For the October episode of the Seat Time Podcast, I got to catch up with Josh Strang as he reaches 20 years of professional racing.
Josh came to the United States from Australia in 2006 to see what he could do at the GNCCs. He had the speed, but learning how to last through a rough three-hour cross-country race was another deal entirely. He went from eighth in his first full season to third, then second, and eventually won the 2010 GNCC Championship.
We got into what he learned through those early years, why the GNCC properties become more familiar over time, his tenth ISDE appearance for Australia, and the uncertainty that comes with figuring out what is next after two decades of professional racing.
Watch/Listen to the Episode:
Learning the GNCCs
Josh Strang first came over for a couple GNCC rounds in 2006 while he was still working at his family’s motorcycle dealership in Australia. Glenn Kearney helped get him on a bike, and Josh showed up with enough speed to get a good start, but not enough experience to make it through a three-hour race at the pace he wanted.
At Yadkinville, he pushed hard and realized about 20 minutes in that he was cooked. The cross-country format, the roughness, and the amount of energy it takes to keep making decisions for three hours were all new to him.
That learning curve explains the steady progression from 2007 through the 2010 Championship. Josh talked about how the tracks change every year, but the properties start to become familiar. You learn where the mud holes form, where ruts get deep, how the dirt reacts, and which sections give you opportunities to find a better line.
At Ironman, he is thinking beyond the big hill and looking for wet bottoms, ruts, mud holes, and field sections where the main line gets beat up. At Big Buck, he can remember where long, deep ruts have formed in past years and start making decisions before he reaches them. That is part of what 20 years of racing gives you. It is not just fitness or speed. It is knowing what is likely to happen as it evolves.
Twenty Years and What’s Next
Josh Strang’s original goal was to reach 20 years of professional racing. This year also became his tenth ISDE appearance for Australia, so he is naturally thinking about what comes next.
He is not announcing retirement. He is still competitive, still enjoys training during the week, riding with the guys, and lining up at the races. But after spending most of his life as a racer, he is also honest about how strange it can feel to consider stepping away from that identity.
The good part is that Josh has already grown into a bigger role at Beta. He is still a racer, but he is also a team manager and ambassador. He talked about how riders create value beyond results when they can talk with fans, explain what a bike does, and make somebody walking through the pits feel welcome.
That is a real part of professional racing that people do not always see. A podium is valuable, but being able to connect with people and represent the brand well matters too.
Keep Dirt Bikes Fun
When I asked Josh what advice he would give his younger self, his answer was simple: do not take it so seriously.
He said he did not really celebrate his 2010 Championship. There were years where he would fly to the race, do the race, and fly home. Looking back, he wishes he had celebrated more wins and let himself enjoy those moments while they were happening.
That also shapes the way he and his wife are raising Maverick and Tucker around dirt bikes. The boys ride and race because they want to. Josh does not want to be the moto dad coaching every lap, even though he has plenty of knowledge to share.
The question they come back to after a race is whether the boys tried their best. If they want to ride around and have fun, that is fine. If they want a better result, they have to put in the effort. But no matter where it goes, the family wants dirt bikes to stay fun.
Josh has raced professionally for 20 years, but that is still the point he comes back to most: this stuff is supposed to be fun.
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Thanks for listening, watching and/or reading! Episode 004 of a new podcast I started, Deepish Conversations, was also released today. Subscribe to all the Seat Time channels for future good times. Enjoy Getting Seat Time!
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