Ken Roczen #94: Ken looked excellent on his RM-Z450 Suzuki. After getting a great start in the heat, Ken battled with the leaders, ultimately finishing in 3rd place. In the main event, he overcame a difficult start and charged his way on a hard-to-pass track. Ken finished the night with a 5th overall. Ken now sits fourth in the Championship points standings.
“Our weekend in Detroit went pretty solid,” said Ken Roczen. “We were on the board in practice and qualifying. I had a solid heat race start with a holeshot and a good battle with a couple of guys up front. I actually made a mistake off the Dragon Back before the finish and got passed. I ended up finishing 3rd in the heat. We were feeling decent going into the main event, but the start was so-so, and it was tough to pass. I ended up 5th, and we want to be on the podium. We’ll take a 5th for this weekend. Going to keep working for the podium, and we’ll try again in Seattle.”
Ken Roczen #94: What a night for Ken Roczen, Suzuki, and the Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki Team. Nabbing the holeshot and leading 27 laps until the checkered flag was waived. Ken showed that hard work and perseverance pay.
“Indy was next level,” said Ken Roczen. “We knew all day the track was going to be pretty much an enduro track by the end of the main. We couldn’t have executed the main any better. I got the holeshot and led all the way to the finish line. It was a race I will probably never forget. Up there in my all-time greatest accomplishments. We are definitely going to celebrate tonight and enjoy tomorrow, but the work doesn’t stop. It was a historical night for me, the team, and Suzuki. Really hard to describe how good it was.”
Shane McElrath #12: Shane earned his season’s best Heat race result finishing sixth overall. Shane’s starts looked good in qualifying, the heat race, and the main event. He struggled in the main event for 17th place.
“I struggled with the track all day,” McElrath admitted after the race. “We made some positive changes throughout the day, which were necessary for the rest of the season. My starts were a lot better today; I need to be better earlier on in the day. I’m ready to get back to work, and I’ll be better in Seattle.”
Kyle Chisholm #11: Really unfortunate night for Chisholm going down after the whoops during the early stages of the main event causing his clutch lever to break. It was a few laps later before Kyle got a new clutch lever put on and was back on the track. He finished 21st place. Coming into the day, Kyle was feeling good. Despite a rough heat race, Chisholm won his LCQ and looked very good in the opening laps of the main event.
“It was an okay day,” said Kyle Chisholm. “we did some testing this week and made some changes to the bike, but you never know until you get to the race. Felt pretty good in practice. I rode terribly in my heat race. I just missed out on getting into the main out of the heat. So I had to race the LCQ; I got a good start and was able to win it. If you are going to be in it might as well win it. In the main event, I felt good and made a few passes, and in the second lap, I had a little crash and broke my clutch lever off. It took a few laps to fix it and get back out there. It was a bummer, felt like we could have maybe had a top ten tonight, but we had a crash. We’ll try again next week.”
Marshal Weltin #50: Hometown race for Marshal Weltin, Growing up in Michigan, he had a lot of friends and family in attendance. Marshal finished his best heat race with 6th place and felt good going into the main event. In the main event with 10th in sight, Weltin crashed in the whoops, which caused him to lose a lot of positions before getting back on the track. He finished 21st place.
“Home race in Detroit for me,” said Marshal Weltin. “Really good vibes coming into the day; I had a lot of friends and family here. I felt like it was going good. I got a 6th in the heat race, which was my best finish of the year. I came into the main with a really good start, but it was mad carnage on the first lap. I almost landed on another rider, then another situation in the whoops. By the time I got the bike back up, I was a couple of laps down. It was a bummer deal. I wanted more out of this. I’m going to rebound and be better over the break.”
“Detriot went fairly good,” said Larry Brooks. “Obviously, coming off a high from last weekend, we except more. Had a little bit of a rough night with Marshal Weltin; he finished 21st in the 250 class. In the 450 class, Ken Roczen rode really well; he finished 5th. After a high like last weekend, 5th seems crummy, but it isn’t, and we shouldn’t think that way. It’s a learning experience for us, and we are just getting the bike to where Ken enjoys riding it. So 5th is what we are going to go home with, and we are going to hold our heads up high. Chisholm won the last chance qualifier but, in the main, crashed and broke a clutch lever and then had to finish the main. Shane finished 17th in the main. He’s having good weekends and bad weekends. We will leave here with our heads up high and hope for the best next weekend in Seattle.”
The series heads West to Seattle, Washington, for the 11th round of Supermotocross series. As the series switches back to the 250cc West Coast class; Dillan Schwartz returns on his Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki. Racing starts at 7:00 pm PST. You can catch all the action live on PEACOCK TV and follow along with us on race day through our social media channels.
Partners:
TWISTED TEA/ HEP SUZUKI: Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea, Suzuki Motor of America, INC. (SMAI), Progressive Insurance, ECSTAR, FLY Racing, Western Power Sports (WPS), Mayhem Wheels, Dixxon Flannel Co, Pro Circuit, Twisted Development, SKDA Graphics, WD-40 Brand, DID, Dunlop, JE Pistons, Hinson Clutch Components, Mika Metals, DT1 Air Filters, Nissin Brake Components, Galfer Brakes, Acerbis, Boyesen, GUTS Factory Seats, Motion Pro, Matrix Concepts, Alpinestars, 100%, OGIO, Works Chassis Lab, Works Connection, Scar, ARC Levers, CV-4, Crank Works, XTRIG, Midland Tractor, Showa.
Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki: Progressive Insurance, Suzuki Motor of America, INC. (SMAI), ECSTAR, FLY Racing, Western Power Sports (WPS), Mayhem Wheels, Dixxon Flannel Co, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Twisted Development, SKDA Graphics, WD-40 Brand, DID, Dunlop, JE Pistons, Hinson Clutch Components, DT1 Air Filters, Nissin Brake Components, Galfer Brakes, Acerbis, Boyesen, GUTS Factory Seats, Motion Pro, Matrix Concepts, Alpinestars, 100%, OGIO, Works Chassis Lab, Works Connection, Scar, ARC Levers, CV-4, Crank Works, XTRIG, Midland Tractor, Showa.
