Solid finish for RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing - Speedway Digest

Consistency is king in any form of racing. Always has been. Always will be.

Fresh off an opening round win last weekend in Anaheim, Ken Roczen and the RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing Team knew that a strong finish at Chase Field would be a key building block in their mission to lay claim to the 2015 AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series 450SX title.

Roczen didn’t disappoint, riding his Suzuki RM-Z450 to a runner-up finish in the second event of the season. Roczen’s RCH stablemate Broc Tickle overcame a dicey start and a mid-race miscue to finish 12th.

“We had a great night,” said Roczen, the 450SX point leader. “The track was a lot trickier than it was last weekend. I got off to a great start and that definitely helped. I wasn’t feeling it before the main event and the track was definitely not the easiest. The first 10 laps was good racing and I just tried to play it safe. Eli (Tomac) beat me straight up, but that’s ok. We finished with a second place so I think we’re all good for the championship. It’s all about being consistent.”

The 20-year-old German rider took over the lead during the main event from eventual winner Eli Tomac on the first lap and held down the top spot until Lap 6. Roczen and Tomac traded the lead for the next two laps before Tomac made it stick for good on Lap 8.

Roczen’s mechanic, Kelly Lumgair, was pleased with his rider’s effort despite being forced to race his way into the main event, via the first of two 450SX semifinals.

“I’m happy with a second,” explained Lumgair. “Ken wasn’t feeling great so finishing second on a bad night is pretty good, when you look at the big picture.”

Tickle was understandably disappointed following the event and wondered what could have been if not for a bad jump out of the starting gate.

“The main event was a cluster for me,” commented Tickle following the race. “I didn’t get a good start. I ended up with a bunch of guys in the beginning and just had to ride around for the first five laps. I made a mistake around Lap 6 and ended up doubling a triple so that cost me a position. I was creeping up there and getting faster as the main event went on, which was good, but I needed to be a little better at the beginning of the race. There was a group of guys in front of me at the end and if I would have had a better start, I think I could have been in front of them.”

Still, the 2011 Supercross West Coast Lites Champion came away from Round 2 with a plan and a checklist heading into this week’s training regimen.

“I just need to keep riding my Suzuki during the week and getting seat time,” continued Tickle. “I need to practice starts, do the basic run through of everything and just keep building. I’m frustrated because I was right there with (Jake) Weimer tonight so I could have been right in there if I hadn’t made that mistake.”

RCH co-owner Carey Hart was noticeably pleased with his team’s performance but was eager to move on from Phoenix, to Round 3, and return to the friendly confines of the season opener in Anaheim, Calif.

“Ken had a great start to the main event,” said Hart. “He got a great jump and set a good pace for the first five laps. It must have just been Tomac’s night. Broc had some trouble out of the gate and it took him a little while to get sorted out but, once he did, he made forward progress. This series is a marathon, not a sprint. I’m definitely happy for Ken with that second-place finish and we know Broc will be fine. RCH will regroup this week and come out swinging at A2. “

The 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross rolls on this weekend when the RCH contingent returns for the second of three visits to Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The third of 17 races on the 2015 Supercross schedule will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 Saturday, Jan. 17 beginning at 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.