Hunter’s title charge takes a hit in the Motor City as Roczen controls Round 11
The saying that anything can happen in Supercross rang true inside Ford Field for Round 11 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, where an exceptionally demanding track, built around the most treacherous and demanding whoop section of the season, pushed the field to the limit. At the front, Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen delivered a dominant ride for the landmark 25th win of his career, while Australia’s Hunter Lawrence endured a costly night that blew the championship standings wide open.
The 20 Minute + 1 Lap 450SMX Main Event began with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado taking his fifth holeshot of the season, leading Roczen and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton, who returned after missing three rounds. Lawrence, the championship leader coming in on his Honda HRC Progressive machine, didn’t get the start he needed and began deep inside the top 10. Eli Tomac, second in points for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, started outside the top 10.
Prado held firm under pressure early, but Roczen seized the lead just a few minutes into the race and immediately started to control the pace. Prado then tangled with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb and the pair went down after coming together, dropping them well back.
With clear track, Roczen opened a multi-second gap as Sexton slotted into second. Lawrence fought forward from one of his worst starts of the season to reach third, and the leading trio settled into a rhythm through the middle of the race, circulating within a few seconds of each other. Then it unravelled for the Aussie. Just before halfway, as Sexton and Lawrence began to chip into Roczen’s advantage, Lawrence crashed hard exiting the whoops. He remounted but needed attention in the mechanics area and lost a lap, effectively ending his bid for a strong points night.
Roczen responded by extending the lead again to remove the threat from Sexton. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart moved into third ahead of Tomac, while Lawrence later suffered another fall and could only salvage 18th. Up front, Roczen cruised to his second win of the season in his 173rd career start, taking the chequered flag 7.7 seconds clear of Sexton. Stewart secured his first podium of the season in third, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper fourth and Tomac fifth.
In the championship stakes, Tomac has reclaimed the lead for the first time since Round 4 and now holds a four-point advantage over Lawrence with six races remaining. Roczen’s Detroit win also drags him to within 14 points of the top, setting up a three-rider fight for the run home as Lawrence looks to rebound after a bruising night in the Motor City.
Ken Roczen – 1st Place – 450SMX Class
“I don’t know what to say, but this is exactly what I was talking about [people overlooking my ability to win]. This was a tough Main Event. I was definitely not the fastest in the beginning. I was playing a little bit with the track. I knew they were gaining on me, so I switched up my rhythms slightly. It was tough, because I wasn’t necessarily lighting the world on fire [with my speed] but the track was so tough. The whoops were a 50-50 chance you were going to make it through or end up on your back. I am so excited, you have no idea. We closed up some points, but we still have a lot of racing to go.”
Chase Sexton – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class
“Those weeks at home watching the races, there were some dark times. Obviously, I didn’t want to get injured and didn’t want to sit on the couch, but I wanted to come back when I was ready. I felt pretty good tonight, but I also felt that couch about 10 minutes into the Main Event. I felt good in the beginning and got a little tight and a little winded. We’ll go back to work but definitely a great start to the comeback. It’s been a long year for the team and me, but we want to go up from here.”
Malcolm Stewart – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class
“It’s been tough [this season]. I had an unfortunate situation in Anaheim [getting injured at the first race]. I kind of just felt like I didn’t know if I’d get on the podium [this season]. That’s partly just not believing in yourself, and I realized I need to pull myself out of that. I want to give it up to my team, they’ve been in my ear all season telling me I can do this. I told them we’d pop some champagne before the end of the season, so huge shout out to them.
Eli Tomac – 5th Place – 450SMX Class Points Leader
“Of course, I saw Hunter’s [Lawrence] crash and knew I was going to take advantage of that once I saw him a lap down, but overall, a bit of a frustrating day here. I’ve actually struggled here my past couple rides. I don’t know what it is. I haven’t had the best success at Detroit lately. Maybe I’ve been in kind of a midseason slump. We’ll do what we can to get better, improve, and get back to winning some races and be up at the front.”
Round 11 Detroit 450SX Results
- Ken Roczen (GER) – —
- Chase Sexton (USA) – 7.797
- Malcolm Stewart (USA) – 11.260
- Justin Cooper (USA) – 16.086
- Eli Tomac (USA) – 17.135
- Cooper Webb (USA) – 18.265
- Dylan Ferrandis (FRA) – 36.618
- Justin Hill (USA) – 40.159
- Joey Savatgy (USA) – 43.673
- Garrett Marchbanks (USA) – 49.241
- Jordon Smith (USA) – 54.193
- Christian Craig (USA) – 1 Lap
- Jorge Prado (ESP) – 1 Lap
- Shane McElrath (USA) – 1 Lap
- Mitchell Harrison (USA) – 1 Lap
- Vince Friese (USA) – 1 Lap
- Colt Nichols (USA) – 1 Lap
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS) – 2 Laps
- Kevin Moranz (USA) – 2 Laps
- Tristan Lane (USA) – 2 Laps
- Justin Bogle (USA) – 3 Laps
- Cole Thompson (CAN) – 8 Laps
450SX Championship standings after round 11
- Eli Tomac (USA) – 229
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS) – 225
- Ken Roczen (GER) – 215
- Cooper Webb (USA) – 203
- Justin Cooper (USA) – 176
- Chase Sexton (USA) – 144
- Joey Savatgy (USA) – 138
- Malcolm Stewart (USA) – 127
- Jorge Prado (ESP) – 113
- Justin Hill (USA) – 109
- Dylan Ferrandis (FRA) – 102
- Aaron Plessinger (USA) – 99
- Christian Craig (USA) – 96
- Shane McElrath (USA) – 85
- Jason Anderson (USA) – 84
- Colt Nichols (USA) – 81
- Garrett Marchbanks (USA) – 66
- Vince Friese (USA) – 46
- Mitchell Harrison (USA) – 44
- Jordon Smith (USA) – 43
