A note about Barcia winning the opener in Houston in 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no supercross races were allowed in California that year, so round one of 2021 took place in Texas. Red Bull though, famously, rented out Angel Stadium and shot a fake video of Barcia winning in Anaheim anyway! The video came out a few days before the real opener in Houston, and Barcia delivered again by winning the real race! 

At that 2021 race in Houston, it was actually Barcia and Roczen battling each other for the victory. Quite the debut for GasGas!

The recent opening rounds that did not go to these two? Each of the following riders have one opening round win since 2014: Jason Anderson (2016), Marvin Musquin (2018), Eli Tomac (2023), and Jett Lawrence (2024). 

Another interesting thing about Roczen and Barcia’s opening round wins: Roczen won the opener and at least one more race in three of his four seasons with an opening win, whereas Barcia did not win any more races in the three years he won an opener. Roczen won the opener plus at least one other race in 2014, 2015, and 2017 (he sure seemed headed to a lot of wins in 2017 after taking the first two rounds, but then came his near career-ending injury at the third round). Barcia had two wins as a rookie in 2013, but he did not win the opener that season.

So, these guys have been the opening-round masters of the field. Two questions: 1) Can either Roczen or Barcia get that opening-round magic back? And 2) if so, could they carry it to more wins throughout 2025?

Ken Roczen 450SX Opening Round Results Each Year

Justin Barcia 450SX Opening Round Results Each Year

Note: Barcia missed the first six rounds of the 2017 season.