Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News

Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • Unphiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
    • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • The Weege Show
    • Racer X Films
    • Video
    • SX Preview Shows
    • Factory Tech Tip
    • MX Preview Shows
    • Behind The Bars
    • Racer X Rapid News
  • Races
    • Series Schedules
    • TV Schedules
    • Results
    • Champions
    • Teams
    • 2022 Numbers
  • Results
    • Points Standings
    • Race Results
    • Riders
    • The Vault
    • Loretta Lynn's Vault
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • The Mag
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Customer Care
    • Current Issue
    • Newsletter
    • Store Locator
    • Subscribe
    • Free Stickers
    • Sell Racer X
  • Table of Contents
  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News
Results Archive
GNCC
Loretta Lynn's - eMTB Only
Articles
Amateur
Loretta Lynn's
Articles
MXGP of
Sweden
Articles
MXGP Results
  1. Jeremy Seewer
  2. Tim Gajser
  3. Glenn Coldenhoff
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Jago Geerts
  2. Tom Vialle
  3. Simon Laengenfelder
Full Results
Upcoming
Motocross
Unadilla
Sat Aug 13
Articles
Upcoming
MXGP of
Finland
Sun Aug 14
Articles
Upcoming
Australian MX
Queensland Moto Park
Sun Aug 14
Articles
Upcoming
Australian MX
Coolum
Sat Aug 20
Articles
Upcoming
Motocross
Budds Creek
Sat Aug 20
Articles
Upcoming
MXGP of
Charente Martime
Sun Aug 21
Articles
Full Schedule
Open Mic: Tomac and Roczen, Ready Again
Jason Weigandt

Jason Weigandt

Open Mic Tomac and Roczen, Ready Again

January 13, 2021 2:40pm
by: Jason Weigandt
  • Home
  • Open Mic
  • Eli Tomac & Ken Roczen Ready for 2021 Title Fight - Supercross

“Greatness is achieved by those with the courage to reimagine the possible and develop and innovate to redefine the limits”. This statement is the driver at Matrix Concepts. This is why, more factory and amateur teams perform their craft at the highest level with Matrix Concepts garage and track necessities. Stands, Ramps, Cans, Toolboxes, Tie Downs, Utility Cans, Work Mats & Accessories.  MATRIX CONCEPTS “ITS WHAT THE FACTORY TEAMS USE”

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Houston, TX Houston 1 (East) Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship

Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen are entering their eighth 450 season. They’ve won the races, they’ve won titles, they’ve experienced the pressure that comes with ups and downs and high expectations. This sport is changing, though, and now suddenly year eight doesn’t seem like an end, but almost a beginning for these two. For Tomac, it’s the first time he gets to play without the pressure to finally deliver a Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. That monkey is off his back. For Roczen, the health watch continues, and perhaps he’s stronger and more durable than before—and it appears he’s in a good spot, mentally, as well.

That’s what really matters. Championship windows often close only because the pressure and the work sap the motivation and the fun. Tomac and Roczen actually appear more comfortable than ever in their position.

“For now, I would say there is less pressure,” said Tomac in a Monday night press conference. “That was the big carrot I was chasing, the first championship. That first one was hanging over me for so long, being so close for two or three seasons there. To finally close it in 2020 was everything for us. This year I have huge motivation to defend it and keep that plate red as long as we can.”

Eli Tomac will run the #1 plate on his Kawasaki KX450 in the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
Eli Tomac will run the #1 plate on his Kawasaki KX450 in the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Octopi Media

A pressure-free Tomac is a scary thing for the rest of the field, because the Monster Energy Kawasaki man has proven over and over again that if he doesn’t get in his own way, he’s hard to beat.

“It felt like something clicked, almost like a mental calmness on the starting line,” said Tomac. “I never had those funky scenarios that straight-up cost me.”

Anything can happen in racing and just because Tomac won the title last year, and has won nearly half of the supercross races held in the last four seasons, it doesn’t guarantee this will be his year. We almost saw a different side during the 2020 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, when Eli had some lackluster (by his standards) motos and ultimately handed that championship over. Tomac started winning again by the end of the year, though, so much of his early-season outdoor struggles seem to point to the weirdo 2020 racing calendar. No one knew exactly when to be ready or what to be ready for, so riders came in at a different level of prep. Eli knows exactly what to do to be ready for January.

That said, a year ago he was ready for Anaheim 1 and flubbed the assignment, struggling with the bike and taking a disappointing seventh. He was back at the Kawasaki test track Monday morning after A1, and they fixed something, or everything. He was good at every race from there. Such a luxury won’t exist in 2021. Tomac said he and Kawasaki do not have a supercross track at their disposal in Texas.

“That is going to be hard,” said Tomac of staying in Texas after round one. “No, we don’t have [testing planned] so that’s just something we’re going to have to deal with. I’m on the same motorcycle as we raced last year and that’s huge for me, not really guessing. I’m kind of going with what I know from last year. That is huge. If you need to make an adjustment can you adapt? The one thing I know is I have what I had last year to go off of, and we’ll roll with it from there.”

Tomac at the 2020 Anaheim 1 Supercross opener.
Tomac at the 2020 Anaheim 1 Supercross opener. Align Media

On the other side comes Roczen, who with his new 2021 CRF450R is one of the few riders dealing with an all-new bike for the new season. As you know, every rider comes into the new season saying their bike is amazing and awesome and dialed in. Roczen is right along those lines.

“We haven’t really tested too much to be honest, I was pretty comfortable right away,” said Roczen. “I’ve been riding pretty decent on it and keeping it the same, compared to last year [when] I was chasing it a lot more. This bike is a lot more consistent, more so than last year where we were chasing settings based on the dirt. We didn’t really have to put too many hours into testing.”

Ken Roczen's 2021 Honda CRF450R.
Ken Roczen's 2021 Honda CRF450R. Simon Cudby

Honda HRC Team Manager Erik Kehoe helped explain the process.

“The platform started with Tim Gajser racing it in Europe, and he had a lot of success, and we had Trey Canard testing on the bike in supercross very early, so by the time Ken and Chase got on it, it was pretty far along. Trey, the level he’s at, he’s still very fast. I know that Ken and Chase were looking over there in the GPs watching Tim [Gajser] ride it. Lars Lindstrom does a great job as our crew chief, and we were working with Japan, talking to them every week about what they were learning with the bike.”

“The guys feel comfortable,” added Kehoe. “Going into this first round, we’re confident, but as you know, surprises do happen. We have the ability to do some riding if need be at a local track but right now, we’re feeling confident where we’re at.”

Recommended Reading

  • SX Preview Show: Episode 1 - Tomac, Webb, Roczen SX Preview Show: Episode 1 - Tomac, Webb, Roczen January 8 - 2:35pm
  • Feature: Season of Change Feature: Season of Change January 7 - 8:00pm
  • Gallery: 2021 Honda HRC Team Shoot Gallery: 2021 Honda HRC Team Shoot January 7 - 9:30am
  • Redux: Roczen, Sexton and the 2021 CRF450R Redux: Roczen, Sexton and the 2021 CRF450R January 6 - 4:30pm

The bike is only one question for Roczen. He also chose to skip Lucas Oil Pro Motocross to try to get his health in order. The rest could help, but that means his competitors will still grinding and trying to get fitter and faster by the day. Ken, not surprisingly, doesn’t have any regrets.

“Yeah, for sure, it was the best decision for me and, essentially, the team,” said Roczen. “I spent my whole off season in California for a change of pace, and with the new bike coming out, I wanted to be around the team, so they see the progression I was making and the work I’m putting in. That’s what we’ve accomplished. I’ve been super stoked being out here.”

Roczen has never shied away from the frustration of chasing his health, consistently. Last year he said all he wished for was to either win or lose a race straight up, instead of having his day decided by if he felt great or terrible, health-wise. So far, it appears he’s feeling better more consistently day-to-day.

“For the first time in a long time I just started enjoying what I’m doing again,” said Roczen. “Had a lot of consistent days. I think taking the time off during the outdoor season was definitely the right call. We’ll go from here. Things can always change in a hurry, but I’m stoked to be where I’m at.”

You can watch the entire pre-season press conference below:

Don’t Miss a Moto!

 

Sign up for our newsletter to get headlines, info, and scoops as soon as they break. As a bonus, you’ll be entered into our weekly giveaways too!

TGI Freeday - Newsletter Giveaway
By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy. Must be 18 years of age or older to win.
Forms on this page are protected by reCAPTCHA, its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • Fly Racing Racer X Podcast: Pete Fox Fly Racing Racer X Podcast: Pete Fox 1:35pm
  • SX Preview Show: Episode 4 - The Team Players SX Preview Show: Episode 4 - The Team Players 3:15pm
Presented by:
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Website
Read Now
September 2022 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The September 2022 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2022 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
designed at: Website DesignImpulse Studios