Monday Conversation: Ken Roczen
Monday, May 16, 2011 | 3:30 PM
Alpinestars has been delivering performance of the highest level on the motocross tracks of the world for almost 50 years. Racing on Sunday and developing on Monday is a way of life at Alpinestars. Welcome to the Racer X Monday Conversation.
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Red Bull Teka KTM’s Ken Roczen is on quite a roll these days. Just eight days after winning his first career Lites supercross main event, he followed it up with a dominating 1-1 performance at the Glen Helen USGP. Roczen has now won two out of the three MX2 GPs and his future is so bright, he has to wear shades. Roczen is personable, fast, and a guaranteed future champion either in Europe and America, or both. I caught up with the 17-year-old shortly after his second moto.
Racer X Online: Kenny, great ride today. Can you tell us about it?
Ken Roczen: It was pretty good. I woke up this morning and it was raining pretty bad. The track was very muddy, and the first moto I got the holeshot and I think that was key because the track was very wet and deep everywhere. In the second moto, I got the holeshot and my teammate Jeffrey [Herlings] was right behind me the whole way. I hit my finger again (Roczen holds his bloody digits up) and I struggled a bit in the middle. Overall it was a good race and with two moto wins, what more could I possibly ask for?
Roczen has been on an absolute roll the last couple of weeks.
Photo: Carlos Aguirre
How much different was the track from the first moto to the second? It looked like a different race track altogether.
Oh yeah, totally different. They even had to water in between the motos, which was funny because of how bad the track was in the first moto. The second moto the track was much rougher and dry.
Have you ridden here a whole bunch while you’ve been here in America?
No, not at all. I was here before Bulgaria when I was testing to get ready for the GP season, but that was it. I haven’t ridden here since then. On practice day the track wasn’t even half of what this was today and it was way different for sure.
It looked like it got really rough out there in the second moto...
Yeah, it was pretty rough. It was still not too bad though!
It looks like you and Herlings are going to battle this out to the end.
Yeah, he seems like he’s going to be my main competition. He’s going to be good. This track is not too hardpack, though, and I know that’s more his style. He’s riding good, for sure, and will be there the whole way.
Roczen was dominant at Glen Helen with a 1-1 performance.
Photo: Carlos Aguirre
Do you wish there was more Americans here?
I do, it would be cool to race them. But I know their schedule and I know that it’s tough to make this race.
You’re getting pretty good at this racing in America stuff. You should stay.
Yeah, it’s good. I think, I’m pretty sure I’ll be here next year and I’m pretty excited about that.
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what! hole shot! congrats to you Ken! looking forward to seeing race here full time next year!
holeshizzzzzzot!
dingblastedsasafrasroots!!!!!
Fastest mx2 / lites rider, fact.
wwwwwwwwwwhat happened to the old web site? is this new?
I saw Kroc at the MX of Nations last year, that kid was nailing it against the MX3 riders.
Yes he is fast, Passed Short's 450 Honda on his little 250. Next few years will be fun for sure.
Kid's a stud!! .... I say we adopt him! Sorry Germany - he's ours now!!
Roczen is good stuff!! If he keeps his current attitude and personality he is gonna be a popular rider here in the states, in my opinion!! Look forward to having him here!!
Roger D is going to drag him in under his wing and rack up some US championships for KTM USA. If he can win a Lites SX race when he is really an outdoor guy, how quick would he be in the US Outdoors? Awesome.
Anyone know when next weeks AMA MX will be on SpeedTV? On their schedule it says Sunday, but racerx keeps saying it will on tv on saturday the whole year?
From what i hear "krlman", the first two motos are live on Fuel TV and on allisports.com......and the second motos air on SPEEDTV same day, saturday night.......all year!!
oops, i mean "klrman"!!
He would beat all the American MX2 riders easily, just as he did last year at the MXON, giving Canard 3-4 seconds a lap. Hearlings is a little behind, Musquin will be at his level as soon as he gets his shape back after 6 months of recovery. Incredible I'd say, since somebody keeps saying GP's are a joke, probably people who say that are a joke.
Roczen is fast becoming one of my favourite riders. The kid is super talented, and appears to be a genuine, down to earth guy. A Windham of the future?
@BILLC, He passed more than just Short. if my memory is correct, he passed everyone except Dungey and Carolli in that one moto. So quit writing it out like Short is the only guy he passed because you didnt want Short there. You wanted Stewie, and you know it. And you hate the fact that Short kicked as$ the last moto and beat everyone but Dungey. You will have some dumb arguement about this, but its true what I wrote and you know it.
@manes. please. beat them all easily?? Really, we all just watched him win only one race out of 8 here in the states. It isnt going to happen. We go through this every year. With Pourcel, (no titles) and Searle, (nothing) and Rattray(nothing ) And its the same. To say he would easily beat Barcia, Tomac, Sipes, Seely, and even non-American Wilson over the whole season is just dumb and shows your bias and jealousy towards American riders. Dont sound like such an ugly bigot and just enjoy racing, no matter were they are from.
Dude, you need a check up, to register under that nickname...there is something wrong man. First of all I don't hate America, I lived there many years and I'd like to live my life there if I could. I just tell the truth, Roczen is superior, as it was Pourcel last year, just bad luck prevented him from winning that title, the same bad luck that happened to me with Dungey. Now you say "we all just watched him win one race out of 8 here in the states": well, this is the beginning, he is on a KTM, it took some time to get it set up properly for SX. In MX there is no story, the truth is hard to take, there is no Barcia, Tomax and company who are as fast as he is. He gave 3-4 a lap to Canard last year, Canard, the MX2 championship. I am sure that Pourcel, if he had entered that race, would have been almost or as fast as Roczen. The MX1 National championship in 2010 was very scarce, with just an awesome rider named Dungey, all the others were mediocre riders and the proof is that Dungey ( a joke for some people here) during his sole National race finished 2-2, battling with Dungey who had to increase his pace to beat him. If Desalle did that, I don't have a doubt that Cairoli in perfect conditions could do even better.
I am not an American hater, I just defend the MX1 and MX2 riders against the lots of European haters, and here you bet they are, who fill this forum and who, without even watching the races, think to know the whole history of GP's, but they don't have a clue in reality.
Dungey is alot better than you give him credit for manes. And the proof in that is the Des Nations. He waxed EVERYONE is every moto he was in. And Short did too in the one he never got dropped in. The last moto he beat the Euro god Cairoli. I have never talked down some Euro riders. There are some fast ones. But Dungey is at best the 3rd fastest here in the states, and hge beat every top Euro he fased. And CAnard came alive and beat Pourcel plain and simple in several races last year. I watched them all. Yes Pourcel went down and hurt himself at Pala, but that is part of it. He could have finished the season and clinched early but couldnt beat Canard late in the season. He didnt get it done, just like he didnt get it done against Dungey. I like Roczen alot, the kid is fast. But to say nobody can touch him already is just you showing bias. The kid is a rookie here basically, and when he does move here to race tha Nationals, some of the fast guys will already have moved out. And he will be a 3 or 4 year vet. racing against rookies. Like Pourcel, Rattray, and Searle did.
KRoc is the man and at this point I would say he is definitely faster than Bubba. He throws way better whips too.
we hear this every year MANES. yes the GPs have fast riders, but overall they have not compared with US (at least for the last 15+). Many 'world champs' come over here and very few end up with championships. townley, pourcel, rattray, etc. all very good. townley couldnt even win a moto here. it is what it is my foreign friend.
BUT i will say ROCZEN is going to do some damage here.
Thanks Whatever!!! I'll be read for Saturday night then all the way! BTW, Roczen has talent there is no doubt about that. Put him on a Honda and he'll do some serious damage.
rope a dope.... Two of the last four 450 champs have been from South Africa and Australia. Pourcel's been the fastest 250 guy here for the last 2 years. It is what it is.
GUYS GUYS GUYS...calm down....why can't people just embrace good riders whatever country, religion, skin colour... they may come from.
American press once "killed " one of my all time favourites JMB ( Jean-Michelle Bayle) and made him a victim of Him VS us. People booed him during SX, throwed rocks at him at Nationals..I know I was there...and later you said he was a wuss leaving...I do think that US fans have slightly matured, thank God...Roczen is a breath of fresh air....a kid that LOVES to ride and have fun...imagine if he can bring some boost to Euro racing....we will all have better races here in the states when fast Euros comes over to try to win the big$ and Credit is...
how fun is racing if only one rider have a chance at winning ?
McChicken - How about what GP fans did to team USA at the MXDN every year? Threw rocks. Moved the track markers on them. Team USA had to ride the center of the track to stay out of reach of the fans. They were denied a practice track one year.
@McChiken, it goes both ways. It still happens to the US teams when they go to the Des Nations. They are booed and hated by Every Euro over there. Its like all Euros against the US. They cheer for every country except the US team. If thats not bigotry nothing is. They tried everthing to knock down Stewart in England. Seb Pourcel hit him several times. Fans threw bottels and rocks and it happens to them all every year. And the Euros want to cry if a very small percentage of fans chant "USA" when Carard beats Pourcel at a race. Quit being such hypocrites. The Euros HATE most US riders, escpecially at the Des Nations.
Townley won the 2007 lites east championship over Dungey. Injury pulled him down after that. Chad Reed has done pretty good here to. It's not easy to go to another country and win a championship. Just ask Mike Brown.
Never won a 450 moto.
Never won a M1 championship. All things considered he did pretty good in the states.
It is all pretty wild but, nobody goes out and kills each other like in soccer. Or do they?