Plenty to do in Pro Motocross Season Finale for RCH

2015-08-20 22:10
While the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450 Class Championship may have been decided last Saturday in Utah, there’s still much to do for the potent RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing duo of Ken Roczen and Broc Tickle before the season concludes this weekend at Ironman Raceway.

With second and fifth in points still very realistically up for grabs, both Roczen and Tickle come into the last race of the season with plenty of work still sitting on the bench.

Only five points separate Roczen from second-place Justin Barcia heading into this weekend’s season finale at the Bud Light Ironman National in Crawfordsville, Ind. Meanwhile, Tickle is sixth in the standings and trails fifth-place Christophe Pourcell by a slim four-point margin.

Since fighting his way back from a first moto crash at Unadilla, Roczen has posted three straight second-place moto finishes, fueling this weekend’s effort with some much-needed momentum. The rider of the No. 1 Suzuki RM-Z450 is the defending Ironman winner and undeniably motivated to end his run as the series’ defending champion with his second win of the 2015 outdoor campaign.

Still, despite the outward pressure to make the most out of his final opportunity of the year, Roczen displays the casual confidence exemplified by the rare few who carry championship-caliber credentials.

“Obviously, I want finish as high in the points as possible and I’d rather finish second than third but I’m not too worried about it,” explained the 2011 MX2 World Champion. “I’m just really happy with the bike, right now. It’s just about putting all the puzzle pieces together. Some teams find it at the beginning of the season and some towards the end. From the struggles we’ve gone through the whole year, with injuries and other things, I’m finally to where I can go into a race with more confidence and I think that shows. I just want to have a good race this weekend. We’re really close in points so I’m going to try and put myself in front of him (Barcia) in both motos and finish second in points.”

One Suzuki RM-Z450 over, underneath the RCH team canopy, Tickle is poised to match his career-best Pro Motocross championship effort. Provided he can finish ahead of both Pourcell and seventh-place Jason Anderson, the Holly Mich., rider would most likely repeat his 2012 fifth-place points showing.

A well-documented back injury kept Tickle off the bike for the entire 2014 outdoor season, leaving him with no previous experience at suburban Indianapolis racecourse. Still, the veteran rider is eager get down to business this weekend and make his mark at the series’ newest venue.

“I’m stoked about Ironman,” explained Tickle. “I’ve never been there so it’s going to be an entirely new challenge, but I’m up for it and I know this team is, too. We’ve been working hard at making forward progress and I think we’re at a point where it shows on the racetrack, consistently. Ken and I both had a really good race in Utah and I’m confident that will carry over to this weekend. If everyone stays focused on the task at hand, we can finish second and fifth in points. I think that will make a pretty powerful statement about the strength and depth of RCH as a whole.”

While the team’s competitive focus will remain on Roczen and Tickle, a third Suzuki will also be part of the RCH fleet this weekend when team co-owner Ricky Carmichael straps on his helmet to compete in the inaugural Legends Race. The event will serve as an opening act to the second annual National held at Ironman Raceway and will feature a 12-rider lineup of racing veterans and former champions.

Ironman Raceway will not only serve as the final battleground of the summer-long championship, but also provide a rare opportunity for the sport's most successful names to showcase their talents years after they hung up their racing boots.

“I'm excited for the Legends race,” commented Carmichael. “For me it's not about going out there and racing hard, it's about mixing it up a little bit with some of my buddies and having fun. I’m really looking forward to enjoying the vibe, having a good time with the fans, riding and throwing some whips. That's what it's about for me. I hope that the fans are looking forward to it as much as I am.”

The first moto of the Bud Light Ironman National from Ironman Raceway will be televised live on MAVTV Sat., August 22 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 10 a.m. Pacific. Coverage for the second moto of the 2015 season finale will be televised on a live-to-tape 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.

Source: RCH Racing

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