Image: Octopi Media.

A P1 result in race two at Chicagoland marked Ken Roczen’s first 450SMX moto win of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) post-season, and the HEP Suzuki rider outlined the importance of set-up changes made ahead of the final outing at the second playoff.

Despite contesting just one outdoor national this year and not racing since the World Supercross Championship (WSX) opener, back in July at Birmingham, Roczen displayed no ‘ring-rust’ at Charlotte’s post-season opener on his way to second overall.

Roczen then went on to top qualifying in Chicago, but admitted the track was a lot gnarlier in the races. Not feeling entirely comfortable, he salvaged a P3 result in the first moto.

With suspension adjustments made prior to gate drop for race two, Roczen was able to keep the pressure on race-leader Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC), who controversially waved him by in the closing stages and from there the number 94 rode on to take victory.

“We made some bike adjustments throughout the day,” explained Roczen. “I wouldn’t have been able to go as fast in the second moto if I had my first moto set up, I was just not comfortable in the first one, and wasn’t able to go fast enough.

“That really switched with the second one, so I have to give a big shoutout to our suspension guy, because he hit the nail on the head. Made a little tweak after the sight lap, and yeah I was able just to race so much harder.

“I also have to say the track was way gnarlier in the races than it was in the practices. I felt like it was a freeway both days, and wasn’t really sure how much track work they were going to do. Obviously, they put man-made bumps in and it was a way gnarlier, way more technical track in the motos that’s for sure.”

On that Lawrence wave by moment, essentially the Australian thought he could bump red plate-holder Sexton back to third for the event by ensuring Roczen won the race. Additionally, he labelled it as a baby gift for Roczen, however, the number 94 ultimately would have still been second overall if he remained in P2.

Roczen entered the post-season with the eighth seed, and is just 10 points from leader Sexton ahead of the SMX finals this Friday and Saturday at LA Coliseum.