Cycle News Staff | July 3, 2023
Ken Roczen (Pipe Motorsports Group Suzuki) and Shane McElrath (Rick Ware Racing Yamaha) kicked off the 2023 World Supercross Championship in Birmingham, UK, with wins at the British GP, July 1. Roczen topped the WSX (450cc) class and McElrath won the SX2 (250cc) division.
Roczen was the top WSX qualifier but Justin Hill (BUD Racing Kawasaki) was quickest in the Superpole, which offers a point towards the overall championship. But Roczen flourished in the evening’s three-main-event format, going 1-4-1 for the overall victory.
Vince Friese (MotoConcepts Honda) kicked things off by nearly winning the first WSX race. He was leading when he went down, handing Roczen the win. Friese, who is still recovering from an injury he suffered last year, got up in time to salvage second, while Hill finished third.
In race two, Friese held off Roczen for the victory but both riders were penalized afterward for jumping through a medical flag and demoted to third and fourth, respectively. Hill was declared the winner with Joey Savatgy (Rick Ware Racing) taking second.
In the deciding third and final moto, Roczen, Friese and Hill battled up front until Friese went down again and eventually finished 10th. Roczen went on to win the race, followed by Hill and crowd favorite Dean Wilson.
“The track wasn’t super technical, but it was hard tonight,” Roczen said. “And my starts weren’t where they needed to be, so I gave myself some work and had to make some passes. With the races being so short you had to make a plan on the fly and pass when you could, and it got a bit close. But I was strong in the whoops and tried to stay low over the jumps. I had to push hard tonight, and we’ve got some areas where we want to get better.”
Savatgy came away second overall on the night. “I’m second tonight but honestly, I wasn’t the second-best guy today,” he admitted. “But I’m on the podium, that’s the goal, I want to be here every round. We’ve got some things to work on and improve going forward but, I was second overall last year, and I want to make sure I’m in that top-three every round.”
“I’m happy with where I was tonight,” said Friese who ended up third overall. “The injury I’ve had is like a year injury and I’m seven months in. The goal was always to come back better and continue to improve. I had an issue with the footpegs, but I believe I’ve got the best bike on the grid. I’ll continue to heal and get closer to Ken. I’ve got to make it hard for him, but [I] beat him tonight, I’ve shown he’s beatable and I’ll only get better.”
McElrath and home hero Max Anstie (Firepower Polyflor Honda) went at it all night in SX2. McElrath and Anstie traded moto wins, but it was McElrath who took the overall victory with 1-2-1 results. Anstie went 2-1-2 for second overall.
“It’s good to start with a win,” McElrath said. “Rick [Ware—team owner] said he wants to win a championship and he wants me to do that for him. I said this is what I need, and he’s made it happen. The Yamaha feels like my bike. I’ve ridden lots of bikes, but the Yamaha suits me, it feels good, and it’s good of Rick to trust us as riders to deliver. I’m happy with tonight and it’s a good start to the season.”
Anstie was disappointed not to get the win in front of the home crowd. “It was tough tonight,” he said. “I’ve raced at home before and I know the vibe, but as well as the racing, we’ve been pulled into different directions and lots of obligations, but it’s one of those things that comes with the territory, and it’s a positive because it’s good for the sport; it’ll be the same for Kenny [Roczen] in Germany and it’s good for the fans to be able to support their guy. Hopefully, we put on a show. It was close out there with Shane, obviously I wanted to win, and we’ll go again in Singapore.”
Brazilian Enzo Lopes (Club MX FXR) was third overall despite dislocating his shoulder in practice.
“To be here on the podium is incredible,” Lopes said. “I made the decision to do World Supercross after the U.S. [Supercross] Series. I turned down offers to race in America this summer to be here because I like racing with my team, and I want to be the Ayrton Senna of Supercross to Brazil. It also gives me time to spend at home with my family, otherwise I’d spend the whole year in the U.S. So, I’m grateful for this opportunity and very happy to be on the podium.” CN
WSX
- Ken Roczen (Suz) 1-4-1
- Joey Savatgy (Kaw) 4-2-2
- Vince Friese (Hon) 2-3-10
- Justin Hill (Kaw) 3-1-14
- Dean Wilson (Hon) 6-5-3
- Kyle Chisholm (Suz) 10-7-4
- Justin Brayton (Hon) 5-8-9
- Colt Nichols (Kaw) 7-9-8
- Greg Aranda (Yam) 16-6-5
- Kevin Moranz (Hon) 13-10-7
SX2
- Shane McElrath (Yam) 1-2-1
- Max Anstie (Hon) 2-1-2
- Enzo Lopes (Yam) 4-3-4
- Mitchell Oldenburg (Hon) 3-14-3
- Kyle Peters (Hon) 6-6-6
- Maxime Desprey (Yam) 10-7-5
- Aaron Tanti (Yam) 7-8-10
- Henry Miller (Yam) 9-9-9
- Jace Owen (Yam) 11-5-15
- Cullin Park (Suz) 8-19-7