Remembering Ken Roczen’s One & Only Trip to Race Loretta Lynn’s in 2008

Hurricane Mills, TN Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship (Loretta Lynn's)Amateur National Motocross Championship

With the 41st edition of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch approaching, we will spend the next few weeks running through some of the names you might not know raced Loretta Lynn’s. Of the thousands of people who have raced at the Ranch, not everyone has gone on to race at the professional level. But, several are industry members, the parents/siblings of current pro racers, people who became well-known outside of the motocross industry. So, in this year’s countdown we are going to highlight some names that make you say, “Wait, they raced at Loretta’s?!”

Let us know in the comments some names of people you recall that raced at the Ranch that might not be as well-known.

Tue Jul 13 30 Stories From the Ranch: Putting Loretta’s On the Map

Tue Jul 13 30 Stories From the Ranch: The All-Timers

We hit another foreign-born rider on top of the sport here in the U.S. in Ken Roczen. The Honda HRC rider sits third in the 450 Class standings after six rounds, and yup, the German native did compete in the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch one time—in 2008 in the MX Lites B classes (stock and modified).

Roczen first came to race pro in the U.S. in the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship where he would be competing in the West Coast Lites division. However, Roczen had made his way to the U.S. to a town in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, for the biggest amateur motocross race in the world in 2008.

Travis Baker (Yamaha) claimed the MX Lites B title with 3-2-2 finishes over AJ Catanzaro (6-6-4). Honda’s Justin Barcia went 1-19-1 for fourth overall. Other eventual big-name riders in the class included Blake Baggett (11th overall) and Christian Craig (17th overall).

In the MX Lites B Stock class, Barcia claimed the overall win (1-1-2 moto finishes) over Kawasaki-mounted Dean Wilson (2-2-1) and Catanzaro (12-3-3).

The Suzuki-mounted Roczen had three top-ten finishes in his six motos and came away with two top ten overall finishes—a ninth and tenth, respectively. It was an eye-opening experience for the then 14-year-old because of the significant differences in the USA from Europe. He set his goal to come back a few years down the road and be able to run with the front leaders with an eventual goal of racing a 450 in the top class.