From his super fast mini days with KTM, to his successful switch to big bikes with Team Green Kawasaki, James Justice has been at the forefront of the amateur scene for quite some time. And he’s done it with relatively little injury, if you throw out most of 2008, that is. It seems that every rider goes through a bout with the injury bug at some point in their career. For some it happens when they change up their program. For some it creeps up with the changing of classes or the switching of bikes. No matter what the cause, it’s a part of our sport and something that every rider will go through at some point in their career.

The key to this is to come back stronger, more mentally focused and ready to jump back in where you left off. For James that means winning motos. His first title in the intermediate class came at Lake Whitney earlier in the season and he’ll be looking to pick things up just where he left them…on top of the podium. Another thing James will face upon his return are a whole lot of new faces on the line. While his age group makes their move to the pro class at Mini O’s, James will stay back in order to get the experience in the intermediate class that he missed out on the last few months. And in doing so he’ll be faced up against a younger, but just as talented force of supermini and schoolboy graduates. “. I’m not going to say that I’m going to dominate or anything because there are still a lot of fast kids,” said James. “But I will say that I know I want to win.”

Win, lose or draw, James’ addition to the roster at Mini O’s will definitely add some excitement to an already stacked intermediate class.

We hear you have been down in Florida getting ready for next week. How long have you been down there?

For about six weeks now. Wait, no, no, no, I meant six days. My bad. But I’ve been back home in Ohio riding.

How long have you been back on the bike?

I’ve been riding for almost two months, I would say.

The last time we saw you ride was Texas. You won a title at Whitney and then pretty much disappeared after Oak Hill. You got hurt then came back and then got hurt again. Fill our readers in on exactly what happened?

I actually got hurt in Texas, I would say. [Justin] Barcia and I kind of got into it. So I actually raced Oak Hill with a really bad ankle. After that I went home and did a lot of therapy and then I felt like I was ready and I went to a few Loretta’s qualifiers and everything was going good. Then at this one qualifier at Lazy River in Georgia I was passing this kid and he hit neutral on the face and I was right behind him and landed right on him. When we got back home and had x-rays on it the doctor said that we needed to have surgery on it pretty quick. Whenever I would stand on it my bones were starting to spread so they needed to get two pins and a plate in to keep everything secure. I actually got those out not too long ago and I’m feeling really good, 100%.

Have you undergone and sponsor changes since we last saw you?

No man, same everything. Same program with Greg Direnzo, same bike, same gear, everything is the same.

You never really got your chance to run a full season in the intermediate class. Would it be safe to say that you will remain an intermediate throughout 2009?

Yeah, that’s the plan, you know. I mean everyone keeps asking me if I’m going to go ‘A’ and this and that and I’m like man, I haven’t really had a chance to run ‘B’. So yeah, I’m just going to stick behind and go pro next year.

You will really be racing a whole different group of kids. Your age group will be bumping up to the pro class at Mini O’s and in Texas, which will leave you with a bunch of supermini and schoolboy graduates to deal with. Do you think this will play to your advantage?

I mean I’ve been on big bikes a lot longer than they have, so I should have an advantage right there. Overall I think it will be a really good year. I’ve still got a lot of confidence from Texas and I feel if I hadn’t gotten hurt thing would have gone a lot different last year. I would have been turning pro right now with the rest of my age group. But I think this year is going to go well for me, regardless. I’m just trying not to think about too much. I’m just going to go out there and do my own thing and hopefully win. I’m not going to say that I’m going to dominate or anything because there are still a lot of fast kids, but I will say that I know I want to win.

How stoked are you to be back on the track at a national? It’s been a while.

Man, I’m really pumped. It was like I told Andrew [Campo], I feel like I’m even stronger now that I’m back. Right now I feel faster on the bike, my cardio feels better, I just feel stronger all together.

So the goal is that, huh, to get a win in Florida?

Yeah, that’s definitely the goal right now.

Well, we will see you down there in a few days. Good luck getting ready the rest of the week.

Yeah, for sure. I can’t wait to see everyone. Thanks for the call.