Runner-up part of Roczen 'building' process through SMX series

Competition Post: Troy Guenther

Race-by-race mentality paying off for Suzuki racer in post-season.

Image: Octopi Media.

HEP Suzuki racer Ken Roczen climbed to the runner-up position in the 450SMX standings to conclude the 2023 SuperMotocross Championship (SMX), with each of the three post-season events all part of his current ‘building’ process.

Roczen, 29, has battled illness throughout much of his recent career and in making the change to Suzuki this year has come a refreshed mental approach which, along with other factors have seen him revitalized.

The number 94 completed the 450SX season in fourth position and he made a cameo 450MX appearance at High Point, before shifting his attention to the World Supercross Championship (WSX) opener at Birmingham, in which he won.

That event in July marked his last gate-drop before the SMX playoffs, but nonetheless, Roczen was able to open the 450SMX post-season with second overall in Charlotte. He again was second overall at Chicagoland, this time winning in moto two, and entered the final round third in the standings and with a genuine shot at the title.

Roczen rode to second overall again on the night and that, coupled with the misfortune of former red plate-holder Chase Sexton, ensured he concluded the championship in the runner-up position.

“I went from third, now to second, which I’m happy about,” reflected Roczen. “I feel like I have been getting pretty beat down over the last couple of years, so like I said, a win would have been so nice, but I’m at the same time still building. Not the youngest anymore, but it’s nice for me to see in the later stages of my career that I’m kind of coming back toward the other spectrum a little bit.

“That’s nice for me to see and we still have a few races to go before Anaheim. For me, I’m just building every single weekend that I’m racing. Once Anaheim starts, we’ve got a lot of races to go in a row, but I feel like I’m in a completely different mentality and I take it race by race, legitimately. I know we always say that, or in the past or whatnot, but I’m just rolling with it at the moment at that seems to work.”

The attention of Roczen now shifts to the upcoming Motocross of Nations (MXoN) at Ernee, France, on 6-8 October, where he will represent Germany, before the final two rounds of the 2023 World Supercross Championship in Abu Dhabi and Melbourne.

Sexton Confirms Move

450SX title-holder Sexton confirms Team Honda HRC departure

Biggest move of 2024 takes another step closer ahead of October.

Image: Octopi Media.

Defending Monster Energy Supercross champion Chase Sexton has officially confirmed he’s departing Team Honda HRC, entering the 2024 pre-season.

Sexton, 24, has been part of the Honda system since his amateur career and clinched a first-career 450SX title in May at the Salt Lake City finals.

Ongoing speculation has constantly linked Sexton to a high-profile switch to KTM as the effective replacement of Cooper Webb, which would in turn open the door for Hunter Lawrence to join brother Jett to lead Honda’s factory 450 roster.

“Man, it’s been one heck of a ride with the Honda family!” Sexton said. “Lots of ups and downs, two 250SX titles, one 450SX title, and tons of memories that will last a lifetime.

“Riding for Honda HRC was always a dream for me and to make that a reality is really something special. Thank you to each and every one of those team members that made my four-year run there so special.”

The beginning of October is when teams traditionally announce their rider line-ups for the upcoming season, in line with when existing contracts expire leading into off-season testing and preparation ahead of Anaheim 1 in January.

Herlings Still Has More!

Is The 2024 Yamaha 250F The Bike of the Year?

Only time will tell

Moto HOF!

The Golden Years of Moto

The Flying Finn

Heikki Antero Mikkola is a Finnish motocross legend and an iconic figure in the world of motorcycle racing. Born on July 6, 1945, he has had an extraordinary career and has left an indelible mark on the history of motocross. Below is a detailed review of his career and achievements.

The Pilot Career:

Mikkola started his motocross career in 1967 and it was immediately apparent that he was extraordinarily talented. He established himself as one of the best riders of his time and competed internationally as a member of the Husqvarna factory racing team.

Domination in the World Championships:

His most significant claim was his ability to win both the 250cc and 500cc world championships, a remarkable accomplishment that few riders have ever achieved. This makes Heikki Mikkola one of the undisputed legends of motocross. He won the 250cc world championship in 1976 and dominated the 500cc world championships in 1974, 1977 and 1978. His match against champion Roger De Coster has become one of the most legendary rivalries in motocross history.

Nickname and Distinctive Style:

Mikkola was known as the "Flying Finn", a nickname which reflected his extraordinary ability on the track. His distinctive goatee and proud look made him recognizable among riders and fans alike. His determination and commitment to racing excellence was evident in every race.

Transfer to Team Yamaha:

After 12 successful seasons with Husqvarna, Mikkola joined the Yamaha factory racing team. This move proved to be just as successful, as he won two more 500cc World Championships with Yamaha. His ability to adapt to different bikes and teams demonstrates his versatility and innate motocross ability.

Post-Career Honors:

After retiring from competition, Heikki Mikkola became manager of the Yamaha racing team, contributing to the continued success of the team. In 2006, he was rightfully inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, an honor that underscores his outstanding contribution to the world of motorcycle racing. In 2015, he was named an FIM Legend, global recognition for his outstanding achievements in motorcycle racing.

In summary, Heikki Antero Mikkola is a motocross icon who has left an indelible mark on the history of the sport. His outstanding ability, numerous world titles and his distinctive personality make him an undisputed legend in the world of motorcycle racing

Toria Donato

LA Highlights SMX...Jett Takes The $$$$$

Lawrence becomes first 450SMX champion

Section: Competition Post: Aaron Durant

Violent Sexton crash enables one last 2023 victory for Lawrence at season finale.

Image: Octopi Media.

The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship season finale at the historic Los Angeles Coliseum saw rookie sensation Jett Lawrence add two more moto wins to his list of successes throughout the year, along with an additional championship as he secured the first 450SMX title as the best rider in the premier class in the sport’s first year with a post-season.

Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) snuck through the opening corner first as moto one for the premier class at the finale event kicked off.

Sporting a retro look on his No. 9 Kawasaki KX450SR, Cianciarulo led the opening lap before giving way to his Monster Energy Kawasaki stablemate Jason Anderson moments before a violent crash for fellow front-runner Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) brought out a red flag.

Anderson was tasked with keeping Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) behind following the staggered restart and did so until the sixth lap when the German rider launched past Anderson on the inside in a bowl turn with 13 minutes on the clock.

Roczen led two laps until he was passed for the lead by Lawrence, whose charge forward began when he passed his teammate Chase Sexton for third in the moto’s early moments and continued with a move on Anderson a few corners after Roczen’s.

Initially showing an ability to keep pace with and challenge Lawrence for the lead, Roczen ultimately lost touch with the undefeated 450MX Pro Motocross Championship winner and settled for second by 1.561s at the end.

Sexton held on for third, 6.316s back.

Anderson ended up fourth, followed by a quiet run to fifth for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing newcomer Cooper Webb. Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) finished a solid sixth ahead of Cianciarulo, Colt Nichols (Rick Ware Racing Madd Parts Kawasaki), Ty Masterpool (HBI Racing Kawasaki), and Dean Wilson (Fire Power Honda) in the top 10 positions.

A first-turn crash for Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and a later fall for Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) saw those two join Barcia at the bottom of the results for the first 450SMX race of the season-ending night.

Sexton launched into the lead following the final gate drop of the year, surrounded by his closest competition with $1 million on the line. Cianciarulo, Lawrence, Webb, Anderson, and Roczen also benefitted from solid starts and set their sights on Sexton, with every position weighing heavily given the triple points on offer.

A significant shakeup arrived when Sexton violently crashed out from the lead, entering the high-speed sand section on the ninth lap. Lawrence avoided Sexton’s downed motorcycle and assumed the race lead.

Though Roczen chased him until lapped riders interrupted the German Suzuki rider’s progress with the year’s final checkered flag nearing, Lawrence led the final 10 laps of the season as he finalized a 1.644s victory. He secured the first-ever 450SMX title simultaneously, ultimately finishing 17 points clear of Roczen in the final standings.

Webb found the final podium position behind Roczen in this season-ending moto as well as the overall results for the Los Angeles SMX.

Cianciarulo finished a solid fourth to secure fourth overall with 7-4 results on the night. Nichols earned fifth overall with eighth in moto one and fifth in moto two as he beat Plessinger, Marchbanks, Freddie Noren (HEP Suzuki), Masterpool, and Nicoletti in the top 10 in the final race of the year.

Tim Gajser...What's Next?

For former World MXGP champion Tim Gajser his return to racing after his horrible injury hasn’t gone as well as maybe he had hoped and while he does have a Grand Prix victory from Turkey, many of his other results have been down on what we all have come to expect from the likeable Slovenian.

Having missed 11 rounds of the series after his pre-season get-off at Trentino, the HRC rider has slowly made progress, finishing with 9-5 in his first GP back in Loket and then going 15-13 in Lommel, 6-6 in Finland, 10-5 in Sweden, 5-5 in Holland, before going 2-1 for a GP win in Turkey and finally 9-2 in Italy last weekend.

“Obviously after Turkiye,” Gajser said. “I was really looking forward to racing at Maggiora. I really like the track there and the fans are always loud and you can hear them around the circuit when you ride. Having now won a GP, that is my goal for all the races and although I know it won’t be easy to replicate, I have done well at this venue before and I am excited to try and do so again this time around.”

Last weekend might not have been perfect, but that opening moto sure gave him some confidence and will head to Matterley Basin in England with more confidence, having won a Matterley on many occasions.

“My riding was good all weekend,” Gajser said. “One small mistake cost me the chance of a spot on the podium. After that mistake in the second bend, when I was in third, I picked the bike up in dead last and I rode well to come through the field. I got as high as possible, which was ninth, but I knew that it would be very tough to get on the podium from there. I got another good start in race two, and was third for a while, before moving into second and I tried as hard as I could to win the moto but it wasn’t easy to make passes against the top guys and I had to settle for second, and fifth overall, just a couple of points away from third. Next weekend is Matterley Basin and I like that track and I’ll try my best to be on the podium at the final round.”

In qualification Gajser scored a fourth place to set up a nice starting position for Sunday and a small mistake didn’t help his confidence for Sunday.

“Fourth was an okay result, but it was frustrating to have that tip-over when I was in second place and lose those couple of positions and all that time. Conditions weren’t easy out there and it was difficult to pass, but I got a good start and was able to quickly move into third place. Then it was just a case of finding a good place to pass, which I managed quite early on, but a couple of laps later I made the mistake. Still, fourth place is a good gate-pick and if I can get two good starts tomorrow, I feel like I’ll be challenging for the podium, on what will hopefully be a better track.”

Of course, a week prior to Maggiora, the five time World motocross champion was able to pick up a Grand Prix victory, his first in a year and doubling up in Turkey, where he had won in 2022. It was a confidence builder for the last two GPs of the season.

“I felt confident coming into the weekend in Turkey and once I rode the track, I knew it was going to be a good weekend. Even though the storm meant we didn’t race yesterday, I had the first gate-pick and that really helped me get two good starts on my Honda CRF450R, giving me the opportunity to lead the races early on. The first race I had arm-pump so I had to settle for second, but race two I was just feeling so good on the bike. I had a really good lead, and even though I made a mistake, I was able to stay in front and then pull out a gap all over again. A big thank you to all the team, my girlfriend Spela and all the fans who have supported me this year when things haven’t gone my way. I’m really happy to show everyone that I am back.”

So, with just Matterley Basin this coming weekend and the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations at the Ernee circuit on October 8 remaining, you just know that Gajser will be working over-time in the winter, to come into 2024 with a lot of speed and confidence in his bike and try and grab that sixth World motocross championship.

From MXlarge.com

Broken shifter rules Vialle out of playoff two contention

Chicago final moto DNF costly in KTM rider's title challenge.

 Image: Octopi Media.

Untimely contact with a tuff-block in race two saw 250SMX contender Tom Vialle ruled out of contention with a broken gear shifter in Chicago, the Red Bull KTM rider now searching for redemption at the LA Coliseum season finals.

Vialle impressed with a strong P2 overall at the opening post-season event in Charlotte, citing that finding his rhythm from last year was key in his SMX uplift.

The two-time MX2 world champion set the tone for his day in Joliet by posting the seventh-fastest time in qualifying and raced to an encouraging fourth-place result in the opening moto. Moto two commenced with a top 10 start for the Frenchman, and after storming his way to third position, he was ruled out with a damaged gear-shifter following contact with a tuff-block.

“Today was good,” Vialled recalled. “I finished fourth place in the first moto and we were all super-close, so it was fun to be fighting for the win. And then second moto, I didn’t get a very good start, but I came back really strong and was in P3.

“Unfortunately, I clipped a tuff-block, which broke my shifter with three laps to go, and I had to pull in, which was disappointing. This is motorsport though and now we have one more to go in LA, where we will finish the season strong.”

The race two dramas meant Vialle finished a lowly P14 overall for the round and enters LA Coliseum this Friday and Saturday eighth in the 250SMX standings, 35 points behind red plate-holder and Chicago winner Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC).