Will Kickstart Kenny Fade?

Why the signs suggest that Ken Roczen won't fade in 2026

Post: Kane Taylor

Decorated 450SX title hope closes to 15 points after Detroit win.

A convincing victory in Detroit came as a pivotal result for Ken Roczen, targeting a maiden 450SX crown more than a decade into his premier class career. Current form suggests that he is now a genuine title threat – and this is why the signs suggest that he won’t be fading in the back-half of the season this time around.

The 31-year-old has been relatively vocal of late, questioning the narrative that he ‘fades’ as the 17-round series develops, which reflects a broader view of how the German export approaches the sport. Roczen is well-regarded for his explosiveness out of the gate and remains one of the strongest when it comes to early-race – and early-season – execution.

That form, however, has proven difficult for the Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki leader to maintain, and as a result, Roczen holds the record for the most 450SX wins (25) without a championship. This statistic underlines his level of sheer speed, but sustaining it across a full season has often been the sticking point.

The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship feels different, though. Last year, there was a sense that he was content to be in the mix, without a strong emphasis on expectations. This year, however, he is speaking openly about the championship and delivering results deep into the season to match. Right now, there’s only six rounds left to run.

“I knew my back was a little bit against the wall, obviously at 31 points back,” Roczen admitted post-race on Saturday night. “I knew what I was up against – I’ve said it the past couple of weekends, I need to start winning some of these and not let the same guys win, and I keep losing points, which has been the most frustrating part.

“It just all came together. I really believe today was the day, it was just such an overwhelming feeling of emotions, just because it’s also been a long time since I’ve gotten two wins in one season, so I hope I can add on to that.”

Adding to Roczen’s fortunes on the weekend was Honda HRC Progressive rider Hunter Lawrence’s 18th-place score following an untimely crash in the whoops, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac salvaged fifth on what was another more difficult night for the two-time 450SX champion.

That has seen the points deficit more than half from 31 to 15 for Roczen, with 150 points on offer across the final six rounds of the Supercross series. Detroit was a critical boost, effectively elevating him from the outskirts of the title hunt back into legitimate contention.

“To be honest, I’m just like anybody really, but I’m kind of my own guinea pig, if that makes sense,” he continued. “Over the last couple of years, [I] just worked and [have] done things differently. I’m just kind of doing whatever my heart desires, so I just stay happy throughout the season, and obviously, I’ve got my hands full with my kids. I mean, that’s a whole other, you know, whole other ballpark of emotional strength that you need – that’s definitely gotten me a lot more robust.

“But at the same time, yeah, I don’t know. I’ve put in the same effort over the last 10, 11 rounds. So even though I kept losing points, I couldn’t ignore that I’m riding really well and that I must be doing something right, so that’s what I held on to.”

The 94’s right in that assessment of himself, having finished on the podium in seven of 11 rounds so far in 2026, including two victories. Additionally, he has also been outside the top-five only twice, marking a solid season to this point.

“We’re at round 11 [and] we’ve got six races to go – that’s a whole lot of races. We saw again tonight that it can swing the other way, too. I can mess up, which, you know, we don’t want to talk about that, but it can all happen so quickly.”

It was at this point that the question was raised to Roczen regarding his trajectory in previous seasons, which, as noted, has tended to slow in the second half for a multitude of reasons over the years. He responded that this is not currently the case and that, at least for now, that narrative appears to be put to rest.

“I mean, I get where the media and fans or wherever it is, I get where they’re coming from because I haven’t been able to finish the season over the last couple of years because of injury,” the father of two added.

“So, I guess I get where they’re coming from, but the last time I faded in a season was 2022. Honestly, let it go… Let me do the talking out there. And then if I keep doing it, you can go right back to it, but as of right now there have been absolutely no signs, and I’m sick of hearing that, honestly.”

In my view, the field learned something from last year’s Monster Energy Supercross Championship and how it was won. It wasn’t the fastest rider at Anaheim 1, it wasn’t the rider who looked strongest in Tampa, and it wasn’t the rider holding the red plate at round seven.

It was instead Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who built consistency through the opening stages and carried it through to round 17, with race-winning results along the way.

That sense of pragmatism is now being reflected by the likes of Lawrence, Tomac, and Roczen – with Pipes Motorsport Group (PMG) team owner Dustin Pipes noting that while Detroit was a positive, the focus immediately returns to work, with P3 in the championship standings not the end objective.

“[The result] means we have six rounds to go and we’ve got to go back to work tomorrow,” suggested Pipes. “That’s all that means – we had a good race tonight – Ken rode well, and the team worked well, and we’re in it. We don’t really care about third place [in the championship].”

We might be seeing a different Ken Roczen in 2026, one capable of laying claim to a maiden 450SX crown. It won’t come easily, but he appears more motivated than ever to take it all the way – which would be a monumental accomplishment for himself, the PMG organisation and, of course, Suzuki.

‘I just got caught by surprise with the crash’ – Lawrence

Title contender surrenders 450SX red plate in Detroit incident.

Image: Octopi Media.

450SX title contender Hunter Lawrence admitted he was ‘caught by surprise’ by his crash at round 11 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship in Detroit, with the Honda HRC Progressive rider salvaging 18th while surrendering the red plate.

The 26-year-old made a strong start to the weekend inside Ford Field, setting the fastest qualifying time before winning his heat race – a continuation of his career form in recent weeks.

Positioned third in the main event, Lawrence crashed at the end of the whoops section while chasing eventual winner Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki) and Chase Sexton (Monster Energy Kawasaki) at the halfway point.

After a stop in the mechanics area for repairs, he returned to finish 18th and score an important two points, now trailing Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by four points in the standings with six rounds remaining.

“My day was a bit of a bittersweet one,” reflected Lawrence. “The [heat] race went really well and I was happy with everything – the bike, the team, myself, everything felt great. I was feeling really good in the main event and was honestly feeling so comfortable.

“I was really happy with where I was, and I made a push to the front and was catching Kenny [Roczen] and Chase [Sexton]. I just got caught by surprise with the crash at the end of the whoops – I was okay, but the bike took some unfortunate damage.

“It’s just racing, sometimes that happens, and I had to pull into the mechanics area. I crashed two more times just due to the front brake locking on, so that was difficult to bring home, but I think we managed two points. It was a difficult situation, but we’re still in it and can’t wait to bounce back next weekend.”

Lawrence entered Detroit with a nine-point advantage over Tomac, while Roczen was a further 22 in arrears. Victory saw Roczen reduce his deficit to 15 points, with the red plate returning to Tomac ahead of St. Louis this weekend.

CONFIDENCE STARTS IN THE PITS...Build Yours with Matrix Concepts

Winning doesn’t start on the track. It starts before you’re ever under the lights.

Your setup. Your space. Your mindset.

Matrix Concepts is trusted by the best because
it delivers more than function it delivers confidence.

The kind that carries through every lap.

Look ready - Feel ready - Ride ready.

Get your set up customized like the factory riders. 

Use Team Code: G650T at check out for
25% to 43% off now. 


www.matrixracingproducts.com 

Chase "I've never been so dumbfounded."

"I've never been so dumbfounded."

Not only has Chase Sexton returned to 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, but he has returned to the 450SX podium for the first time since his Anaheim 2 triumph. Sexton, the second-place finisher at the eleventh stop in Detroit, sat with Vital MX's Lewis Phillips after the race and unpacked his path to this point, bike set-up, mental shifts and MXGP. The FIM Motocross World Championship occupies the final ten minutes of this interview (or should that be podcast). This discussion is, as always, lighthearted and informal. Different from any other interviews in the paddock, this offers an unprecedented look into bike changes and the life of a racer. Rather than criticize, I ask that you enjoy the rare insight. Sexton details the path back to a more stock platform in a fashion that should be enjoyable for all of the technical fans in the world, for instance.

Hunter Lawrence on his worst result of the Supercross season

Hunter Lawrence is remaining positive after his huge crash in the whoops left him with an 18th place but, luckily, he walked away uninjured and just four points behind Eli Tomac in the championship.

Hunter said: “My day was a bit of a bittersweet one. The qualifying race went really well, and I was happy with everything—the bike, the team, myself, everything felt great. I was feeling really good in the main event and was honestly feeling so comfortable. I was really happy with where I was, and I made a push to the front and was catching Kenny and Chase. I just got caught by surprise with the crash at the end of the whoops. I was okay, but the bike took some unfortunate damage. It’s just racing, sometimes that happens, and I had to pull into the mechanics’ area. I crashed two more times just due to the front brake locking on, so that was difficult to bring home but I think we managed two points. It was a difficult situation, but we’re still in it and can’t wait to bounce back next weekend.”

While Lars Lindstrom opined: “We’ve had a great 450 season so far, with not a lot of difficulties, which is represented by our run of finishes inside the top four at every event so far this year up until now. It wouldn’t be very normal to have a season without some adversity, so although we gave up a lot of points tonight, we’re still in a great position for the championship. The way that Hunter has been riding gives me a lot of confidence that we’re still in the driver’s seat. Most important, he wasn’t injured and is more motivated than ever to win more races. Jo wasn’t himself tonight, which I think was a combination of the track, and him not feeling 100% physically. Hopefully he can get a good week of training in and come out swinging in St. Louis. Both Hunter and Jo won there in September for the SMX race, so we have good vibes going into this coming weekend.”

Carson Brown confirmed for VMXdN Hawkstone 2026

American superstar racer and YouTube sensation Carson Brown is set to make a welcome return to the UK this summer, lining up at VMXdN Hawkstone over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The Red Bull-backed ace was one of the standout performers at last year’s Foxhill event and is already fired up to tackle the iconic Hawkstone Park circuit in 2026. Known for its deep, naturally sandy terrain, the Shropshire venue is a proper rider’s track - and one that is sure to appeal to the popular American.

Brown will again be mounted on a Stolen Yamaha and is set for a busy weekend, contesting both the Wright Engineering Team Race and the 125 Over-25 class. On the smaller-capacity machine in particular, he’s guaranteed to be box office—expect plenty of revs, commitment and no shortage of style.

Behind the scenes, team owner Anthony Revell is putting together something special for Brown’s Team Race effort, with further details expected in the build-up to the event.

While Brown will be in the UK for a week filming content for his hugely popular YouTube channel—sampling everything from the weird to the wonderful—once the gate drops, it’s all business. On track he’s all intensity, but off it his relaxed, approachable nature has made him a firm fan favourite with the Hawkstone crowd.

VMXdN Hawkstone 2026 marks the event’s long-awaited debut at the legendary Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit, running from August 27-30. The four-day festival celebrates the golden era of two-stroke motocross, bringing together international legends and top modern talent racing genuine 90s and 00s machinery.

With open paddocks, a packed trade village, the ever-popular Show’N’Shine and the headline-grabbing International Team Race, the event continues to cement its status as one of the most unique fixtures on the UK motocross calendar.

Camping is limited and expected to sell out, so fans are urged to secure tickets early. For more information and bookings, head to the official VMXdN Hawkstone website.

BRITISH MOTOCROSS LEGEND JEFF SMITH – 1934-2026

The world of Motocross and off-road Motorcycling lost one of its biggest early stars this week, as British legend Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE passed away at his home in Wisconsin, USA, at the age of 91.

Jeff Smith was one of the best all-round off-road riders of his generation, accomplished in Trials and Scrambles from an early age, and won two Motocross World Championships for British manufacturer BSA in the mid-1960s.  Nearly 60 years after his last victory, he still has more Grand Prix wins to his name than any other British rider.  He was the last racer to win a Motocross World Championship on a British machine, and the last four-stroke rider to achieve the feat until Jacky Martens in 1993.  He was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1970 for services to off-road motorcycle sport, and inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in the year 2000 for his contribution to the sport in the USA.  The man from Lancashire in the north of England left a permanent mark on our sport, which is all the better for his presence in its history.

Born in 1934 in the town of Colne, just north of the city of Manchester, he took to playing on two wheels from the age of nine, learning his craft by riding around the field behind his boyhood home until it was dark outside. He became a noted rider at the age of 16, earning a Gold medal in the 1950 ISDT, the forerunner to the modern International Six Days Enduro, at the age of just 16.  At the time, the BSA factory was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, and he was hired as an apprentice engineer as well as a rider.

This mechanical acumen served him well throughout his life, but his skills with the handlebars made him a household name on the nationally televised and hugely popular Trials and Motocross scene.  Twice a British Trials Champion, as well as a winner of the prestigious Scottish Six Days Trial that still runs to this day, he won his first ever Grand Prix on debut as a 20-year-old through the deep sand of the Dutch Markelo circuit in 1954, part of what was still called the European Motocross Championship.

A BSA rider throughout his career, despite the rise of the two-stroke machine making it tough to compete, his meticulous preparation helped his cause, rarely suffering breakdowns and being consistent as well as fast.  He won six GPs in pre-World Championship competition, including four in the 250cc class, and 24 further events with World Championship status.  He was a member of seven winning Motocross des Nations teams and two Trophée des Nations squads, when the two events were held solely for 500cc and 250cc machines respectively. He was also a British Motocross champion a total of nine times.

He went on to earn eight ISDT Gold Medals in total, and recognised the potential of the sport in North America, regularly competing in early events and winning a round of the Trans-AMA series at the age of 36 in 1970.  He eventually found his home there, initially hired by Can-Am at their headquarters in Quebec, Canada, and his guidance took them to a sweep of the Championship podium in the AMA 250cc National Championship in 1974.  He still competed in the occasional Enduro event well into his forties!

Heavily involved in the management of vintage racing until he reached retirement age, he will always be remembered as one of the father figures of British and World Motocross, and the sport will globally mourn his passing.  RIP, good sir.

Triumph Provides Update On Swoll And Forkner, Both Will Have Surgery

Unfortunate news for the Triumph Factory Racing Team as they put out an update on both Jalek Swoll and Austin Forkner. Swoll pulled off during qualifying in Birmingham for what was first reported as an ankle injury. Unfortunately, it turned out to be another Achilles injury for Jalek, that will require surgery. This is after missing all of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the start of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2025 due to an Achilles injury, and then hurting it again just a few races into his comeback. Swoll has said this injury is to his other Achilles.

As for Austin Forkner who broke his hand on press day before Houston, the team said he will also be having surgery on his hand. This leaves Jordon Smith, who got ninth in Birmingham in 450SX, as the sole rider under the Triumph tent.

Tom Vialle Takes His First 450 MXGP Overall

HRC factory rider, Tom Vialle won his first MXGP overall in just his third attempt, after storming through the field in the second moto to back-up his victory in the first moto. Starting from 18th gate-pick, the Honda HRC PETRONAS rider powered away to lead the whole of race one, showing his speed on a tricky Frauenfeld track.

David Bulmer Story Bavo Swijgers Image

“I actually had a really bad Saturday," Vialle would say. "Not many people know, but my foot got stuck between the sprocket and the chain, so I had to stop and get it out. Today was completely different. The conditions helped with the start, and in the first race I led from the first lap to the end and felt great. The track was really tricky, but when you’re in front you can ride your own race. The second race was tougher, I had a bad start, a crash, and had to come back to sixth. I didn’t even realise I was winning overall, but it feels amazing. It was a tough weekend, so it’s good to bounce back like this.”

He wasn’t able to repeat that in race two though and instead had to come from outside the top 20 to power his way to sixth place. It was a remarkable comeback that surprised even the Frenchman as he didn’t know he’d won the Swiss GP until he got behind the podium.

It was a crazy turn of events, which showed that the rookie MXGP rider is already a force to be reckoned with, especially as he can make the necessary passes on what is traditionally a difficult track to move through the field. This victory now sees him to within seven points of the title-lead and after three completely different terrains, he is proving he will be a threat at every round.

"I really didn’t know that I had won when I crossed the line. I thought I’d be on the podium because other riders didn’t have two good scores, but I just wanted to try and pass as many guys as possible in that second moto. Still, it is a very cool to have won the GP, my first in the MXGP class and my first with this new team and hopefully the first of many. It was a very tricky circuit and not something I’m used to, but I kept fighting until the end and while I did make a couple of mistakes, it is good to know that I have been at the front in three different types of track."

On the Saturday Vialle finished outside of the points in 18th place after looking poised to finish inside the top five. In wet conditions, the Frenchman’s foot slipped and got caught in his tyre, causing him to lose a number of positions as he untangled himself.

After another incident, he eventually crossed the line in 18th, which isn’t what he was hoping for at the beginning of a weekend where he was hopeful of challenging near the front of the field. Still, his starting prowess always gives him a chance, and all four riders will be motivated to score good points in tomorrow’s two motos when conditions could be similarly grim for this third MXGP of the season.

"Not really very happy at all with how the day ended. Never nice to be involved those sort of incidents, and now I’ll really have to get some good starts to stand a chance. It isn’t an easy track to ride, and with the rain, it made it really slippery and even trickier. I just need to focus on myself and making it happen because I really don’t think I was too far off the pace of the leaders."

Now onto Sardinia in two weeks time, for round four of the title chase and you just know that Vialle, in his rookie season in MXGP will want to continue what has been a sensational start to his 450 career.

KTM...Joel Smets – “That’s how you win championships”

With two rounds of the 2026 MXGP World Championship completed, the factory Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team has made a strong and consistent start to the season. Team manager Joel Smets, a five-time world champion himself, is overseeing a line-up that combines the reigning MX2 world champion Simon Längenfelder with the exciting step up of Andrea Adamo into the premier MXGP class.

After unfamiliar and technical tracks at the opening rounds in Argentina and Andalusia, both riders have delivered solid results as they build momentum early in the championship. Smets reflects on Längenfelder’s consistent start, Adamo’s impressive adaptation to the 450, and the dynamic of working with a reigning world champion for the first time.

The Belgian also shares insight into the challenge of defending a title, drawing from his own experience as a multiple world champion, and offers his thoughts on the sensational form of fellow countryman Lucas Coenen after a dominant performance in Spain.

We caught up with Smets as he discusses his riders’ early-season form, the process of learning how to win championships, and the evolving landscape of the MXGP paddock.

GateDrop: Joel, we are two rounds into the championship – steady and consistent, are you happy with both your riders so far this season?

Smets: Yes, absolutely happy how the season has been going for us so far. I just said to the riders also in our debriefing, two tracks we didn’t know, two tracks quite sketchy I would say, but our riders handled it very well. At these tracks, if you don’t have the feeling with it, you better be careful. In Argentina Simon had the feeling, he nailed it, he won it. This weekend he didn’t have that perfect feeling, he enjoyed himself going 3-3. I call it the Ryan Dungey result, that’s how you win championships, so really happy with that.

For Andrea coming into the season, it is his maiden season in the 450 class, we knew it was going to be… not everyone is like Lucas Coenen let’s say. You need to learn a little bit, but the way he’s coping with it, again on those two difficult tracks, even more on the 450, I think than on the 250, he did very well. I am really pleased with how the team has been going so far.

GateDrop: Obviously you’ve worked with Andrea for many years now, Simon, it’s the first time he’s been on your team, obviously he’s a world champion so you don’t need to teach him how to ride a bike, but what’s he been like to work with?

Smets: Every rider has his own character, so you need to get to know each other a little bit. Back in the days when Simon was with the German Diga Procross Gas Gas team, he was already kind of part of our training group, so he was not completely new to me. I knew him a little bit, but so far that’s going good. I really like to, let’s say, analyse characters and find out where I can bring something extra, how I can make them stronger and stuff like that. It’s clear that I’m still in that discovering phase, in the exploring phase. The results have shown that it’s working pretty good so far.

GateDrop: You know how to win world titles, you won five yourself, Simon’s only won one, but the second one would you say is harder to win than the first one? The last person to defend the title is Jorge Prado…

Smets: I think it’s a bit of common knowledge that winning a championship is not easy, but defending it and making it up is more difficult. I’m lucky enough to have experience with that, so I’ll definitely give him the right tips at the right moments.

GateDrop: With Andrea, how have you found him on the 450? I mean, sometimes I feel like Andrea maybe needs a year in a class before you see the best of him, but he’s really took to this 450cc well and he’s pretty much got the speed already…

Smets: We’re really pleased with how Andrea has adapted to the 450cc. To be honest, we were kind of worried, let’s say, because of his riding style on the 450cc, he was more the attacking guy, more the aggressive guy, more the guy that was revving the bike hard and stuff like that. I was kind of concerned like how that was going work, but of course over the winter, my first goal with him was to get him a bit lower with the RPM’s and to make him understand how a 450 is ridden. He’s a quick learner, he really listens very well, he analyses well, and I think the first races have shown that. I think we can even say that he rides the 450cc better than he did the 250cc.

GateDrop: And Lucas Coenen, a quick word on him, I mean he was on a different postcode today, unbelievable…

Smets: He’s shown that already last year at several locations, when I was talking earlier about feeling it and feeling it with the bike and the track, he felt it today and when he feels it, wow, he’s on another level. He’s Belgian so it makes me proud also.