by Chase Stallo
Bench Racing Ammo: The Transition
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 | 2:30 PM
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PrintThere 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
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For an 18 yr old, he is doing great! Moving to a new country, adjusting to the intensity of American racing, the heat humidity, limited experiance on these tracks are all factors. The main reason is the competition he haveing to go against, Barcia, Tomac, Baggett are all bad dudes on a dirt bike. Kenny seems to lose focus and make little mistakes towards the end of moto. Once he solves that problem, his smooth style will lead to victory.
I believe that he is neither under nor over delivering: he is giving his best effort, but it is just a notch beneath Barcia, Tomac, and Baggett. He will win a US national in the event that one of the top three top riders is not in contention. He gets good starts, but if he is not in the top ten then he does not carry the momentum to be able to run down the leaders late in a moto.
He was leading the last lap in two motos already, on the podium every round. Do you know why we always win MXON? The field is DEEP here.
K-ROC is doing just fine
Hey Chase !
Another way to show how hard American MX is, how about a article showing how many Americans won 125 / 250 titles in their first year - I can think of four without checking :
Smith - Hannah - Stewart - Villopoto
Not even Johnson or Carmichael could get it done !
JimM
Pala374
Kenny will come through. Funny how back in the 70's Americans going to Europe is now the Europeans coming to America. Maybe we can bring back the title of First European. Guys got a good attitude and fan appeal and one of the best managers in the business he will be there before the season ends.
I too believe Kenny will do just fine and will win a couple of moto's. We,us,or someone has a tendency to over hype these young individuals which creates a huge amount of expectation. It takes a long time for them to fully adapt here. Most of the Euro riders seems to take at least a couple of years just to get settled in. If any of you have ever spent anytime in Europe, you know that it takes a while to adapt. Meantime the kid looks good and will find his niche!
Mr Mx You have earned your name today, good job! Didn't Reynard earned Rookie of the Year honors too after racing just 3 outdoors? I believe, he won the last 125 race that year,93?
@CZMark: Bingo, Spot-On, Bulls Eye...
There have been a couple photo's of Ken (post last lap leader implosions) after the race speaking to his Dad, and you can see the pain this dude is feeling, as these wins have slipped away. If there is one sport, out of all sports, that is as emotionally charged more so than Motocross, please let me know. Anyone who's experienced that 190-210 pulse rate just before the gate drops can attest that you are a bomb just waiting to explode, and the only release, without exploding would be the checkers knowing you have finally attained your goal. Ken has felt that satisfaction many times, and to be denied that on the last lap through whatever reason is pain beyond words, (I could only imagine), because I sure as hell have not experienced getting that close to (the) prize, and having it snatched away.
Ken has great people surrounding him, from KTM, his supportive parents, and (one) other individual from Europe that needs no introduction...
Ken is in good hands!
@Mr. MX
My point exactly ! Taking RV off the list leaves
Smith - Hannah - Stewart
as riders who won the 125 CShip their first year. Even then Smith could get an asterik because his CShip was the first year a CShip was awarded. That leaves
Hannah - Stewart
as the only riders to win an AMA 125 - 250 MX Champioship in their first year.
All im trying to say is there is no shame in Roczen not doing what the Johnson - Carmicahael -Villopoto - Reed couldnt do. He is in the deep end of the pool. Perhaps too many people underestimated the depth of Amercian MX
Maybe........... next year Kenny
JimM
Pala374
whos counting him out???
THE TRANSITION made me think of some of the others riders that are from different countries that move to the US to race AMA, the two that come to mind are Chad Reed & Dean Wilson, I have had the pleasure to watch Reed & Wilson race in Canada & the US, as DW learned to race in Canada, Reed has been in the US for a while, but had to make the adjustments to the AMA. I'm sure Roczen will get his wins once he gets more comfortable with the US scene, a few minor mistakes have set him back a bit. I'm looking forward to going to a Canadian Pro Nat this weekend at Blackfoot in Calgary, where I had watched D Wilson & R Villopoto win there when they were breaking into Pro, Goerke has been tearing up the 450 class so far this year, and Tyler Villopoto will be lining up in 450 also which will be interesting, makes it hard to keep up to the stats following both series, let the gate drop! BRAAAP!
I say that he will win motos.I also think that he will win more than one overall as well.
@caseypons- in 100 degree heat with full gear on, 230lbs of machine between your legs and your heart racing as fast as it can for 30+2laps, to givie it your all, no! This sport is going to be tough to beat. And as for emotions, when that gate dropped, that guy lays it all on the line. Kenny is determined and will find a way!
@fred- you say that about everybody. lol
It would have been interesting to see how some other successful riders did at the start as well - what about Mickael Pichon, Stepane Roncada, Brett Metcalfe?
Jimbo-Hannah raced some Nationals in 1975 before racing the whole series and winning in 1976.
Winning the title the first year you go for it is pretty good. Stewart probably would have raced a few after turining 16 as well, if his birthday fell before the season ended.