There has been lots of talk about Ken Roczen's 3-3-3-3 overall finishes at the first four rounds of the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Is he underdelivering? Overdelivering? It depends on who you ask, but we can help compare him to history and see how previous GP-to-AMA transitions have gone. Here are some stats on other top International stars first four Nationals in their first full years in U.S. motocross.
David Vuillemin 2000, 250 (now 450) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 3rd
Race 2 – Hangtown: 1st
Race 3 – High Point: 4th
Race 4 – Southwick: 10th
Season Points: 4th overall
Grant Langston 2001, 125 (now 250) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 1st
Race 2 – Hangtown: 1st
Race 3 – High Point: 4th
Race 4 – Southwick: 6th
Season Points: 2nd overall
That's Grant Langston at Southwick in 2001. Langston won his first-ever AMA National at Glen Helen.
Simon Cudby photo
Chad Reed 2002, 125 (now 250) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 3rd
Race 2 – Hangtown: 2nd
Race 3 – High Point: 1st
Race 4 – Southwick: 10th
Season Points: 2nd overall
Ben Townley 2007, 250 (125) class *
Race 1 – Hangtown: 1st
Race 2 – High Point: 3rd
Race 3 – Southwick: 1st
Race 4 – Budds Creek: 2nd
Season Points: 2nd overall
* BT actually raced two Nationals in the U.S. in 2006, but '07 represented his first full season.
Tyla Rattray 2009, 250 (125) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 3rd
Race 2 – Hangtown: 5th
Race 3 – Freestone: 7th
Race 4 – High Point: 4th
Season Points: 9th overall
Tyla Rattray (411) finished ninth overall in his first full season in the U.S.
Simon Cudby photo
Tommy Searle 2009, 250 (125) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 4th
Race 2 – Hangtown: 13th
Race 3 – Freestone: 6th
Race 4 – High Point: 3rd
Season Points: 6th overall
Christophe Pourcel 2009, 250 (125) class
Race 1 – Glen Helen: 2nd
Race 2 – Hangtown: 1st
Race 3: Freestone: 2nd
Race 4: High Point: 1st
Season Points: 2nd overall
Gareth Swanepoel 2011, 250 (125) class *
Race 1 – Hangtown: 6th
Race 2 – Freestone: 11th
Race 3 – High Point: 15th
Race 4 – Budds Creek: 6th
Season Points: 6th overall
* Swanepoel also raced a few 450 and 250 rounds in a previous seasons as a guest rider.
Christophe Pourcel returned to the States in 2009 and finished second overall in his first season outdoors.
Simon Cudby photo
Marvin Musquin 2011, 250 (125) class
Race 1 – Hangtown: 5th
Race 2 – Freestone: 40th (Hurt in first moto)
Race 3 – Washougal: 14th
Race 4 – Unadilla: 6th
Season Points: 13th overall
One other note: In 2009, the Nationals switched to a Saturday only format. Previous to that, the series featured a full day of Saturday practice and Sunday racing, so riders moving to the U.S. since 2009 have less practice time to learn the tracks and format
