RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing riders Ken Roczen and Broc Tickle earned third- and fourth-place overall finishes in Saturday’s Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Red Bull RedBud National.
Saturday’s race marked the second time, in seven outdoor events, both RCH riders finished inside the top five.
The podium effort was Roczen’s sixth top five and fourth top-three finish of the season. Despite the solid showing, the 21-year-old German lost minimal ground in his pursuit of a second outdoor title. With five races left in the season, the defending Pro Motocross Champion is second in points, 44 behind current leader Ryan Dungey.
“I was really excited coming into Red Bud this weekend,” said Roczen. “It was Fourth of July Weekend and it’s a big race for me, the team and our sponsors. I always love coming to RedBud. It’s one of my favorite tracks. I grabbed two good starts in both motos but I got swallowed up a little bit in the middle of the starting straight and that’s really what kept me from being up front.
“I put in a strong ride in the first moto and ended up third, which was ok. In the second moto, I had another solid ride. Obviously, I want to win but we had a 3-3, which is ok after the weekend before in Budds Creek. We were on the podium. Obviously, not where we want to be … We want to be at the very top but it was a good weekend overall and the fans were amazing.”
Tickle matched his best effort of the season after posting 4-7 effort to finish fourth overall. With five races remaining on the schedule, the rider of the No. 20 Suzuki RM-Z450, lurks just seven points outside the top five and sits sixth in the standings.
“I feel pretty good,” commented Tickle following Round 7. “I finished fourth, overall, with a 4-7. The first moto was fun. I had a good start. Got up front and stayed there behind (Weston) Peick. We basically paced each other the whole time. It was a good race. I made a pass on him with two laps to go and he passed me right back. Then a lapper got in his way on the last lap and I ended up fourth.
“Second moto, I got off to a seventh- or eighth-place start and then got passed by a couple guys on the first lap. I struggled to get going in the second moto. I pretty much gave it all I had but I felt a little weak as the moto went on. The off-weekend should be good for me. I started cramping a little bit. I’ll take a couple days off and head back to California. Everything is going in the right direction so we’ll keep working and the results will keep coming.”
The riders and teams of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship have next weekend off before getting back in gear in two weeks when the series visits Millville, Minnesota’s Spring Creek Motorsports Park for the eighth of 12 events on the 2015 schedule.
The first moto of the La Crescent Wine and Spirits Spring Creek National will be televised live on MAVTV Sat., July 18 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 11 a.m. Pacific. Coverage for the second moto will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on NBCSN at 11 p.m. EDT. All motos can be streamed live online through ProMotocross.com or the NBC Sports Live Extra app. NBC, NBCSN and MAVTV will combine to televise over 60 hours of racing over the course of the 12-round season.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
- NHRA announces eight-race schedule for 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series - January 17, 2024
- Forgeline and Pratt Miller Motorsports Announce New Multi-Year Partnership - January 17, 2024
- TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein converts narrow pole to commanding win in the Season 10 opener of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix - January 16, 2024