Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/700440
MOTOCROSS LUCAS OIL AMA PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 / JULY 2, 2016 REDBUD MX / BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN P52 My Own Race: 94 KEN ROCZEN 1 ST 450MX (1-1) Ken Roczen was again dominant at RedBud but admitted afterward that, despite winning seemingly easily, he was not comfortable at all on the bike in the first moto. Between motos, a few changes, including swapping en- gines, made a big difference for the better in the second moto. "I think the second moto might have been the best I've ridden all year," Roczen said. "I felt really good today. I felt like I was riding really good, so I just kept it consistent the whole time. I changed a couple of little things in practice and I wasn't happy at all in the first moto. Obviously, I had a good lead and I won but I told my mechanic I wasn't happy with the bike. In my eyes it went from the worst bike I've ridden all year to literally, in the second moto, to the best bike. We just made a tiny little change and it was crazy. I guess I'm just really sensitive to it and it just made that big of a difference. We actually had to do a quick little motor swap in between [motos]. My gut told me we should put a new motor in and the guys did a motor swap and everything worked out good." 3 ELI TOMAC 2 ND 450MX (2-2) Tomac was hoping to give Roczen another battle for the win at RedBud but he just didn't have his best stuff on this day. He got a seventh-place start in the first moto, got into second on the seventh lap after passing fast starter Barcia, but by then Roczen was gone. Tomac made up some ground but not enough to really pressure Roczen, especially after stalling his bike late in the race. Tomac led the first lap of the second moto but bobbled and wasn't able to jump LaRocco's Leap and Roczen flew by him and pulled away. Tomac ended up second again. "I was searching a bit during the motos today," said Tomac. "I didn't have my best jump out of the gate and was pushed around a bit on the first lap. I managed to play a bit of catch-up to earn second place. From that point I did all I could to reel in the leader, but close to the end I stalled the bike and it almost cost me second. In the second moto I had a great start but I was passed and from that point out [Roczen] was just on another level." 377 CHRISTOPHE POURCEL 7 TH 450MX (6-7) Christophe Pourcel was the fastest qualifier in the 450MX class and rode his best so far in the motos for seventh overall. "I had the fastest qualifying time again and probably put in two of the most consistent motos I've ever done," said Pourcel. "It's good that my speed is coming back. It's been good two weeks in a row. We have a couple more races to go, so that's good. The top six or seven guys are so good, so it's tough when you don't get a good start and just have to fight the rest of the moto. It's tough to make a pass when you're riding with guys that are all the same speed as you. I'm just going to get some rest this week and will hopefully get a bet- ter start at the next race." 20 BROC TICKLE 3 RD 450MX (4-3) Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John's/Suzuki Factory Racing Team's Broc Tickle proved that his first podium in a while last week at Muddy Creek was no fluke. He did it again at RedBud after getting two good starts [fifth after the first lap in the first moto and fourth in the second moto] and riding consistently all day. He even pressured Tomac a bit in the first moto. "It's awesome to get another podium," Tickle said. "Last weekend really hit it off for me. In the first moto, I wanted to get third but I knew I could do it in the second moto. I got a decent start in the second moto and moved into third and pretty much just charged on. Barcia was coming there for a little bit. I saw him coming, I responded and that's pretty much how it ended. I'm just stoked."