KEN ROCZEN: “I WANT TO PUT SUZUKI BACK ON THE MAP”

The2023 Anaheim 1 Supercrosspress day riding was canceled, but we were still able to track down the most popular rider in the motocross and Supercross world right now, Ken Roczen. In this interview with Motocross Action’s Josh Mosiman, Kenny explains his excitement for racing the Suzuki RM-Z450 and he talks about joining the HEP Suzuki team. He also shares about his offseason experiences testing different motorcycles and he talks on how that might benefit him coming into the new season.

Champion Lawrence outlines 250 motive for 2023 Supercross

  Post: Troy Guenther

Australian looking to refine mistakes before premier class move.

Reigning 250SX East champion Jett Lawrence has outlined why he didn’t make the step to a 450 for the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, eager to refine mistakes made before transitioning full-time to the premier class.

Lawrence, 19, has experienced immense success in the quarter-litre category across the last two years, winning back-to-back outdoor titles and securing the 250SX East crown in 2022.

His second outdoors championship came smoother and with fewer mistakes than both his supercross and maiden Pro Motocross crown, however, the Australian is determined to further polish his riding in the upcoming campaign.

“One of the obvious ones [reasons], last year I feel like people look at the end result and go oh yeah, you dominated and are like you should move up, but last year in supercross I made just as many mistakes as I did in 2021,” Lawrence explained.

“I’m still making those silly mistakes and I still need to learn for the 450, obviously those boys are no joke on the 450s and I think a lot of people still miss that I am still a teenager, I’m still 19.

“It might not show on a dirtbike much because I feel like I have kind of created a much more mature rider on a bike, which is lucky that I have this, but I feel a lot of people forget that I am 19 still.

“At this point I feel like age doesn’t really matter anymore for me, but I still have a lot more to learn before I get to the 450 and make sure that I come in and make sure I’ve learned everyone I learn in 250s, so when I come to the 450 it’s kind of like another blank canvas and build up again.”

Lawrence debuted on a 450 at the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) last year at RedBud, impressing to win the Open category and playing a pivotal role in Team Australia’s podium charge. He will step up to the premier class for Pro Motocross this season.

“In outdoors for me to move up to a 450 is a lot easier than supercross, because technically I only really started riding supercross like three years ago,” Lawrence added.

“I’ve been riding motocross all of my life, so it makes more sense for me to go 450 in outdoors and supercross just kind of start where I am most comfortable, which is a smarter decision for me to make sure I build the year in outdoors so then in 2024 we can come in more looking for a title hunt, instead of trying to keep on learning from the mistake of getting injured or something like this.”

Team Honda HRC manager Lars Linstrom also stated that Lawrence will not likely compete on a 450 this year in East coast supercross rounds, however, Lawrence has indicated that he would like to score enough points in the premier class outdoors to race a 450 at the SuperMotocross World Championship finals.

Webb to KTM...My Bike Sucked

The2023 Anaheim 1 Supercrossis almost here and we caught up with Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb during press day to ask him the hard hitting questions. Cooper didn’t hold back, explaining that he was very hard on his team in the off season, making sure they did everything possible to make him comfortable on the 2023 KTM 450SXF this season. Cooper also talks about riding stock bikes, FELD positioning him in the second row at the press conference (instead of the front row with Tomac and Sexton) and he shared about his mindset on the Baker’s Factory in Florida to ride and train with Aldon Baker.

Hunter Lawrence Wants Two

Two titles the clear goal for Hunter Lawrence in upcoming season

Post: Troy Guenther

Honda rider chasing championship glory in Supercross and 250MX.

Image: Supplied.

The objective of Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence is clear entering the 2023 season, targeting 250SX East and Pro Motocross title success in the quarter-litre category.

Lawrence has been a constant presence at the front of the field across the last two seasons, runner-up in the 250SX West Championship twice and third on two occasions in 250MX.

With four Monster Energy Supercross victories and a 250MX overall win to his credit, Lawrence looks to secure an elusive AMA title in both series this year, his sights firmly set on what is required to achieve such success.

“Jett [Lawrence] set the bar pretty high last year, so there’s just two more steps I’ve got to do, one in supercross and two in outdoors,” Lawrence explained.

“It’s two titles, that is the goal. I know what I need to do in supercross, and obviously outdoors as well. I’ve had someone do it right beside me so I’m pretty familiar with the tools and what you need to do to be able to achieve that. So yeah, just put those two into motion and execute.

Despite a late switch to compete on the West coast last year, each supercross race Lawrence finished in 2022 he was on the podium. A heavy fall at Anaheim three was ultimately costly as he finished just 10 points from champion Christian Craig come season-end. If he can build on that form for 2023, he is sure to be a favourite for the East coast title.

“Yeah it was good [the 2022 supercross season], it was a tough one as there was always the one race that I wish I could always get back,” Lawrence added.

“There were years where we were just dreaming of having a season like that, so it’s something great to build off. Obviously, Jett did great with his title, and I was contending for one as well.

“It’s good, we said we wanted to be on the box every weekend and every race I finished, I was. It was a good year, definitely something to build on.”

Lawrence’s first competitive outing for season 2023 takes place at Houston on 4 February when the 250SX East Championship commences.

Dakar Stage 6

Thorpe & Malherbe

Barcia amped up for 2023

Edward StratmannJanuary 3, 20230

Having finished inside the top 10 in every single AMA Supercross main event in 2022, it’ll be fascinating to see if Justin Barcia can keep up his consistency in 2023.

---

Words: Edward Stratmann | Lead Image: GasGas

---

Always a tough competitor who’s never afraid to get his hands dirty, which he did on many occasions last season, the fact he was able to claim six podiums and 11 top fives to accompany the aforementioned served as a further testament to how well he was riding indoors.

While the divisive figure ultimately came home fifth in the championship, just 12 points behind Malcolm Stewart in third, if only he’d avoided the incidents and kept his nose clean, there would’ve been every chance his campaign ended with him getting a career best top three premier class finish. But that’s the way he races, with his aggression and intensity one of the keys to his success even if it can get him into avoidable predicaments at times.

“I’m happy to end the supercross series with a podium finish here in Salt Lake City. Obviously, tonight’s racing was intense but we were racing for third in the championship and I was going for it. All-in-all, I’m stoked with how the season went, we had a lot of fun together as a team and we definitely have some positives to take away and bring into the outdoor series,” he explained on his SX season.

Although his Pro Motocross campaign didn’t go to plan, the hugely entertaining and exciting pilot was still able to secure an impressive podium at RedBud on his way to finishing eighth in the standings.

After a good off-season both on and off the track, which saw him become a father, race the Red Bull Straight Rhythm and get some crucial testing time on the new bike, which the GasGas squad team have now switched to for 2023, Barcia’s primed to enjoy another of his customary fast starts to the season.

Obviously the key thing will be how he adapts to the new generation machine, something the KTM/Husqvarna riders struggled with aside from Stewart. But if his comments are anything to go by, he’s loving the new platform at this stage and is ready to hit the ground running in 2023.

“I’m so amped for this upcoming season, we’ve got more races with more opportunities to win! I’m excited about our new bike and going racing with my wife and baby boy it’s going to be a fun season,” asserted the #51.

There’s also been further changes under the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas awning that directly impact him, which shouldn’t pose a major problem, as his mechanic and good friend Olly Stone has stepped into the role as crew chief, thus meaning Cody Champagne has moved up to wrench for Barcia this term.

Full of personality and injecting so much life into the sport, the experienced 30-year-old will be eager to return to winning ways, especially after not reigning triumphant in a SX main event since Houston 1 in January of 2021.

Definitely a legitimate contender for wins and podiums, happy with the team and so content with all facets of life, all the signs are there that Barcia will come out firing at the season opener at Anaheim this weekend just like he usually does.

Local nonprofit riding club takes over running the motocross track in Moffat County

A local dirt bike club has taken over the lease on the motocross track five miles south of Craig with plans to improve the track, continue hosting races there and bring more events to Craig. 

In December, Northwest Colorado Trails Corp took over the lease for the race track on Moffat County Road 107. Justin Prince, president of the NWCTC board, said the organization is planning to take a new approach to running the track this summer. 

The group is going to continue hosting the youth summer race series, which is expected to begin on May 18 and end in August with an awards ceremony recognizing riders from the summer races. 

The races will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays with the exception of May 25 and June 29. All youth riders are welcome to join the races, and there is no fee to race. Riders just need to bring a dirt bike, safety gear and a parent or guardian who can sign a waiver. 

In order to keep the races free for youth and to provide weekly prizes for the winners, NWCTC is accepting donations from individuals and sponsorships from local businesses that want to support the cause. 

NWCTC is also working on planning community riding events for all ages, including adults, over the summer to help draw more people who want to get involved and support the track. 

Prince, who is originally from Texas, started riding dirt bikes when he was 2 years old, and he moved to Craig specifically for the riding opportunities that exist here. Locally, he got his start riding enduro races in the Sandwash Basin, and he wants to help grow the sport. 

Prince got his 9-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter heavily involved with riding dirt bikes too, and the whole family got involved with the motocross track when the youth races started. 

“It was a tight-knit group, and we felt a sense of community around it,” Prince said. “We want to bring other people who ride into that so they can feel the support that we felt.” 

The track was previously run by another local rider, Phil Vallem, and now the torch is being passed to the group of local riders with NWCTC.

“Some of the biggest changes we’re hoping for is running everything as a group and making group decisions,” Prince said. “That way things are more fluid and everyone is pitching in.” 

There are five community members who serve on the NWCTC Board of Directors, and the group has 157 riders with hopes of growing its membership through the summer race series and community events. 

Kyra Weidner, who serves as the executive director for NWCTC, said the group has also applied for funding from the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation grant program and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to support improvements and ongoing maintenance at the park. 

If the grant is awarded, it will be used to resurface the clay-based track, making it safer for riders and easier to maintain. The proposed funding is also intended to purchase equipment for spreading material across the track surface and a water truck that will distribute water evenly across the surface to make the track soft and pliable for maintenance. 

Weidner said that the CPW grant, if awarded, would be for the 2024 season and ongoing maintenance. The grant application has letters of support from the city of Craig, Moffat County, Craig Chamber of Commerce, Craig Powersports and several individuals. 

CPW will accept letters of support for the project until Jan. 31, Weidner said. Letters of support can be sent to Tom Metsa, OHV Program Manager, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 13787 South Highway 85, Littleton, CO, 80125.

Individuals or businesses that want to donate or sponsor events can email wcoloradotrails@gmail.com, or visit NWColoradoTrails.org for more.

Ricky Brabec Kicks Off 2023 Dakar With Stage Win

Dakar 2023

 

There is a long way still to go but Ricky Brabec was happy to get his first stage win of 2023 under his belt. Photo: Rally Zone

Stage one of the 2023 Dakar Rally saw Ricky Brabec take the win ahead of Kevin Benavides and Mason Klein on a day where all team riders were in the spotlight.

Australian’s Toby Price and Daniel Sanders faired well with a strong start with Price finishing the stage fifth and Sanders sixth. It was a shocker for defending champion Sam Sunderland with the Brit crashing just 52 kilometers into stage one. Leading the special briefly before the incident, Sunderland was airlifted to hospital in Yanbu where he was diagnosed with a broken shoulder blade.

“Goal number one was not to open the stage,” Brabec said after his stage win. “I feel quite well and confident after today, but I will just try to go day by day, keep pace and stay in the Top 10. It’s going to be hard to be out of the lead – like we saw today – but we have to see how it goes until the rest day. Today was fairly simple, no stress, it was a great day!

Second placed Kevin Benavides who had posted the fifth-quickest time on the prologue attacked stage one right away from his 24th place start position. Placing eighth at the waypoint at kilometer 37, Benavides got his head down and steadily moved up through the order to ultimately finish in second place, a mere 44 seconds down on Brabec.

“I had a good day today – it’s always encouraging to start the rally with a strong result,” The 2021 Dakar winner said. “It felt like a very long day, but I think every day leading up to the rest day will be similar. I’m happy with my result, I came second, but less than a minute or so behind the stage winner. It doesn’t give me the best start position for tomorrow, but I’ll aim to chase down the guy ahead. Overall, I’m happy to get the rally underway and looking forward to the rest of the race.”

Following on from Saturday’s short 13-kilometer prologue, where Toby Price posted the fastest time to finish in first place, the Australian turned his attention to the event’s 603-kilometer opening stage. Testing competitors right from the off, the 368-kilometer timed special comprised a challenging mix of terrain, made up predominantly of gravels tracks, but with some sand and dunes thrown in to give riders a true taste of conditions at this 2023 event.

Placing fifth on the stage, Price was pleased with how his race got underway. After spotting the fallen Sam Sunderland early in the special, Price decided to aim for a solid, safe finish to the stage. Despite his care, the Aussie was still able to bring it home inside the top five and will enjoy a strong start position for Monday’s stage two.

“Stage one has gone ok for me,” Price said. “I saw Sam (Sunderland) had crashed out at around kilometer 70, and it’s never good to see one of your mates go down like that. After that, I just focused on my roadbook and made sure I didn’t make any big mistakes on the way to the finish. It’s a long race and we have a very long way to go. My goal right now is to say safe and consistent.”

He may have been away from racing for a while but Daniel Sanders’ performance gave everyone a pleasant reminder of just how talented the hard-charging Aussie really is. After placing second on yesterday’s Prologue – allowing him to choose his starting position for stage one – Sanders set off as the 25th rider and quickly settled into a fast and consistent pace. Confidently reaching each waypoint among the leaders, Daniel came home in sixth and now lies a provisional fifth in the overall classification.

“It’s been a long old year since I’ve raced and it was great to be back out there today,” Sanders said. “Early on I caught up to Kevin Benavides and for most of the stage we just rode together, clicking off the kilometers. I really enjoyed the terrain. It was my first proper stage on the new generation bike, so everything was quite new for me today and it was great to get a decent stage result in early. I’m so pumped to be back here at the Dakar and I’m looking forward to taking each day as it comes.”

Tomorrow the second stage from this year’s Dakar Rally will leave the Sea Camp in the direction of Al-Ula. This special stage will have 430 kilometers of closed tracks demanding great handling skills, so riders will get mainly dirt tracks (59%), stones (26%) and just a little taste of sand (14% sand tracks and one percent of dunes). Besides this competitive section, there is also another 159 kilometers of liaison. Navigation will be key as participants reach the splendid canyons and beautiful landscapes near the finish. According to the ASO organisation, the stage will be decided on the dunes, with some of the majestic Nabataean temples visible on the landscape.

Daniel Sanders admitted to being happy to be back in the race and after finishing sixth on stage one is looking forward to taking each day as it comes. 

Eli's Ready!