by Davey Coombs
250 Words: Freestone
Monday, May 28, 2012 | 10:00 AM
GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) is Yamaha’s performance and racing accessory brand. GYTR products are developed and tested to the highest standards by Yamaha’s in-house factory engineers. Used extensively by the Yamaha Race Teams, these factory parts are readily available to every Yamaha rider.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
PrintIs Ken Roczen underperforming? Is the reigning FIM MX2 World Champion not reaching his expectations? No and yes. No, he's not underperforming; he's just in a much more competitive world than he probably realized when he punched his ticket for America last fall. The race pace is simply different—faster, more intense, more immediate—and that's not something he saw in the Grand Prix races that go along at a much slower clip. That's not a slight to the rest of the gang in Europe, as much as it is a result of the differences in scheduling: long practices, warm-up races, and another long practice and then two long motos set the tone over there.
Here in the states on the other hand, it's quick practices packed into a one-day format, and then when the gate drops it's immediate chaos. Roczen has been towards the front of each of the four motos so far in this Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship; he just hasn't put it all together to get a win. Trust me, he will, and very soon.
Eli Tomac and Blake Baggett, on the other hand, have a lot more experience on the tracks and with the system. Tomac, the incredible polished and polite GEICO Honda rider, went into the Freestone National knowing it owed him one after his meltdown there two years ago as points leader. He was simply dominant, and asserted himself again as a complete rider. Take out his first-turn crash in the second moto at Hangtown and he would be closer to the lead in points.
Ken Roczen (left) is still looking for his first win in America.
DC photo
As for the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Baggett, he was pretty wild out there yet never really out of control. His leaps into the 12-Pack had the Internet ablaze, yet he lacked the closing speed he needed to get a hook in the extremely strong Tomac.
Add the crash-slowed Justin Barcia and the still-healing Marvin Musquin, plus some impressive motos by Rockstar Energy's Blake Wharton and Jason Anderson, and Roczen has much more to deal with than he probably anticipated.
And then there's this: the motos are slightly shorter in America, and the pace is much faster. Ken has yet to be the fastest man on the track at the end of any of the four motos so far—when he surely knows the track and it's all down to strength and speed. When he gets that up to where Tomac and Baggett are, that's when the newcomer has a shot at actually winning here.
Did you like this article?
Check out HIGH/LOW
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Each of the five major manufacturers had its ups and downs during the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross campaign. Page 118.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
true words about the different race types in europe and usa!! that should always be remembered!!!
It would also be interesting to see the same battle on European tracks, just to be fair to Roczen and Musquin.
If this sport was Cat Juggling we may need a larger gate to accommodate more than just 40 participants. But it ain't! It is the most physically demanding and quite possibly the most mentally taxing sport on this wobbly thing we call earth, ever since it's initial inception in Europe back in the early 1920's.
There are (so) many factors that go into riding for 40 minutes wide open with no time-outs. No chats with (coach) on the side-line to discuss the ever changing strategy, due to the 39 other SOB's screwin with yours.
I have so much respect for this new batch of successors to the throne, like all of you readers/riders, because you have experienced this sport first hand.
And as my Gramp's asked me one time as a frustrated child, "Do you know the definition of an expert?" I said,"No Gramp's," He said, "An expert is somebody who's, (done it once). And it just keeps get's easier, and easier after that first time. How else are you going to know how to win, until you've, won."
This 250 class is stacked so deep with the likes of riders with winning potential as Tomac and Baggett possess, (Right-There) on the threshold of becoming (experts). They just don't know it, yet...
Ken R is also riding an inferior bike. I'm not saying its a bad bike but it ain't no Mitch Payton tuned KXF fire breather. Bet that Geico Honda is way better too.
Ken is good but its European good, when he sees Baggett behind him that head swivels and he augers it in the ground. Eli just runs him down and disappears.
@Claxton: You've just got all the answers, all the time don't you. How does it feel being perfect.
Ken is just "European Good." Sometimes your comments really make you seem the fool you you truly are..
Not just an ignorant biggot, but a F***ing fool...
I'm sure kens KTM pulls as hard as any bike out there. baggets lighter than anyone but never seems to get that green demon to the first turn first. Nothing wrong w/ ktm's program. Kenny will win soon. he's definately got bam bam covered
Thinkn the ktm is very competitive and maybe Davey forgot that Roczen was just a few corners shy of winning one already, he and Marvin will get dialed in soon and the bike he is on is only going to get better when they hop on that new 13 that will be out early
He ,All i have to say is that we are in for a great season of racing .the top four in the 250s will win races.BB,Bam Bam,ET,Ken I have a feeling its going to come down to the wire.Next week will be Bam Bam.you watch and see!!!!!!! Oh and to all the the other bench racer out there do you guys talk as much smack in the staging area before your ready to go to the line.just wondering.Enjoy guys enjoy.
Yes Roczen is a bit off pace, but you forgot one thing here Davey Coombs...the tracks in the US are much faster! I here Jeff Emig always talking about how rough the tracks are, That track in Freestone was as flat as a pooltable, no ruts or braking bumps to be found!
That's in my opinion the big difference compared to Gp's, where they race all the qualifying races and practices without grooming the track at all.
Ken has to adapt to these wide open tracks.
I watch both GP's and Nationals, and Nationals are like "Speed races" compared to GP's, also the tracks are not as wide as GP tracks in general are. in a GP you plan your race, in Nationals it is WFO from the gate drops.
And yes, Ken is not used to this depth of riders that all can win any day. but to say GP rider are slow is a lack of knowledge.
I am REALLY happy to be able to watch the 250cc guys go WFO at it, that's the "Premium" class for me
Sorry, By "Speed Races" I mean shorter races ( time) with more intensity
Completely right McChicken!!!
There you guys go again RXO - making the weekly 250 review an apology piece for KR70 instead of talking about the real action or the racers who made the most difference. Hello - anyone catch Tomac lapping the field or Bagget charging from behind?
KR70 is am amazing talent and seems to be a great kid but it's so obvious from the TV coverage and on here how badly you guys want a new pretty boy ambassador for the sport. Why don't you fanboys focus on some other racers?
I would like to see the nationals go to a 2 day program. Plenty of practice, qualifying and the women on Saturday. Short warmup on Sunday for 250/450s and have the races start earlier, 11am. Get rid of amateur day. This is PRO mx.
This is just too cliche. Here you have a Redneck Biggot who believes Europeans are only allowed to be subservient to the far superior American riders, (Where were your ancestors from a generation or two ago (Claxton) Mars). You are most likely European by genetic disposition, you intelligence depraved wort on the ass of mankind.
Then you have a California Surfer aka (cflsurfer) pretty boy who states," KR70 is am amazing talent and seems to be a great kid but it's so obvious from the TV coverage and on here how badly you guys want a new pretty boy ambassador for the sport. Why don't you fanboys focus on some other racers?"
Do I sense some latent tendencies of jealousy for a (outsider) to even dare consider to corrupt the red-blooded ignorance of a (cflsurfer) domain.
@cflsurfer Fear is the by-product of ignorance in case you didn't know.
Do you feel threatened, or just what is your paranoia based on....
Jesus, did you guys not get past 3rd grade or what! It's not too late to finish elementary school, you know.
Act like an adult when you post would you. You are an adult, aren't you?
PS Maybe (I) am not acting like an adult to criticize those who display open and blatant racial bigotry on a public forum. It just amazes me that there are those who stoop so low to attempt to discredit others due to race or creed, that I cannot help myself but comment on their lack of humanity displayed towards their fellow man.
Dogs, deserve, and do get better treatment. You should be ashamed, if you only knew better...
My apologies for my rant, seriously!