Image: Octopi Media.

The hybrid-type layout of ZMax Dragway’s first SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoff round was ‘nothing that new’, according to Ken Roczen after he drew comparisons with traditional speedway-based venues.

Roczen was solid on his way to second overall behind Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton and led much of the final moto, eventually going 3-3 for the runner-up after sitting out all but one round of Pro Motocross this summer.

For the HEP Suzuki rider though, despite the intention to create a truly hybrid series that would blend elements of Monster Energy Supercross while also being influenced by the higher speeds of the outdoors, he compared it to the Atlanta Motor Speedway round of the indoors.

“Honestly, it’s nothing that new, at least not for me,” Roczen explained. “At least not for this round, right? We looked at the track maps, we saw that there were rhythm sections, we had a 180-degree sweeper with some doubles. For me, it just felt very identical to an Atlanta Speedway Supercross track.

“We just had one rhythm lane instead of a couple, but we still had some bigger doubles and a triple, so I don’t think any of us are really overthinking it. Next weekend might be a little different, a little bit more motocross style, but for me, I looked at the track map, and coming here, to me it felt just like a speedway track. Really nothing new to us.”

Unlike his rivals – bar a High Point cameo – Roczen did not contest the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, meaning his only gate-drop since the Monster Energy Supercross Championship was the opening round of the World Supercross Championship (WSX) in Birmingham at the start of July, which he won.

“Every time lately that I have gone behind the gate, I have had some pretty good races,” Roczen added. “I think that goes into the bank. Obviously, I watch all of the races and I think it is important to stay engaged with the sport, not drift off of it too far.

“So I watch every weekend, I study. Just, internally it is fun for me – I really had a lot of joy figuring this thing out again. That includes watching and seeing what those guys do, same with MXGP, I pretty much watch everything… I stayed engaged.

“I kept doing my training and obviously riding, so I don’t know. I just felt right at home, honestly, I didn’t really make it a big deal that I haven’t raced in quite a long time. I felt aggressive yesterday, it was just right back to business and felt right at home.”

After entering the SMX post-season with the eighth seed, Roczen approaches playoff two in Chicagoland this Friday and Saturday positioned fifth in the 450 class standings, 14 points back from red plate-holder Sexton. It was also confirmed last week that Roczen will represent Germany at next month’s Motocross of Nations (MXoN) at Ernie, France.