The Calm Before the Storm: Wrapping Up Winter in the USA
After two solid weeks of training in SoCal, getting back home for the holidays was exactly what I needed. There is nothing quite like the comfort of your own bed, hanging out with the dogs, and recharging with family. The downtime didn't last long, though—straight after Christmas, I was back on the throttle.
I kicked things off with a three-day "training blitz" across three different disciplines: hitting the MX turn track at Vasco’s, pushing my CBR 600 to the limit at Bushnell Motorsports Park, and wrapping up with some technical TT flat track at Johnny Lewis’s house.
Hopping on three different bikes in three days gave me a fresh perspective and kept my instincts sharp. Enhancing my training was being able to do it with big bro SDK and pushing ourselves to the limit.
Training with Sean is something I wish I could do more often, but between our crazy schedules and being in different locations, it’s tough to coordinate during the year. However, when the stars align and we do get on track together, the impact is undeniable. We push each other to find that extra edge, and the intensity keeps us both razor-sharp. It’s a massive advantage for both of us whenever we can make it happen.
After ringing in the New Year with my loved ones, we headed immediately to Gainesville for the SFLMiniGP three-day camp. I always love these camps because they give me a chance to coach the younger generation and welcome new riders into the sport we all love. This year, I led the Advanced Camp, where I taught specific drills and workouts, I’ve mastered over the last three years racing in Spain. It was awesome to pass that knowledge on to the young Americans coming up.
The progress was incredible…these kids went from struggling with tight circle drills to battling each other in full passing simulations. I was super proud of them! I even managed to sneak in some laps on my 450 Super Moto, which is always a blast on the big Gainesville track.
To cap off the week, I headed down to Miami on Sunday for a group ride with the MBO family. This was a special one for me because I’m stoked to announce that I’ll be partnering with them for the upcoming season! As many of you know, cycling is a massive pillar of my training program, so officially linking up with the MBO crew is a huge step. Having access to their top-tier gear and being part of their events is going to be a game-changer for my fitness this year. The ride itself was the perfect kick-off to this new relationship and a great end to a stacked week!
I dedicated the following week to pure physical prep. Since I’m moving up to a bigger, heavier bike this year, I know my fitness must be pinpoint. I hit the gym five days that week, mixing in heavy cycling and rucks to build endurance. Coach Torres has the program dialed in—I felt super good in the gym and can physically feel the strength building every day.
From there, I headed back to Johnny Lewis’s house for a three-day Boot Camp to prep for the Winter Throwdown. Getting back on the flat track oval felt great, even though I battled the front-end suspension on the 450 a bit. A massive thank you to Johnny for his input; the guy is a library of flat track knowledge, and his advice was crucial to help me find a setup that worked.
Then, Pops and I made the trip up to the Panhandle for the races at Callahan Speedway. I struggled a bit during the 1v1 qualifiers—the heavy "blue groove" on the track really threw off my front-end feel, and I had a hard time holding the line. I ended up qualifying 32nd, missing the bracket by a heartbreaking 3/10ths of a second. It was a bummer, but with such a stacked lineup, I took it in stride and enjoyed watching the pros put on a show in the bracket races.
Friday brought a full day of racing. After watching the smaller classes in the morning, we headed out for practice, qualifying, and heats. Unfortunately, I was still chasing that front-end confidence and struggled to keep pace on the groove, ultimately missing the cut for the mains. Despite the challenges, I had a blast. The Winter Throwdown is always such a good time, and just being there to watch the pro guys work was an experience.
The following Tuesday, I made a quick trip up to Bushnell for a Supermoto session. It was great to see Dustin from FastGlass Media again and capture some content, but the training environment was the real highlight. I was riding 450s alongside Gus Rodio, PJ Jacobson, and Kayla Yaakov, so the pace was high and it was a solid day of work.
Then it was time for the main event: the Ceparano Classic. I teamed up with Ella and Avery Dreher again, but this year we leveled up to an SV 650 sponsored by Seth Starnes (The Shock Doc). We were buzzing because, after years on a 400, we knew this twin-cylinder beast gave us a real shot at the win.
However, we faced some adversity right out of the gate. Avery’s injury unfortunately kept him off the bike completely, and Ella was also riding hurt, meaning she could only handle shorter stints. That left the bulk of the 11 hours of racing to me, but I was ready to put in the work.
Saturday started perfectly, we won the first three-hour race! In the second three-hour segment, we took third, but I noticed the bike wasn't pulling as hard as it should. We swapped the fuel pump overnight and hoped for the best for Sunday’s five-hour finale. Things looked good early on, but three hours in, entering Turn 3, the engine locked up. The motor was done. It was a heartbreaker because we were battling for the overall win at the time. Despite the DNF and missing 90 laps, we had built enough of a gap to still take-home 3rd place overall. A huge thank you to Seth for the opportunity—next year, we’re coming back to finish the job!
With the racing finally done, I headed home to soak up every last moment before the long stint in Spain. My girlfriend came down for one last adventure, and we decided to hit the Florida State Fair. It was exactly the kind of distraction I needed—bright lights, good vibes, and zero stress. We had a blast walking around, but honestly, the highlight was the fair food. You can't go to the fair without indulging, and we definitely took full advantage of the deep-fried goodness and snacks you can only find there. It was so much fun to just let loose, eat good food, and enjoy the night.
For the grand finale, I got the family together for a bowling night with my cousin and my aunt and uncle, Cat and Rod. We had an absolute blast! It was so refreshing to do something purely for fun without any pressure or lap times attached to it. Hanging out with Cat and Rod is always a highlight for me, and we spent the whole night laughing and just enjoying the moment. It was the perfect, low-stress sendoff to clear my mind and fill up the tank with good memories before getting on the plane.
Now, I’ve touched down in Spain, and it is officially go-time. I am beyond ready to kick off the preseason and prepare for the first round in Portimão. The motivation levels are at an all-time high, and I can’t wait to get to work. Keep your eyes peeled for the next blog—I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of my upcoming team test on the new WSBK Sportbike and showing you what my training regimen looks like over here in Europe. I’m more driven than ever to be the best Julian possible this year. Thank you all for your incredible support; I can't wait to make you proud. Let’s get it!
Before I forget....don't miss out on joining my 40 Fan Club for the season...you can sign up here and read all about it. Limited to only 40 participants! Just Click Here
Or the Link here: https://jujuracing.com/collections/fundraisers/products/40-fan-club
