Garrett Marchbanks Interview: Glendale Press Day
January 31, 2025
Image from Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Welcome back. How is the shoulder?
Shoulder's good. A little sore, but it's getting there.
Do you think it’s good enough to race? Will it be a hundred percent?
I think it’s close to it. We practiced yesterday for a little bit, and it felt solid. Obviously, it’s not quite a hundred percent, but it’s close. I’m excited to test it out some more today, see how it feels, and go racing.
What exactly happened? At first, there were rumors you might be out for a while, but obviously, no surgery was needed.
Yeah, it was definitely scary. It was just a dumb little tip-over, but my shoulder didn’t feel right. We got some X-rays and an MRI, which showed a fracture in my shoulder socket, a torn labrum in three spots, and a partial dislocation. It was definitely a weird one. I didn’t know how to take it, but luckily, there was no surgery needed. It was more of a week-to-week recovery based on how I felt. This week, we kept putting in more therapy and hours, and by Wednesday, I felt like I was ready to ride. We got on the bike yesterday, and it felt solid. So, here we are.
Awesome. So just lots of rehab over the week?
Yeah, lots of hours. But it was well worth it. I love racing, and I love being out here, so I’m happy to be back.
To transition back to Pro Circuit and Kawasaki, how was your off-season? Did it take a while to adjust to the bike? We saw you race, but what was that like?
It was a little different because we had the ‘24 chassis, then switched to the ‘25, and there was a big difference. But it was good. We found some really good settings before Anaheim 1. After the race, we identified a few more things to work on. After San Diego, we found what I honestly thought was the best setting going into Anaheim 2. I was super excited for it, but on my last day of riding before A2, I had the tip-over. So, I’m excited to be out here testing this setting and racing on it. I’m looking forward to seeing how I do with it.
Okay, last question. After missing a round, the championship is kind of out of the picture now. What are your goals for the rest of the series?
For me, it’s about getting back to where I belong—being a podium contender. I just want to go out there, do my best, put in strong results, and show what I’m capable of.
