Supercross Champ Justin Brayton
It was just in my blood from the very beginning
Fort Dodge is home not only to your favorite has-been baseball team, the Gypsum Eaters, but also to gypsum mines where dirt bikers come up and hone their skills. One of the biggest names competing in motocross is one of those Fort Dodge riders. Justin Brayton started riding dirt bikes when he was 3 and has only gotten faster in his 30 years on the throttle. Now, at 36 years old, Justin rides for one of the top teams in Supercross.
It was crazy what we did, what my parents dedicated to it
Justin Brayton was born to ride. He was riding a two-wheel bike at 2 years old and got his first dirt bike at 3. He was making his own jumps and showing no fear as part of the motocross culture in and around Fort Dodge. In middle school, his stepdad and mom were driving Justin around the country to find the best competition. His parents would take a motorhome to Texas, or wherever the top race was, leaving Fort Dodge Friday after work and returning Monday morning just in time to head back to school and work. By the time he was in high school, Justin was one of the top amateurs in the country and took 4th at the Loretta Lynn’s in 2002. From there, he turned professional and has been at the top of his sport - the 450 class Supercross (450SX), since 2010.
It was something I thought I would never achieve
Justin Brayton’s career has had its ups and downs, but Justin has made a name for himself as one of the top riders in the world and is on the best team in supercross. Justin’s first main event win came just one week before his 34th birthday, making him the oldest rider to win a supercross race at the 2018 Daytona Supercross. Justin still wakes up every day with a passion for racing and has no intention of slowing down now.
This week we are sending out dreams of spring and early tee times on the weekend. Tim sits down with Nate McCoy to talk all things golf and life after you start carrying your own bag. The former Cyclone and pro golfer shares his perspective on the game, his career, and his decision to make a career in golf without the clubs in his hands.
Every Iowa sports fan knows the reputation of Harlan Community High School. The Harlan Cyclones are known far and wide for their success in every sport. Coach Bladt and the football program built a foundation of success that the entire community rests on. There is a lot of pride in the school colors and full bleachers whenever they take the field or court. Mitch Osborn has helped to continue that success in his roles as AD and head basketball coach. This week we sit down with Coach Osborn to learn about his career and what makes Harlan so darn special.
Much of the Moonlight Graham Show has been about telling the stories of former athletes. We have spent 274 episodes looking back on glory days and telling the stories that either made the highlights or shaped the person in the jersey. But this week, we look at a sport that is bringing athletes back to life while it grows on a national stage. Pickleball has been growing in popularity over the last decade. Today, names as big as Lebron James are involved as investors and sponsors. The game has gone from junior high PE classes and retirement communities to deserving real attention.
Every listener to this podcast knows that a game of catch is rarely just a game of catch. Playing catch is an opportunity to connect with someone, whether you spend that time in conversation or just listening to the pop of the ball hitting the leather. Few understand this more than this week’s guest, Kevin Negaard. Negaard’s journey is nearing his goal of 365 consecutive days of catch. This endeavor has connected him with hundreds of partners, has spanned two continents, and led to two injections in his shoulder.
This week’s Moonlighter is an underdog, but the hardwood he plays on is more likely to be found on a stage than on a basketball court. Like most of our guests, he is a former athlete, but unlike many of our guests, he walked away from the game instead of the other way around. Griffin House has spent the last 20+ years with a guitar in his hands, recording, touring, and turning out songs that thousands of us love to sing along with.
The college basketball season is about to hit full swing. A lot of the attention in Iowa is on the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones and where they might fall in the top 25. But, lucky for us, we also have two top-tier Missouri Valley Conference teams in the state. Almost every February, there is talk about how many of our big 4 teams can get into the tourney and who can make a run. This week we welcome one of the best Drake Bulldogs to ever put on the uniform, Reed Timmer. Timmer’s career included many records, and he was part of the transition from a few rough years into the upshot that Drake has been on for the last several seasons.
Role players come in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes, they have to change their shapes and sizes to fit their roles. So as you fill up on Christmas goodies and homecooked meals, just pretend you are getting yourself ready for a new challenge. Ryan Harklau went from being a 3 sport star at Humboldt High School to working through the dark days of the Dan McCarney era. Harklau has never stopped chasing down experiences in and around sports. Today he is still very involved with the Iowa State Cyclones and gets to stay about as close to the game as you can get.
The underdog podcast needed to sit down with the underdog guy. Tyler O’Shea is a kindred spirit for the Moonlighters out there. O’Shea is researching, writing, and podcasting as he builds his own underdog story with Jokermag.com. Tyler O’Shea has built an incredible underdog storytelling machine. Now, he joins us at the Moonlight Show to break down his top 5 underdog stories from 2022. His list spans the USFL to the NFL and FedEx to the MLB. Tyler O’Shea and Joker Mag know their underdogs, and he came to share.
In an age of sport specialization, the multi-sport athlete is more fascinating than ever. In this week's episode, Tim and Neil discuss the best dual-sport athletes of their lifetimes.
Season 14 of The Moonlight Graham Show is here!