Garrett Marchbanks: Setbacks, Finding Balance, and Returning to Pro Circuit Kawasaki

Garrett Marchbanks returns to Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki on back on a factory team. He’s feeling more focused and motivated than ever. After a few years of setbacks, injuries, and personal growth, the 2025 season marks a fresh chapter for the Utah native.

We caught up with Garrett to discuss it, what he’s learned from mentors like Monster Energy Kawasaki's Jason Anderson and the newly retired veteran Phil Nicoletti, Troll Training's John Wessling and Alex Martin, how he’s balancing life off the bike for the first time in years, and much more.

How have you been holding up, especially with all the changes this year?

Garrett Marchbanks: I’ve been solid. Out here in SoCal, just training away and staying focused. It’s definitely been a busy year, but I’m feeling good about where I’m at right now. It’s nice to get back into a consistent program and really start working toward the goals I’ve set for myself.

How’s the transition back to California been after spending three years training and living in South Carolina? What’s been the biggest adjustment for you?

Honestly, I didn’t think I’d miss SoCal, but I’ve realized how convenient everything is out here. Everything you need is within an hour’s drive. The traffic can be a pain, but the variety and quality of tracks make up for it. Plus, being back with this team in this environment has really reignited my passion for racing. It’s a different energy that’s been refreshing to tap back into.

Let’s talk about your second stint with Pro Circuit Kawasaki. You joined the team mid-season during the outdoors and had to quickly adapt to the bike for the SMX rounds. How was that transition, and did it push you out of your comfort zone?

It was definitely a challenge. For the SMX rounds, we stayed on the 2024 bikes, which helped because I already had some familiarity with them from the outdoors. Surprisingly, the bike felt natural to me right away, even on SX tracks. By the end of the first day, I was comfortable hitting triples and rhythms. It’s rare to feel that confident so quickly, but it’s a testament to how well the bike’s designed. Since then, we’ve gone to the 2025 model and done a lot of suspension and engine tuning, and I can confidently say this is the fastest 250 I’ve ever ridden. I remember like a few years ago, it would have been really tough to get. And now it's like easy and I wouldn't say it's extremely easy, but it's easier. It's a great bike. The bike handles great. The chassis is nice as well.

How were the three SuperMotocross rounds for you?

After Supercross, when I got hurt in Nashville, everything just felt so hectic. My program was all over the place, both on and off the bike. I was dealing with a lot of minor injuries that really set me back. Moving, getting let go, then moving across the country—it was a lot. I jumped on the bike, had just five days of riding, and then went straight into racing. It was my first outdoor race in three years since riding a 250, so there was a lot going on.

Looking back, I think I made the mistake of pushing myself too hard during practice, trying to catch up on all the time I missed. I ended up showing up fatigued, and by the end of the day, I was hurting myself more than helping. During the SMX rounds, as bad as it sounds, I just felt burnt out. It was emotionally draining, and I wasn’t fully prepared. I needed a mental reset. People might think it’s odd since I joined a new team, but there’s a lot of emotion involved, and it can be overwhelming at times.

Having a month off to recover, both mentally and physically, really helped. Now that we’re back in this boot camp, I feel amazing. I’ve never been this excited or happy to be in a boot camp. It’s been great, and I’m really happy every day. I’m just pumped to be around all these guys, and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.

You’ve mentioned before that it was a personal goal to get back on a factory team. When Pro Circuit let you go the first time, what was your mindset like, and how did you stay motivated?

Yeah, for me, it was a lot of emotion. When I got let go, I ended up moving back home with my parents for a while. Then, during that time off, I was living in a camper with my girlfriend behind a gas station. It was a wild experience, and honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life or if I even wanted to keep riding. Without diving too deep into that story, when I signed with ClubMX, it gave me a fresh start.

I remember getting back on the bike for the first time with ClubMX, and it felt like a step forward, but I also realized that it was still my dream to get back on a factory ride—to prove to myself that I could do it. For three or three and a half years, I had to constantly remind myself to be patient, that my time would come. I had a lot to learn and a lot of growing up to do during that period.

There were times when I questioned if I was still the guy I used to be. After two years, I started to wonder, 'Am I still capable of getting that spot?' Watching other guys who were privateers get rides made me think, 'Man, I feel like I’m better than that. Why didn’t I get that opportunity?' Not that I’m comparing myself to them—they deserved their rides—but it was tough for me to watch.

This year, when I signed the contract with Pro Circuit, I just focused on doing my best and giving it my all, race after race. My motivation over the last couple of years came from hanging up old pictures of myself in my house—pictures from my highs, like winning Daytona in 2020. Every day, I’d see those photos and think, ‘I want to get back to that. I want to be back on a faster bike, I want to win again, and I want to be a champion.’ That was my daily motivation.

When it finally happened, signing with Pro Circuit, it felt like a dream. I remember sitting there after finalizing the deal, looking at those pictures and thinking, ‘You finally did it.’ It felt like a long journey, kind of like Zach Osborne’s story—how he went to Europe, struggled for a while, and then came back and won races and titles. It isn't the same path, but it feels similar.

Now, I’m just thankful to be back on a factory ride and to be back with the team I first signed with. I’m really pumped about it.

How do you feel you’ve grown as a rider and a person since your first stint with Pro Circuit?

I think for me, it was just a matter of being so young. I went pro at 16, and by the time I was 18, I was already facing a lot of pressure. I was just a kid trying to live my best life. All I knew was dirt bikes, and maybe I acted a little immature at times. But looking back, we all go through those phases when we’re young—we’re childish and not fully mature. Hanging around guys like Phil (Nicoletti) and Jeremy Martin really helped me grow up and become a better person.

Phil’s approach to training, his mental toughness, and his ability to stay focused on the long-term goals were eye-opening for me. He’s really been a big part of my development as a rider, showing me how to train smarter, not harder, and maintain that balance between work and life.

A big part of that growth was learning about work ethic. You realize that you have to hold yourself accountable. It wasn’t that I wasn’t working hard, it’s just that, for those three and a half years, I was trying a lot of different things off the bike, trying to figure out what worked for me. I finally found a solid program with Troll Training, and that made a huge difference.

Off the bike, I always felt like I was out of shape and didn’t know why. It turns out, I was doing the wrong things, not the wrong amount of work, just the wrong kind of work. It was a big learning curve. There are little things you don’t realize, like cycling, who you’re around, and the right riding partners. All those things play a role in how you perform.

Now, I’m working with John Wessling at Troll Training, along with Alex Martin and Jason Anderson. Having guys like that to train with is incredible. Jason pushes me every day, and it’s been awesome. He’s so fast, and to have someone like that to chase after in training really helps me elevate my own game.

Speaking of training, how has the boot camp been so far? What’s different about this year’s approach?

It’s been awesome. The focus has been on off-the-bike work first—cycling and gym sessions—to build endurance and strength. We’ve just started riding four days a week, and training with Jason has been incredible. He’s so smooth and fast; it’s inspiring to watch and learn from him. This year, we’ve taken a slower build-up approach to avoid burnout. By starting with endurance and gradually ramping up the intensity, I feel stronger and more prepared than ever.

What’s it like returning to Pro Circuit and seeing familiar faces? How has the team environment evolved?

A lot of the team members have changed since I was here last, but the environment is still amazing. Everyone’s been welcoming, and it’s great to be back with a team that feels like home. The team’s professionalism and dedication are on another level, and it’s clear that everyone is committed to winning. It’s definitely a sweet homecoming, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent Pro Circuit Kawasaki again.

You’ve mentioned that you’re no longer living on a training facility. Has that been something you’ve been wanting, to separate your life from dirt bikes a bit more? After being at a facility for three years, do you feel like it was time for a change, to get away from the track and only go there when you need to? Is that a lifestyle shift you were looking for?

Yeah, I mean, some people are fine living at a facility, and it doesn’t drain them, but for me, it was different. After spending three and a half years living there, it started to wear on me. On your days off, you want to relax, sleep in, but when you hear dirt bikes revving in the background, it’s hard to fully disconnect. It’s like, "Oh, it’s 8 a.m., everyone’s riding now." Sometimes it gets overwhelming and mentally exhausting being surrounded by it all the time.

I really wanted to separate my work life from my personal life. I think it keeps everything fresh and makes it more motivating when you’re training. When you take a weekend off and come back Monday, you’re recharged and excited to train, not just worn out from being in the same environment all the time. When I lived at ClubMX, I was half a mile away from my work, so there wasn’t much separation. Now, I feel like I’m able to strike a better balance. It’s not that living at a facility was bad—it saved money on things like gas and living costs—but I definitely prefer what I’m doing now. It feels healthier, and I can enjoy my personal life more outside of training.

Are you training with teammates, or are you mainly doing this on your own, with just Anderson and maybe a few others?

It’s mostly been just me, Jason, and John (Wessling). The three of us have been working together. We started at the end of October, and it’s been all about building endurance and muscle off the bike. We’ve been doing a lot of cycling, with some pretty long rides—like two to three hours at a time, and a five-hour ride during the last week of boot camp. It’s all about building that foundation before we start riding. In the past, we used to start riding too early, and by the time the West Coast races came around, we’d already plateaued.

This is my first time doing it this way, and I really like it. We focused on off-the-bike work first, and then we started riding two weeks ago. Now we’re riding four days a week, and it’s been great. The pace has been awesome, and having Jason out there with me has been huge. He’s incredibly fast, and even though we’ve had Levi and Mac joining us at times, it’s mainly been just Jason and me training together.

Jason is insanely talented. On the track, it’s humbling. There’s a moment when you think, ‘I’m getting close, maybe just a second behind,’ and then out of nowhere, he pulls away by a second and a half, and you realize how much further you have to go. It’s like, ‘Alright, that was my best lap,’ and then you see what Jason ran, and it’s like, ‘Oh, okay, second place isn’t quite there yet.’ But it's all part of the process, and I’m learning a lot from training with him.

Looking ahead, do you feel added pressure or more motivation with this new opportunity?

Definitely more motivation. I finally have the tools I need to win, and it’s up to me to put everything together. My goal is to win a championship—whether it’s West or East. I truly believe I can do it if everything comes together. This team believes in me, and that’s all the validation I need to give it my all.

Are there any plans to bring back the Man Child vlogs?

GM: [Laughs] I’ve been off social media for a while, but I’ve thought about it. I just need to figure out the tech side of things. Maybe after the season! I’ve always enjoyed the vlogs, so who knows? It could be a project to pick up again. I mean, I just finally bought my first-ever computer last week.

Are you going to get back into streaming with the new PC?

I’m not sure. We might, but probably not during the season. I don’t want people thinking I’m just playing video games all the time. I’m sure you’ve heard about that NFL player, Kyler Murray, the quarterback for the Cardinals, right?

Yeah, I don’t know if you saw that whole situation where he was playing Call of Duty until 2 a.m. and then had a bad game the next weekend. People were saying it was because he was up late playing video games. I definitely don’t want that to happen to me. I don’t need Mitch hearing about it either!

When I broke my wrist the last time, I remember spending a lot of time with Mitch's kids, playing video games, mostly football games. It’d be like one in the morning, and I’d have nothing else to do. I had just gotten out of surgery, so I wasn’t training, just stuck there with a broken wrist. Mitch’s kids would tell him, 'We’re playing with Garrett right now,' and he’d be like, 'Isn’t it 1 a.m.? What are you doing?' And I’d be like, 'Don’t tell him I’m still up!' I remember one time, one of Mitch’s kids called me out, saying, 'Yeah, Garrett was up till midnight playing Xbox on a Sunday.' I was 17, and I had to deny it—I was like, 'That’s not true!'

It all ties back to immaturity, right? You’re young, and you don’t really think about the consequences. But that’s part of growing up. I knew eventually I had to step away from those habits. This year, when Mitch spoke with me, he joked, 'We’re not staying up playing video games like last time, are we?' I was like, 'No, sir. Not anymore.'"