Ken Roczen’s start to the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship was looking good. The German native, and multi-time Anaheim 1 Supercross 450SX main event winner (2014, 2015, 2017, and 2022), was strong in qualifying (fourth overall) then won his heat race. But off the start of the main event, Roczen and Malcolm Stewart got collected in some first-lap carnage that saw Roczen’s back near the spinning rear wheel and hot exhaust pipe. Escaping injury and remounting with a mangled-up bike, Roczen stopped in the mechanics’ area for a quick bike tweak—much different from a regular NASCAR pit stop—but still had to ride the entirety of the main event with twisted bars. Despite the less-than-ideal start to his race and season, Roczen managed a tenth-place finish. Again, not ideal, but he escaped injury and gained valuable positions and points. A post-race release from Suzuki quoted Roczen saying:
“My night was going great! A heat race win and a good start going into the first turn, but I couldn’t turn and was midfield, and then my front tire got ripped away from me by another rider. My bike was bent, and my bar mounts were twisted. I gave everything I had but as the track got chewed up and rutty I had a hard time. I made it back to tenth and salvaged what we could. The only way I wasn’t going to finish this race was if my handlebar was ripped off. Other than that we were moving forward! Thank you to my team we will keep it cool and be ready for next weekend.”
![]()
Align Media ![]()
Align Media
Ahead of what we expect to be a weather-impacted San Francisco Supercross, we caught the #94 for a quick update.
Racer X Online: Ken, coming into last weekend, first race of the new year. Obviously, you don’t want to go down on the first lap, but you had a good fight through the field. Recap last weekend for us.
Ken Roczen: Yeah, the weekend started off really good. We were on the board every qualifying session, which was good. And then my night started off really good with the really good start in the heat. And I ended up taking that win. And it was nice to have the first gate pick in the main event. I even had a really good start in the main event. But AP [Aaron Plessinger] went in a little deep and everyone went around the inside, so I ended up being midfield and crashed in the first rhythm. It was unfortunate, wasn’t my fault, things like that can happen, but the problem was that my bike was really twisted up. So, I ended up going in the mechanics’ area and we straightened out my wheel, but my bar mounts were all twisted and really jacked up. And even while I was riding, I could swear they were moving and twisting more and more, because they weren’t solid anymore. So, I did the best I could.
The track got pretty chewed up. Actually, it was kinda soft. So, as it got ruttier, I just had a really hard time going in a straight line [with the twisted bars], especially with how cupped out the whoops were. Yeah, I just struggled a little bit, let’s put it that way, as the track got chewed up. But my mindset was I needed to finish the race as far up there as I possibly can. It’s not ideal to be that many points down right off the bat, but it is a long season, and obviously, we’re having a mudder tomorrow. I left there with a smile on my face because I did everything that I could. And I think for what cards I got delt, I was still riding well, and I just salvaged as much as I could.
I know in the preseason press conference to start the season you said you have a really good mindset coming into this year. You felt really reset physically and mentally. Even though you didn’t have a result you wanted to, you were able to charge good and you were satisfied with your effort at the end of the day.
Absolutely. I’m just happy right now. I’m pretty good physically, I’m good mentally. Even though it really didn’t go 100 percent my way, I still end up leaving there with a smile and I ended up having fun. And I was there with my family, too. And we’re healthy, too, not hurt, and that’s the absolute most important. And, yeah, I’m going to try and have that same mindset race-by-race and just see where we end up. I know we’ve said it in the past, but I think you really gotta be there and get there mentally to take it race-by-race, and I think I’m ready for that. I’m not really looking at a championship or whatever, I want to take it race-by-race. And, yeah, I just really enjoy racing my dirt bike at the moment and that’s what I’m holding onto and that’s why I’m still out here in the end.
With the incoming weather expected tomorrow, either way, bike and setting wise, did you make any changes after Anaheim 1?
No, I actually left everything the same. Tomorrow is going to be a mudder, we have a different schedule. But I am all for it. Whatever mother nature will give us, I am happy with it. I embrace these kinds of days and the rain. I think it’s all about having a good attitude and that’s what I have. Obviously, a lot of things can go wrong, a lot of things can go good. We will just have to see where we end up at the end of the night. But nonetheless, I’m going to have a blast out here.
