MXGP photos Matt Rice
Photos BrownDogWilson Photography
It has been a busy month for Suzuki superstar Ken Roczen! First he battled for the lead in both 450 motos at the LA Coliseum and earned the runner-up spot in the SuperMotocross World Championship and the series' $500,000 prize. Following the hybrid Supercross/Motocross finale, it was on to France to lead the German Team in the Motocross of Nations, winning the MXGP classification overall… and along the way, he found time to renew his RM-Z450 contract with Suzuki!
“Everyone at Suzuki is really thrilled to be able to partner with Ken Roczen again in 2024,” said Chris Wheeler, Motorsports Manager at Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. In announcing an extension to the partnership with elite athlete Ken Roczen and HEP Motorsports.” Kenny has brought a new level of racing performance and excitement to Suzuki this year and we look forward to continuing that performance with Kenny in 2024!”
“I am extremely excited to re-sign with the team,” Roczen added. “We have done some amazing things so far in 2023 and I am really eager to do even better things in 2024. It has been one of the most fun and rewarding years of my career and I am happy to keep it going."
Roczen gave Suzuki fans (and Dealers) across the country a thrilling end to the season in the SuperMotocross World Championship by claiming key podium positions, taking a win in the second moto at the Chicagoland Speedway, and two second place finishes in the final race at the LA Memorial Coliseum to secure second place in the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship.
"We were pushing every inch of the track,” said an elated Roczen from the floor of the LA Coliseum following the first SuperMotocross World Championship finale. “It had some tacky areas but it was super pebbly and slick in others so you just had to be so careful, but you can't rest too much in the turns because you lose time," he explained. "Overall I'm super stoked just to be able to be in the mix, be in the battle, and ride how I'm riding at the moment… A win would have been so nice, but I'm also, at the same time, still building… We still have a few races to go before Anaheim and for me, I'm just building every single weekend that I'm racing."
Speaking of dialing things in before A1, MXoN showed Roczen is on a mission. Although he claims he isn’t much of a motocross racer any more, Roczen ran up front all weekend, winning the MXGP class overall with 3-2 scores. “Honestly, I'm so glad I did it,” he told Racer X in Ernee, France. “It may be one of the best Motocross of Nations I've ever been to."
Holeshot for A1? MXoN is a good indicator that Roczen is ready for 2024! “Don't remember the last time that Suzuki's had a holeshot at MXGP. For me to do that and then get the MXGP overall win is something that I can check a couple of things off the box… the fact that we made it happen is so rad. I'm so glad I made the decision to come here and it was well worth it.”
The 2024 SMX League season debuts in January 2024 at Angel Stadium for Anaheim 1.