Kit Palmer | July 2, 2016
Just when you think that somebody (okay, Eli Tomac) might put an end to Ken Roczen’s win streak in the 2016 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/RCH Suzuki Team rider, steped up his game even further at RedBud and quickly put an end to those thoughts. At least for now.
450MX RedBud
As the championship reaches the midway point at Michigan’s famous RedBud MX track near Buchanan, July 2, Roczen just might’ve turned in his most impressive ride yet, which is saying a lot since all of his other rides this season have been impressive as well. After winning the first moto by 13.6 seconds over Tomac (who started the race in third), Roczen looked even better in the rougher second moto, which, at the start, had the makings of a real thriller when Tomac got out in front on the first lap—it was the first time this year that Tomac led a lap in the outdoor nationals.
Roczen was fourth but not for long. By the second lap, he had already gone around fast starters Justin Bogle and Broc Tickle and was trailing Tomac, setting the stage for the battle everyone had came to see. But it wasn’t to be, really.
Roczen made quick work of Tomac and was leading the way by the end of the second lap, and that’s all she wrote. From there, Roczen steadily—and surprisingly—rode away from Tomac like he was just another rider on the track. After starting together, Roczen took the checkered flag an amazing 31.281 seconds ahead of Tomac, who, coming into the race, was the only rider many people thought was capable of beating Roczen, now that some of the top riders are out with injuries, including defending 450MX champ Ryan Dungey, Jason Anderson and Cole Seely.
After the race, Roczen said it was one of his best rides of the year, and Tomac said that he gave everything he had, admitting that he was “second best today.”
It was another great day for the Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki squad. For the second time in a row, the team finished out the day with both of its riders on the 450 podium. After recording his first podium finish in a couple if years in Tennessee, Broc Tickle showed that his success last weekend was no fluke and found his way onto the podium again, joining his teammate Roczen, after going 4-3. It was a repeat podium from the weekend before, with Roczen, Tomac and Tickle going 1-2-3.
AutoTrader.com/Toyota/JGRMX Yamaha’s Justin Barcia was hoping to change things around at RedBud—he did, but not as much as he had hoped. Barcia was the defending race champion who said that his style of riding bodes well with the rough RedBud track; although he did ride well with a 3-4, it wasn’t enough to get on the podium. He scored as many points as Tickle on the day, but Tickle’s better placing in the second moto broke the tie-breaker.
RedBull KTM’s Marvin Musquin rode hard for fifth overall, despite losing out in a tough battle with Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Baggett in the second moto for fifth place. His 5-6 topped Baggett’s 7-5.
Seventh place overall went to fast qualifier, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel, and eighth went to Matt Bisceglia, who is still filling in for James Stewart on the Yoshimura Suzuki Team. (Stewart is still waiting the arrival of his first child.) Bisceglia rode much better than his eighth place might suggest. He ran near the front for most of the second moto before giving way to a few riders late in the race. In his fourth ever 450 race, Bisceglia went 8-8 for his best ride yet.
GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle holeshot both motos and battled longer up front in both motos than he has all year. He eventually slipped back, going 10-9 for ninth overall.
BTO Sports/KTM’s Benny Bloss had his best finish all year. He cracked the top 10 overall with 10-9 moto finishes.
It’s for sure Roczen’s title to lose now, as he starts the second half of the season with a healthy 53-point lead over Tomac, who is well ahead of third-place Musquin, who trails Tomac by 73 points.
Honda HRC’s Cole Seely, who did not ride after breaking his finger earlier in the week, slips to fourth in the standings. He is 16 points ahead of the surging Tickle.
2016 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
RedBud MX
Buchanan, Michigan
RESULTS: July 2, 2016
450MX
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