Press Release

Red Bull/KTM Race Report - Oakland SX Lites‏

ocscottie
1/30/2011 2:23am





Roczen
Earns Season Best Finish at Oakland Supercross


Red
Bull/KTM rider Ken Roczen earned his best finish of the season at the
fourth round of the AMA Supercross West Lites Series held at the
Oakland Coliseum when he crossed the finish line in 4th
overall.



Roczen
had the speed to run up front all day. He qualified third fastest in
practice to get a great gate pick for his heat. In the evening heat
races he started 3rd
around the first turn and maintained that position throughout the six
lap race. He finished in the 3rd
spot in his heat to earn another good gate pick – this time for the
main event.



“I was
happy with my start in the heat and wanted to make sure I put myself
in the same position in the main event. The start is so important in
Supercross racing and I have been improving upon my starts each race
to help put myself in a better position to finish on the podium,”
commented Roczen.



The
track was tough on a lot of the riders this weekend and the rain that
began to fall harder as the main event approached did not help the
track conditions. Despite the slick track surface, Roczen was able to
pull another great start. When the gate dropped for the main event he
came out 2nd
around the first corner.



As they
completed the first lap Roczen found himself behind holeshot winner
Eli Tomac and the 3rd
place ride of Josh Hansen. All three riders remained close. As the
three riders crossed the finish line jump of the third lap, Tomac hit
a slick patch on the turn after the finish line jump and washed out
handing Roczen the lead. Roczen held the lead for two laps before he
made a mistake in the whoops and Hansen was able to move around him.
As Roczen recovered from his swap in the whoops, Broc Tickle caught
and passed Roczen. The KTM rider immediately charged back up to close
the gap on the Kawasaki riders as they crossed the finish line jump
once more.



On lap
nine, as Roczen was defending his 3rd
place position, he went down in the same turn Tomac had fallen in
earlier in the race. “I knew that turn was slick because I had seen
Tomac fall earlier. I was trying to take it easy but before I knew it
I was already on the ground. It is so frustrating because I was in
podium position. The positive thing is I have been improving each
weekend. I was better at defending my lines today and I had much
better starts,” stated Roczen.



After
his crash Roczen quickly got back in action now in 4th
position. “I had real bad arm pump during the race and I felt like
I wasn’t riding like myself. I don’t know what’s causing it but
I had arm pump in my heat and in the main and it was definitely a
factor in my overall finish,” he remarked.



Roczen
eventually finished the evening in 4th
place. Although he was disappointed in not



making
the podium at this round, he was happy to have improved upon his top
results this season. With four rounds in the books, Roczen sits 7th
overall in the series point standings.



Next
Round: Anaheim, CA –
February 5, 2011



Overall
Results Lites Supercross –




  1. Broc
    Tickle




  2. Josh
    Hansen




  3. Eli
    Tomac




  4. Ken
    Roczen – KTM




  5. Tyla
    Rattray




  6. Ryan
    Morais




  7. Kyle
    Cunningham




  8. James
    Decotis




  9. Bruce
    Rutherford




  10. Ryan
    Marmont – KTM




  11. Gared
    Steinke




  12. Ben
    Evans




  13. Nick
    Paluzzi




  14. Jake
    Canada




  15. Antonio
    Balbi




  16. Martin
    Davalos




  17. Scott
    Champion




  18. Casey
    Hinson – KTM




  19. Travis
    Baker




  20. Cole
    Seely






Overall
Point Standings Lites Supercross –




  1. Josh
    Hansen – 88




  2. Broc
    Tickle – 87




  3. Ryan
    Morais – 70




  4. Eli
    Tomac – 69




  5. Cole
    Seely – 60




  6. Tyla
    Rattray – 58




  7. Ken
    Roczen – 49




  8. Martin
    Davalos – 45




  9. Kyle
    Cunningham – 44




  10. James
    Decotis – 40












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