The Team Honda HRC rider topped all three 450SX races at Round 4 of the AMA Supercross Championship, the Glendale Triple Crown.
Roczen made the victory almost look easy, leading 38 out of 39 total laps raced over the three 12 minute plus one lap Main Events. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac’s 2-2-3 finishes earned him second place and also a move into second position in the championship points. Grabbing his second podium of the year, 2018 Monster Energy Supercross champion Jason Anderson of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team got onto the box with Main Event finishes of fifth, third, and second. The Western Regional 250SX class also had its first repeat winner as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner dominated the first two 250SX Main Events then rode strategically in the third to cap the night with his second win of 2020.
“I can’t believe we won all three main events! I think it’s the focus that we bring.,” said Roczen. “Between my team and especially my mechanic, we just have a good regimen going into all the races. Every time we go down there for a gate drop, I just want to put maximum focus, put myself in a good position and make life a lot easier—and safer as well. We had some good battles with Eli [Tomac] in the first one, but I was stoked to pull it off. I got a decent start in the second one, and then we had to do a restart unfortunately. I grabbed that holeshot and rode a super-solid race and won. The first start for race three was not good, and me and Tomac were battling in like eighth or something. Then we had another restart, and I pulled the holeshot there and just rode a super-solid race. I had a good time tonight, and I’m really happy with how the team has been excelling and making changes to the bike. We’ve been working really well together, and the team spirit is high right now. Obviously, I’m beyond stoked and want to enjoy tonight and tomorrow, but then get back to work and keep 100% focus.”
At the end of the night, Tomac was gracious toward Roczen but ready for the next event, “Ken was lightning fast tonight… I did what I could. The racing was kinda wild. We had five starts tonight, that was tough. I mean, everyone’s doing the same thing, but [there’s] a little bit of wildness on these Triple Crowns. Glad to get through the pack and stay second overall. [The] last moto there, I missed my rear brake in turn two, that was it for that moto win, for having the chance at it. But overall still feeling good, ready for next week.”
Jason Anderson was leading the race prior to the restart. On the podium he said, “…I feel like I’m racing better and better as the weeks go on… I’ve been top five every race, but kind of like very quiet, in kind of a pleasant spot in the series. But I’m ready to start charging and see if we can make some headway. Kenny and Eli, they’re riding good, but I’m ready to get in there and maybe try and upset them a little bit… I feel like they’re [Rozcen and Tomac] getting up front and they’re breaking away right away and I just need to make sure and be there with that breakaway so I could try to pressure them or do something along those lines, or be in front of them and hold them up. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m looking forward to battling and I’m enjoying it.” Check out the highlights HERE.
Roczen made the victory almost look easy, leading 38 out of 39 total laps raced over the three 12 minute plus one lap Main Events. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac’s 2-2-3 finishes earned him second place and also a move into second position in the championship points. Grabbing his second podium of the year, 2018 Monster Energy Supercross champion Jason Anderson of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team got onto the box with Main Event finishes of fifth, third, and second. The Western Regional 250SX class also had its first repeat winner as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner dominated the first two 250SX Main Events then rode strategically in the third to cap the night with his second win of 2020.
The second Main Event was red flagged after a tangle in the high speed first turn that left Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Justin Bogle on the ground where the track re-joins the start straight. In the re-start, Roczen led the race from holeshot to checkered flag. Tomac had to work his way through the pack from fifth place at the end of the first lap. He got into second on Lap 4 of the 13-lap race but never dug far into Roczen’s lead, which got to seven seconds at one point. Defending champion Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb ran in second place early in the race, but he struggled to find speed in the long whoop section where he lost positions to Tomac, Anderson, and Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Blake Baggett.
After the second win, Rozcen looked forward to the final Main Event, “The most important thing is to keep the focus. The track’s extremely slippery… It feels great, I’m just having fun out there but we’ve got to keep our mental game strong and be focused out there… Everybody’s going super fast so we’ve just got to stay on our game.”
The final 450SX Class Main Event also saw a red flag and a full-race re-start. And just as before, Ken Roczen used that re-start to his advantage and pulled another holeshot. Tomac bobbled and tipped over in the second corner; he and teammate Cianciarulo found themselves both outside the top ten while once again Webb had put himself into second place early in the race. Anderson got around Webb and into second place just before the halfway point, then with just over three minutes left on the clock Cianciarulo battled his way past to take third place. As Tomac made his move on Webb, Cianciarulo crashed hard in front of them in the whoops. Webb nearly went over the bars riding over Cianciarulo’s downed bike but held on for fourth.
Roczen’s third time up on the podium was for his third Main Event win of the night and also to claim the overall for the event, “Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I was praying before the last one to make it through safe… Three Main Event wins and first overall, I’m over the moon, it’s just unbelievable.”
Full Results Click HERE
450SX Class Results
1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (1-1-1)
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-2-3)
3. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna (5-3-2)
4. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM (8-5-4)
5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha (6-8-7)
6. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda (7-7-9)
7. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda (4-14-6)
8. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (3-6-17)
9. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (11-9-8)
10. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (12-4-14)
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (92)
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (84)
3. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha (81)
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna (78)
5. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM (72)
6. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (71)
7. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda (63)
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda (62)
9. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (55)
10. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (51)