RCH Rides Momentum into Minneapolis

2017-02-17 11:08
As most athletes know, momentum is the most powerful driving force in sports. Professional golfer Rocco Mediate once said “The only way to stop it is if you get in your own way, start making stupid mistakes or stop believing in yourself.”

Those words hit particularly close to home for RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing as Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to the Twin Cities for the first time since 2013 to make its debut at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Coming off their best collective performance of the year last weekend in Arlington, Texas, RCH riders Broc Tickle and Justin Bogle head for Round 7 of the 2017 Supercross Championship with confidence in the tank and momentum on their side.

The potent RCH duo turned in Texas-strong performances last Saturday at AT&T Stadium where Bogle finished ninth and Tickle finished sixth. The solid run powered Tickle from 14th to 10th in points and with more then half the season left to contest, the rider of the No. 20 Suzuki RM-Z450 trails eighth-place Chad Reed by a narrow eight-point margin.

“I’ve been working on some stuff to try and maximize my performance,” explained Tickle. “It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s all stuff I’ve been working on since before the season started. I dug a little deeper (last weekend). I’m motivated. We keep making progress during the week. We made some improvements to the bike with some fine-tuning that should help us on race day. This weekend is just Round 7, so we’re not even halfway. I’m going to keep focusing on what I need to and the results should keep improving.”

Bogle heads into the land of 10,000 lakes coming off a ninth-place finish that had the makings of a top five. After earning his first heat race win of the season, the “Captain” won the holeshot and raced up front for the first third of last week’s main event until contact with another competitor cost him his footing with the leaders.

Still, with plenty of racing left in the 20-minute-plus-one-lap main event, Bogle dug deep and made the most of a bad situation. Despite having to race his way through the frustrations of watching a potential top five vanish, the 2014 Eastern Regional 250 SX Class Champion stayed the course and held on for a top 10.

“I’m pretty confident that if I had stayed up there I would have been looking at a top five but that’s not how it went,” offered Bogle. “It was a solid weekend, regardless. I felt a lot better from the get-go. My starts were really good and I got my first heat win of the year, which is always a good way to start the day off. It was nice to get some laps up front and get a little more comfortable with the pace. How things operate up there during the first few laps is a little different. All in all, it was good. It wasn’t a perfect night by any means but we’re making progress.”

While Tickle is still searching for the elusive first win of his 450 career, the series veteran knows that everyone’s time in the sport is fleeting. That’s why the 27-year-old knows taking a moment or two each weekend to appreciate his surroundings and consider the enormity of competing at some of the newest and most start of the art facilities the sporting world has to offer.

“It’s awesome,” added Tickle who will make his 72nd career start in the 450SX Class tomorrow night. “I don’t think a lot of us take enough time to really appreciate things like that because we’re so caught up with what we’re trying to do. When you’re part of opening ceremonies, it really puts the icing on the cake. That’s a great time to interact with the fans and to soak in the venue. Opening ceremonies only last a few minutes but that really brings it all to life. Sometimes it’s hard to look at it and appreciate it because you’re so caught up in the moment but as you get older, you realize that it’s something to soak up and enjoy.”

On the other hand, in just his sophomore season aboard a 450, Bogle tries not to get too caught up in the moment.

“There’s a lot of work to be done so I try not to reflect too much because I feel like then you become kind of stagnant,” commented Bogle. “When you’re content, you stop progressing. I go there, do my thing and try to be better each time. I think this year I’ve been enjoying it a little more. I had a couple rough years where I took things a little too seriously. When it wasn’t going well, it would be really frustrating. The people I have around me are incredible and we all go there with the same goal. We’re there to execute and do what we practice during the week. I try not to think too much about stuff like that. Thinking too much is the enemy when you’re in sports.”

Round 7 of the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship will be televised on FS1 Saturday, Feb. 18 beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 7 p.m. Pacific.

About RCH Racing …
RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing is a professional Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross team co-owned by 15-time AMA Champion Ricky Carmichael and Freestyle Motocross visionary and entrepreneur Carey Hart. RCH was founded in 2012 and earned its first premier class championship in 2016. Stay up to date on all the latest RCH Racing news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RCHRacing.

About Suzuki …
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.

About Yoshimura R&D of America …
Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit
www.yoshimura-rd.com.

Follow RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing, Broc Tickle and Justin Bogle at:
facebook.com/RCHRacing
twitter.com/RCHracing
instagram.com/rchracing

broctickle.com
facebook.com/BrocTickle20
twitter.com/Broctickle
instagram.com/broctickle

facebook.com/justinbogle19
twitter.com/justinbogle19
instagram/justinbogle19

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