KEN ROCZEN - GRIT 243 450SX

GRIT-243 |450 SX

The true talent of Ken Roczen flourished as the ninth round of the Monster Energy Supercross Series began. With conditions of the racetrack varying up until practice was initiated, the German athlete was ready for whatever was thrown his way when the timing and scoring sensors began to register riders for the heat race(s) that followed. The number ninety-four (as always) was a contender for the highest of accolades, and embodied a replicable intensity to the opening lap of heat two where he was just behind Jett Lawrence. The top three (of Tomac, Webb, and Lawrence) were riding remarkably well...creating a main-event like scenario as he began to amass laps on the Suzuki machine. Though Roczen remained in the fight, regardless of how fast the trio was storming forward in the foreground. Maintaining the position of fourth for quite sometime, Ken saw an opening to inherit a position in the latter stages...when Cooper Webb would come together with Jett Lawrence, and unfortunately fall to the ground. Now third, he would reside right behind the Australian as racers exited the raceway...maintaining the bronze medal registry before strolling to the line for the main event. His opening position (of the final moto) would be classified in sixth, before he moved into fifth after passing Adam Cianciarulo. He stalked the rear tire of Chase Sexton for a significant amount of time, before making a brilliant move on the outside of the KTM rider, just before the finish line via the step-on/step-off combination. It was unexpected, and caught Sexton off guard which resulted in a bit of a gap being created on behalf of the German rider. It was then a pursuit of Yamaha's Justin Cooper, where Roczen (again) displayed determination via out-charging the New York native into a tight switchback section...funneling to the inside with around eight and a half minutes left on the clock. Securing third at this point in the moto, Ken would do everything possible to try and nullify the gap between Cooper and Jett. The charge by the number ninety-four was commendable and the way he had ridden to obtain third, certainly generated applause from enthusiast around the world. But the margin between he and the top two would be too difficult to overcome...resulting in a tremendous, third place accolade as round nine of the series was completed.

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