Suzuki’s Ken Roczen Talks Anaheim I Supercross Win

Ken Roczen | Anaheim I Supercross Post-Race Interview

Following a year in the 450 class with Red Bull KTM, Ken Roczen joined the RCH Suzuki Team for 2015. The German, who won the 2014 AMA Motocross Championship, began 2015 Monster Energy Supercross off the strongest possible way – with a win. We caught up with Roczen following Anaheim I Supercross, round one of 17.

Ultimate MotorCycling’s Andrew Oldar: How did you stay consistent throughout the race to take the win?

RCH/Dodge/Sycuan/Suzuki’s Ken Roczen: “I just kept clicking the lap times. When I saw I had a decent gap on Jason (Anderson), I just maintained the same pace. I actually saw him coming close to me at times, but I think I could have had some better lines in some spots. The track was tricky. It is full of small pebbles and gets slippery over time. I just didn’t want to go down, so I rode smart.

UMC: What mindset did you come into Anaheim 1 with?

KR: I just wanted get the first one out of the way. There are 16 races to go. We can be smiling right now but not at the end of the year. For that reason, it is important to keep a bit of a poker face and keep grinding away.

UMC: How does it feel to win two times in a row at Anaheim 1?

KR: Winning two times in a row at Anaheim 1 feels great. I feel like I came into this race with a bit of a different mindset than last year. I knew how good I felt and I have so much confidence on the bike. Because of that, it was just a whole different thing.

UMC: Are there still some things to improve on with you or the bike?

KR: I think we are all going really fast right now. My fitness is great and it is just important to have good practice days and not get down on yourself.

UMC: You were right up on Andrew Short during the heat race. Were you having fun out there?

KR: It totally was! I was so pumped for Shorty. I came up to him afterwards and we were messing around a little. I was super confident and it was a fun race.

UMC: It looked as if you were riding extra careful and trying to be clean. Would you say so?

KR: I could have totally stuffed him, but it’s just a heat race.

UMC: You are coming off a dominating season in AMA Motocross. Should we just start handing you these titles?

KR: No, we all have good and bad days. You can’t win the championship on the first race. We are just going to keep the momentum that we have from today.

Photography by Don Williams