All Suzuki Riders Move Up in SMX World Championship Points at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway hosted Round 30 of the SuperMotocross World Championship on a hybrid Supercross-motocross track inside the speedway’s tri-oval. The Texas heat and a dry, slick track challenged the riders at the second of two playoff rounds that use a two-moto format to determine the event’s final results. When the dust settled, all three Suzuki riders had moved up in the championship standings and now look ahead to the SuperMotocross World Championship, which takes place on Saturday and determines the riders’ final standings for 2024.
Race Highlights:
Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki 450 Class
Ken Roczen used another top-ten overall result to advance two positions in the SMX World Championship points standings.
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance 450 Class
Colt Nichols jumped up five spots in the points standings after earning another top-ten overall result.
Kyle Chisholm put in a strong charge in moto 2 to move his RM-Z450 up two spots in the championship standings.
Ken Roczen (94) grabbed a top-five start in the opening moto and used his excellent throttle control to battle up front as track conditions deteriorated. In the second moto, the shortest start straight of the year bit Roczen and he tipped over in the first corner. Roczen then set a blistering pace and charged through the 22-rider field. Roczen was passing riders right up until the end; he reached one spot shy of a top-five moto result. Roczen’s strong performance earned him points to move up two more positions in the championship standings with one round remaining.
“Today in Texas it was a funky one, honestly,” said Roczen. “I never really gelled with the track. We also tried some things on the bike. We’re on a different fork set-up and shock set-up, so it took us a little bit to figure out what works the best on the track. I think for the motos we had [the settings] the best. As the track got drier it became hard to ride, but I think it got better in the second moto, so I definitely felt more in tune with the bike. I unfortunately went down in the first turn [of moto 2] and had to come from last up to sixth. We definitely had a strong ride all the way to the end… We had a really good effort here, maybe not the results that we were hoping for, but it’s all about effort and good riding. I think if we put ourselves in good position on the start, we have a chance to get on the podium and fight with the front guys. I’m looking forward to Vegas.”
Colt Nichols (45) won the LCQ en route to another top-ten overall result in just his fourth race with the team.
Colt Nichols (45) enters each Playoff round as an unseeded rider due to missing most of the motocross season. Nichols was the fastest rider in both of his timed qualify sessions, and he was inside the top-ten fastest in overall qualifying times. The structure of SMX World Championship events requires unseeded riders to transfer through the LCQ, and Nichols used his speed to win that race. Nichols was also fast in the motos and earned enough points to move up an impressive five positions in the championship standings.
“Texas Motor Speedway, Playoff 2, was pretty solid for me,” said Nichols. “I had to go through the LCQ again, which isn’t ideal, but I was able to win that. Then in the first moto [I had the] far outside gate and tried to just work my way through the pack slowly but steadily and not do anything crazy. I ended up 13th. Then in moto 2 I came back to a P-10, for P-10 overall, so it was a good weekend. The track was really, really hectic and I’m just glad I kept it on two wheels, and [now] on to next weekend.”
Kyle Chisholm (11) was on the move in the second 450SMX moto, moving forward seven spots in the 20-minute plus one lap race.
Kyle Chisholm (11) improved throughout the day, bettering his results in both qualifying and the motos. When the dust settled in Texas, Chisholm stood two positions higher in the points, tied with the rider one position above him.
“I struggled a little bit at the beginning of the day just getting comfortable on the track,” admitted Chisholm. “It was really hardpack and slippery, but [we] made some good bike changes. In the second moto I didn’t have a good start, but I rode much better. We made a couple little changes on the bike, kind of back to what I ran last week, and it was really good. I felt comfortable, made some good passes, and am really happy with my riding. We’ll take the momentum into next weekend in Vegas for that last round and triple points; we’ll try to just replicate what we did in that second moto there… These tracks are tricky with the Supercross portion and the motocross portion. It’s tough. The team did a really good job.”
“It was a good weekend for Suzuki,” said Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “Ken Roczen finished sixth overall, Colt Nichols finished 10th overall, another top ten finish for Colt Nichols the newcomer to the team, and Kyle Chisholm finished 16th. So, all three riders were in the top sixteen overall for the day. The track was really tough; the dirt was clay and it real greasy and slippery in practice, and then as it dried out it just clumped up and broke up; it was probably one of the toughest tracks I’ve seen in a long time. But by the end of the day, it was blue grooved and pretty hard-packed so it honestly was a little bit better in the final moto. But it was a good weekend for us and now we go to Las Vegas for the final round next weekend.”
The racers line up again on Saturday night at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the SuperMotocross World Championship. The final standings in the 31-round series will be determined and the $5.5 million total purse paid out. With one final US race on the calendar, the Suzuki riders and teams are looking forward to more great performances and more strong results to cap off an excellent year of racing.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography
