits the Factory Honda spot? KDub always, Townley or Pourcel maybe? Reed wants too much- They missed the boat on Metcalfe- Unfortunately for Shorty and Milsaps, Honda needed some fresh faces.
I think the keywords here might be "fresh face" and "cheaper". Honda's got to be sick of the same old (zero championships). I like the idea of Short at KTM (under DeCoster), he has so many puzzle pieces to going fast, maybe a fresh start might be all it takes for him to reach that next level. Grant on a familiar Honda could do some damage......Title though, maybe?
I was wondering where Grant was going to end up after leaving JGR! He didnt like living on the eastcoast! And I also wondered if he liked the new yamaha! I think all those guys racing the new yamaha 450 are having problems. Even Stewart! They better get the ball going if they expect it to compete with the Suzuki and the Honda! I was surprised to see Grant land the Honda factory position. I hope he can take advantage of it and get serious and be a contender instead of just a one weekend rider. A good rider is fast on any track. Even the one he hates! Lets go 2011!
Shocking, Eric and American Honda continue to make one blunder after another. Trey Canard is a no brainer but, Junior Gangster? I feel bad for Trey. Grants' a throw back punk.
Let's face it, SHORTY has his a** handed to him by Dungey! He was no competition. Honda had every right to let him go. He is done!
I read Reed was riding for Vodafone Honda.
Honda blows they must of gotten grant for a fraction of what pourcel and reed are worth. Grant ****!!!
honda what a joke they should have gotten pourcel for tray they would work great together. not this want to be bad boy grant! sad indeed!
DJKC, Zundapp forgot a lot of people, including Goerke, Alessi, as someone else pointed out Tedesco, some guy named Stewart, Millsaps!!! I'm sure I missed someone as well. It's not such a small group after all. I don't expect anything different from Grant with Honda. He will have flashes of brilliance followed by flashes of disaster.
So.......if he is so good why did he leave Gibbs or was he thrown out?
congrats JG, thats sweet.... grant can fly, this may his year
wheres this leave CR22
Grants young and can keep improving for sure!! Does he put the time in to train properly like Mr Dungey?? Anyone know? Or is he a party boy? Hope he makes good decisions!!!
DJKC , I forgot "both", the only 5 riders to have won in both 450 SX & 450 MX the last two season. Stewart, Millsaps have wins in 450SX, Alessi, Goerke, T-Hahn, and Brayton in 450MX. (moto win in Outdoor is a win for me!) sorry for my bad English.
There are more poeple bashing each other here than democrats and republicans on tv right now, wow!! I just wish they had better ability in grammar and spelling, must have been home schooled!! GO CW75!!!!!
Josh Grant is a amazing racer about 15% of the time. He has the ability to win but he rarely can put it all together. IMO he is the last guy Honda needs right now. Hopfully they got Grant cheap so they can afford CP377.
No doubt Roger is pulling his foreign companion 377 to ktm now.
I would not of wanted Shorty's services for 11 either, man the frustration with that guy never winning. The black cloud will follow him to KTM no doubt. Im thinkin Redbull persuaded EK's decision for Grant. Nonetheless I hope he doesnt take dirt samples all yr long. If Honda were smart they would fork out the cash for CP. Then they could go back to being the elite team.
Honda lost the Redbull sponsorship, and Short finished 2nd and 3rd in points in SX/MX every year. Something Grant hasn't done. Everytime Grant starts showing the speed to be up front he takes a huge dirt nap and a vacation to follow. I think Grant has amazing style and the X-Games win was a great job and the track was as narly as it gets. Honda needs to step up and hire the top guys like they did in the past. If they don't Roger and KTM will take over quick.
Now after this signing I believe the rumor, Honda has gone to the DOGS.
Grant is a great guy and a amazing rider who is always cool with the fans. The guy doesnt give up!He knows how to lay it on the line. I have seen the guy cartwheel down a hill and fall back 20 spots only to get back up and almost finish in the position that he crashed in. Stoked he is back with Honda. What do you want J-Law?