Interviews by Steve Matthes and Jason Weigandt
Ken Roczen, Red Bull KTM, 1st in 250SX
Is it In N Out burger time?
Definitely! I’m starving, tired, grouchy…
We better keep this short then. You did win two in a row, that’s something to be happy about.
So amazing. And then I had a super good main event. I started on the right side of the box where I was not sure if that was the best thing to do. I didn’t really like all the lines on the left, but I said screw it, just do it. And I believed in myself…
You did not use that gate in the heat race?
No. I went five or six to the right. All the good guys were inside. Anyway, I came out in second place and then passed [Joey] Savatgy for the lead right away and just made it happen. Rode a solid race. The track was super sketchy out there. But I just held on, didn’t do anything stupid. Just went to the win. Another five points; that’s important.
[Martin] Davalos was pretty close for a while. Were you worried about him or did you just feel like, if I just do these laps I’ll be good?
No, I was just going to do the laps. I knew he was a little further back so I was not stressing at all.
This is the first two in a row for you ever in Supercross, right?
Yeah. It’s the first time ever for me winning two even in a full season.
That’s right, it was one and one. Anything you can point to that’s changed in the last couple weeks?
I just had good training. Had another good week. Two in a row, it feels great. Keep the momentum.
I heard from the KTM people that you are having fun this year, more fun than maybe last year?
Yeah, I definitely did. And I just feel like home right now.
Is it just getting used to living here?
Yeah, exactly. That’s what I think. -- Jason Weigandt
"I just had good training. Had another good week. Two in a row, it feels great." - Ken Roczen
Simon Cudby photo
Davi Millsaps, Rockstar Energy Racing, 2nd in 450SX
It was just a good battle. It was a good race, a smart race. I’m just pumped to be on the podium.
Consistency’s good for you, though.
I’m trying. I’m trying to be consistent as best I can. I didn’t get that great of a start but somehow came around the first turn pretty decent and a bunch of people went down which helped me out, too. So, not going to complain.
Just take me through that battle there with James and Barcia, too?
I didn’t know who was behind me. I didn’t know if was Canard, Barcia… I knew it wasn’t Reed because I could see Reed every lap. It was a good battle. James obviously has a bum knee so he’s just doing the best he can. It was fun to battle with him. He was going really good in the beginning and I think that he tweaked his knee a little bit in the rhythm section when he messed up in it. It took a little too long to get around him for everything but other than that it was a good race.
When you were right behind Dungey at the beginning, where you thinking you could get him? He was able to get away. Did you make mistakes? What happened?
I felt like we were going pretty even. I’d gain in some spots, he’d gain on me in some spots. And then I just started making a lot more mistakes and just tightened up a little bit and just kind of let him slip away. Felt like I started charging a little bit more towards the end and was reeling him back in a little bit, but then I jumped off the track which was a little hairy, but I saved her.
You went down in practice in that same spot so this was a little better.
Yeah, little better. Somehow luckily there was a split in the hay bales and I was able to jump right between it. Don’t know how I got that lucky but I did.
Your guys have been telling you a lot about believe you’re one of the guys. At this point is that even an issue anymore? You’ve had five really good races and you’re leading the points.
I’m just taking it one race at a time. I go back every week and I work and I work and I work. This was the first weekend that we ran different suspension so it was a little bit different and we have some work to do on it. But it’s definitely in the right direction and I feel like I can move forward with it. Being one of the big five, big six, big seven, big eight… we’re all fast. We’re all getting it for the win, and we all can win at any given moment. Big five is overrated; there’s more than five guys out there that can win, period. Being up on here, being on the podium, being top five, top ten, whatever, I think that every single one of them are the best in the world for sure. -- Jason Weigandt
"I’m just taking it one race at a time. I go back every week and I work and I work and I work." - Davi Millsaps
Simon Cudby photo
Martin Davalos, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, 2nd in 250SX
How’d it go? You happy with that?
Yeah, I’m pretty happy. I think I learned quite a bit. We definitely improved a lot this week with starts and everything. We have plenty of power it’s just kind of inconsistency over the gate.
Is that riding technique?
I think it’s just me trying to control the bike.
But you didn’t change the bike?
No, I didn’t change the bike. They helped me; we practiced a lot of starts. We improved on stuff. We went over the bike just to make sure everything was solid and it was. I was happy tonight. I felt like I left a lot out there. I kept Kenny honest and I learned quite a bit. I feel like I could have gotten this win tonight.
It looked that way. You were close.
It was close. But Kenny rode good. I feel like I made a couple mistakes at the end, just kind of lost intensity a little bit. If I could just work on those last laps, just put the hammer down and go for it. Tonight was great; I learned quite a bit. We’ll go back and work on some intensity stuff, some good starts, and go San Diego and try to finish this on a good note. -- Jason Weigandt
"I think it’s just a matter of running up front. You feel comfortable running up front, you put your head down and you run consistent laps. That’s going to get you what you want." - Martin Davalos
Simon Cudby photo
Justin Barcia, Team Honda Muscle Milk, 3rd in 450SX
Let’s not sugarcoat it -- two really rough weekends. You haven’t been riding much. You’ve got to be super pumped to get third and despite not riding, nice charge at the end.
I think like you said, don’t sugarcoat it because the DNFs sucked. I bumped my head hard two times and wasn’t able to ride. Luckily I was able to ride this Friday. It was nice just to get back on the bike. This weekend was a positive step in the right direction because the last two weeks were terrible. So, I feel good, happy. Glad to be back on the bike and I feel 100 percent. I put in a hard charge toward the end and I think as a rider in two weeks you’re not going to lose that months and months of training you’ve done. So I feel like I’m still strong and ready to get back into the groove of things.
How was the track tonight? It looked like it was kind of hard to pass on. You got through those guys and got away from it but looked hard to pass.
Yeah, for sure. My night went how I wanted it to go, it was 20 solid laps and wherever I ended up is where I ended up and I’d be happy with that. But I wasn’t pushing the envelope really. I stuck it in on Stewart once but nothing crazy. He made a mistake and I was able to get him. Davi made a mistake toward the end, and I almost got him, pretty close. It was a scary mistake too; he blew some hay bales all over. But good night, I had fun, and just glad to be back racing. -- Steve Matthes
"My night went how I wanted it to go, it was 20 solid laps and wherever I ended up is where I ended up and I’d be happy with that. But I wasn’t pushing the envelope really." - Justin Barcia
Simon Cudby photo
How’d it go?
Good enough for fourth place. Saw Dungey right in front of me, obviously I was right there the whole time. Just after my last couple weeks, man, I was just trying to stay up. Just tried to put some consistent laps up. I did a [pretty] good job, made a few mistakes; that rhythm section was tough. Kept losing the front end going out, but it’s a start. It gives me a lot of confidence. We’ll keep building.
So you were just trying to stay up at one point? You were just like, finish this thing.
Yeah, we’ve got to build somewhere. Not having a normal week and just having the taste of it, just to see what it feels like to be up front. Just trying to put 20 good laps, use it as a practice and keep building from there. -- Jason Weigandt
"Not having a normal week and just having the taste of it, just to see what it feels like to be up front. Just trying to put 20 good laps, use it as a practice and keep building from there." - James Stewart
Simon Cudby photo
Chad Reed, TwoTwo Motorsports Honda, 5th in 450SX
Talk about the race. First off, some people are upset saying you caused another wreck. What’d you see? What do you think about that?
There’s only so much I can do when I’m on the inside and JB [Justin Brayton] tries to jump on the inside of [Mike] Alessi and I’m already there. Similar crash two weeks in a row. Last week, both honestly, both incidents were totally racing incidents. I had the same thought process as what JB did. I was already on the inside and up against the bale. He jumped across and tried to get to the inside of Alessi and I was already there. Bummer, really. The feeling of getting a win tonight was there so I was bummed. But onwards and upwards I guess. I was happy with my ride, to be honest with you. I felt like I put my head down and came back and to be able to get back in the top five is good. I busted ass last week and to finish 12th when I should have been able to ride back into the top five like I did this week. I’m happy. We’re taking a lot of positives away from today. We made great gains with the bike. I think we’re going the right way and it’s a good time. We’re going into San Diego.
Let’s talk about last week. Were you hurt? We all thought you could ride quicker to the front.
No, I didn’t get hurt at all. I didn’t have the feeling. Honestly it just comes down to me not having a good feeling with the bike and struggling and putting yourself in a bad position on the ground. Just couldn’t find comfort, couldn’t find a rhythm to come forward last week. - Steve Matthes
"The feeling of getting a win tonight was there so I was bummed. But onwards and upwards I guess. I was happy with my ride." - Chad Reed
Simon Cudby photo
Trey Canard, Team Honda Muscle Milk, 7th in 450SX
What an eventful race for you. You’re up, you’re down, you’re up, you’re down.
I I think I ended up seventh.
I guess considering all that happened, you’ll take that?
It was kind of a rough day. First qualifying practice I bent my shifter behind my foot peg and missed half the practice and got flustered from that point. The third practice was okay. But I just wasn’t feeling it tonight. I did my best to minimize. It’s frustrating to leave after a race like this. But I’m thankful to get past it and hopefully we can move forward to go to San Diego.
Are you all right from all those crashes? Anything banged up?
Yeah, I don’t even think I actually hit the ground. I stalled the bike once and then the second time I just lost a hand and popped the rear over a berm. I might have dumped it over for a minute, but everything was good. I was pumped that I was able to stay in front of Villopoto. I think that was… I don’t know what you call it, a feather in your cap or whatever. It was good for me to turn it around the last five laps. I think I did. I’m disappointed but I’m still grateful to be here and thankful for it. - Steve Matthes
"It was kind of a rough day. First qualifying practice I bent my shifter behind my foot peg and missed half the practice and got flustered from that point." - Trey Canard
Simon Cudby photo
Justin Brayton, Toyota/JGR Yamaha, 10th in 450SX
How’d your race go? I didn’t even realize you got the holeshot because there was such chaos. How long were you up front?
I pulled the holeshot. Me and [Mike] Alessi, I beat him by maybe a foot. And he kind of went around the outside of me, had a good drive. In the third corner I went to jump back inside and [Chade] Reed was even further inside and his front wheel basically just kind of pushed my boot. His front wheel was on my boot and just shoved me over the berm. So that was short-lived. It was a bummer because I felt good all night -- heat race win, and holeshot in the main… I almost got happy too soon. I was like, it’s on, hopefully podium. And next thing you know I was over the berm.
You got 10th. Were you just way back?
Yeah, I was far behind the last place guy when I got going. It’s a bummer but there’s nothing I could do.
Was it just a racing thing?
I think it was a racing thing. I don’t think he [Reed] would ever come in and just drill me. It was just a racing incident. - Jason Weigandt
"In the third corner I went to jump back inside and [Chad] Reed was even further inside and his front wheel basically just kind of pushed my boot. His front wheel was on my boot and just shoved me over the berm." - Justin Brayton
Simon Cudby photo
