Round 31 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship completed a successful 2024 season that included the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season, two Playoff races and the SuperMotocross World Championship event. The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway delivered a challenging and high-speed hybrid track that combined the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. A two-moto format required speed and consistency at the night race in Las Vegas. Words: Suzuki
Ken Roczen (94) showed great speed on the hybrid Las Vegas track. After recovering from an injury, Roczen returned to racing in the late summer. Roczen earned a top-ten result in every SMX World Championship moto and finished the year with sixth place overall in the SMX World Championship, in spite of entering the post-season down on points.
“We were feeling alright during qualifying. My times weren’t really there, but I wasn’t too worried about it just because I am more of a racer, so once the gate drops, I usually feel a lot better,” said Roczen. “In the first moto I got messed up a little bit in the first turn, so I had to come from about 15th. It was hard to pass on the track, but I was able to come back to eighth and was ready to finish out strong in the second moto. After the start [of moto 2] I was in about eighth. I made a couple of passes, found myself in sixth, and battled with another rider for the whole race, eventually coming in sixth place. Overall, I’m happy with my and the team’s effort and it was good to finish out strong.”
“Our team actually didn’t win, dang it,” said Larry Brooks, Team Manager of the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team. “Ken Roczen finished seventh with an (8-6). Colt Nichols, it was actually a unique situation – he didn’t qualify for the night show, but he was a backup rider and was able to ride the second moto. He finished ninth [in that]. And Kyle Chisholm finished 20th on the day. So, the riders did pretty good, and we got through the series. Ken Roczen finished sixth in the series. Colt Nichols finished 14th and Kyle Chisholm finished 22nd. It was pretty productive. We learned a lot, that’s for sure. I think it was a good series, I think we showed speed, but we just didn’t make it happen, so there’s always next year.”
The Suzuki teams had great showings through all 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen will next lead Team Germany in the upcoming Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin in Winchester, UK on the first weekend of October. After that, Roczen and Chisholm will compete in the FIM World Supercross Championship series in which Ken Roczen is the reigning and two-time world champion. Then, as 2025 nears, preparations will begin for the 2025 SMX World Championship series that kicks off in January.
Image: HEP Suzuki
