race recap
KEN ROCZEN | GRIT-210 | 450SX
March 3, 2023 · Ken Roczen
KEN ROCZEN | GRIT-210 | SX 450
The German rider would initiate quite the pace for practice on Saturday, finding his rhythm with assertion after openly discussing his miscues from the round of Oakland. He yearned to make a statement, and did so while staying atop the leaderboard in an event where qualification was impeccable. This translated into the first moto as well, where Eli Tomac's leap from the line was slightly bitter than the newfound Florida resident; but Roczen's machine was immediately in two of the red-plate holder, persistently looking for ways to overtake the number-one as they sped through the first lap. Holding strong through the whoop section as he blitzed through various lines, he would sprint past the mechanic's area with confidence knowing that he could remain latched onto Tomac for the longevity of the moto. Scrubbing the finish-line with his patented technique, he could hear the overt revving of Justin Barcia in the background, yet he paid no attention to the distraction from behind him. Continuing to assemble strong laps, his attitude was a reflection of self-belief; where he excelled in this format that wasn't quite the length of a normal main event, but also longer than the typical heat race! Solidified in second at the three-quarter mark, all signs would lead to him garnering the runner-up finish (for this moto) if he could stay mistake free. And that's exactly what would occur, concluding lap sixteen in second and exiting the raceway with an ecstatic feeling of accomplishment. For the following moto, Ken (again) would nearly pull the hole-shot! Though Jason Anderson and Cooper Webb were quickly advancing and displayed a sense of speed that Roczen had to respect. Shortly thereafter, it was Chase Sexton who made a move to his inside (before the dragon's back) deterring Ken from his aspirations of battling for the win, yet he remained encouraged about his trajectory in the Triple Crown format. Throughout this moto, he would battle throughout the sixth and seventh-place registry(s) to eventually finish sixth behind Aaron Plessinger. He and his Suzuki would load into the gate one final time for the conclusion of the evening, and the idea of perseverance would summarize Ken's quest into the top portion of the field. Beginning in seventh, he was steady as the track became slick in every facet. He watched from afar, as riders like Chase Sexton, and Eli Tomac would make mistakes; with everyone else nearly doing the same while he stayed (relatively) error-free! This would lead to him residing behind Tomac after the halfway point, and eventually made the move as the red-plate holder began to drift! Inheriting fourth, Kenny stayed here until the dust settled for this outing; rallying to an incredible, fifth overall!