Team Suzuki Press Office – July 28.
RCH Suzuki Factory Racing riders Ken Roczen and Broc Tickle both suffered a rough day in Saturday’s Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Patterson CAT Washougal National in America.
Both RCH Soaring Eagle/ Jimmy John’s Suzuki Factory Racing riders battled extremely wet weather, challenging track conditions and in Tickle’s case, a rock to the eye to open the fourth quarter of the 12-round Pro Motocross Championship. When the chequered flag waved for the final time at Washougal to close out Round 9, Roczen was credited with a fourth-place overall finish while Tickle came home 18th.
Despite the ugly, ultra-sloppy conditions - and the adverse toll they took on the riders, track and equipment - Roczen still managed to salvage a 7-4 finish, marking just the third time this season the defending Pro Motocross Champion has finished any moto outside the top-five.
Roczen is currently tied for second in points and trails leader and overall Washougal winner Ryan Dungey by 69.
“I struggled in moto one really bad,” said Roczen. “I got off to a bad start and just got blasted. My helmet ended up being so heavy that I could barely see. I had to throw my goggles off and ride without them. It’s really tough in those types of weather conditions to make something happen. I think I ended up seventh. Going into the second moto, I got a better start. I raced with (Ryan) Dungey and (Justin) Barcia for quite a while. We were all running pretty close. In the end, I ended up in third place. Obviously not where we want to be but it is what it is.”
After a less-than ideal jump out of the starting gate, a pair of very uncharacteristic get-offs; and having to compete in the first moto without goggles, Washougal is one race Tickle is glad to put behind him.
“Washougal, all in all, was a tough weekend,” said Tickle. “I didn’t qualify that well. It was pretty sloppy during practice and it was tough to get a fast lap. I thought I had a decent gate for the first moto but I spun the rear tyre quite a bit so that didn’t help. I think I worked myself up to 10th and crashed, got up and crashed again. On top of that, I didn’t have any goggles after the third lap. The first moto was just an all-out struggle fest. I got hit in the eye with a rock but still managed to salvage 16th. It was tough.
“After the first moto, I went to the Asterisk Medical Unit, got my eyes flushed, and did my best to be prepared for the second moto. I still felt a little bit off, even before I started the second moto. I think the rock to the eye made it tough. My vision was a little blurry. It was the same deal. I didn’t get a good start and crashed. Went all the way back to 35th and salvaged 20th. I’m looking forward to the break. I’m motivated to get back to where I belong and get the starts I need to finish where we deserve. I’m healthy. I’m motivated and ready to head to Unadilla and redeem myself.”
The riders and teams of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship have next weekend off before the final three-race sprint to the end of the season hits high gear in two weeks when the series visits Unadilla Motocross in New Berlin, New York for the 10th of 12 events on the 2015 schedule.
Washougal 450 Motocross Results:
1. Ryan Dungey (2-1)
2. Justin Barcia (1-2)
3. Christophe Pourcel (3-5)
4. Ken Roczen (RCH Suzuki) (7-3)
5. Phil Nicoletti (4-6)
6. Weston Peick (12-4)
7. Fredrik Noren (9-7)
8. Trey Canard (8-9)
9. Blake Baggett (Yoshimura Suzuki) (5-12)
10. Josh Grant (11-8)
450 Motocross Standings:
1. Ryan Dungey, 400
2. Ken Roczen (RCH Suzuki), 331
3. Justin Barcia, 331
4. Blake Baggett (Yoshimura Suzuki), 275
5. Christophe Pourcel, 247
6. Jason Anderson, 242
7. Broc Tickle (Yoshimura Suzuki), 226
8. Phil Nicoletti, 209
9. Weston Peick, 198
10. Fredrik Noren, 187
