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(Madera, CA, Feb 20th, 2023) – The 2023 Supermotocross series made its last stop in California this past Saturday in Oakland, California. The series will not be back in California until later this year at the LA Coliseum, in Los Angeles, on the 23rd of September, for the grand finale.
Ken Roczen had a great start in Oakland on his Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki RMZ450. He dominantly won his heat race, grabbed the hole shot, and led every lap. Unfortunately, the bike setup came into play in the main event as the race progressed. Ken was running in 4th before ultimately dropping back to 11th place.
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented Progressive Insurance rider Shane McElrath had one of his best races this season, running as high as 10th before finishing in 16th place. Kyle Chisholm finished in 18th on the night. Dilan Schwartz saw significant improvement finishing in 13th place, a good sign of things to come from the 20-year-old.
Ken Roczen #94: What a heat race! Ken Roczen got a great start and led every lap on his RM-Z 450cc Suzuki. The first heat race win of the year for Ken and the first heat race win for the team as well. Roczen carried that momentum into the main event. He got a decent start but was unable to put it together.
“We will work on improving this week and have success in Dallas,” said Ken Roczen.
Shane McElrath #12: One of the best races yet from Shane McElrath on his Twisted Tea Suzuki. In the main event, he was running around 10th for the race’s first half before ultimately falling back to 16th place.
“We had a good race day all around,” said Shane McElrath. “Today was really the first time I felt like I showed up to race. The practice was way better. I didn’t get a good start in the heat race, and that was on me. In the main, I got a better start and tried to settle in around all those fast guys. We’re working and learning every day. I’m excited about the team and the progress we are making.”
Kyle Chisholm #11: In this round, Chisholm twisted his knee during a testing session a few days before. The odds were really against Kyle. The veteran really showed us his grit and determination to race. He came up just shy of a transfer position in his heat race and was forced to race the Last Chance Qualifier. Chisholm got the job done with a 2nd in the LCQ. In the main event, with his knee reaggravated, Kyle rode the best he could, finishing in 18th place.
“Had a little bit of a rough week coming into Oakland,” said Kyle Chisholm. “I twisted my knee and was unsure if I could even ride, but I could with some therapy Thursday and Friday. The track was very technical, and the track broke down a lot. So, with my knee the way it was, I was sometimes timid to put it down. All in all, I got in the main and got thru healthy. I’m not pumped with the result, but I’m okay with it given the circumstances. I’m going to rest up and try to get my knee feeling a bit better so I am ready for Dallas.”
Dilan Schwartz #85: Excellent weekend for the 20-year-old. This past Saturday was his best race yet on his Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki RMZ 250, with 13th place. He heads into the break on a high note. We won’t see Dilan back racing for five weeks as the 250cc class switches to the East Coast.
“I feel like I’m starting to ride like myself,” said Dilan Schwartz. “It was a much better day for me. We made good improvements on the bike. I felt good all day. I was up toward the front in the heat race but made a little mistake. I was still able to make it into the main. I didn’t get the best start in the main, and I rode good for the first few laps, but then I got tight. I still improved on my finish from last time. I will continue to improve each weekend.”
“The result did not go the way wanted here,” said Team Manager Larry Brooks. “Ken Roczen won his first heat race of the year, which was a success. Unfortunately, the main event didn’t go the way we wanted. Roczen got a decent start and ran 4th for a while before dropping back into 11th. We just didn’t have the bike set up properly for him in the main event. McElrath got a decent start in the main he ran a decent position for most of it, then finished 16th in the end. Kyle Chisholm finished 18th. He has a bit of a hurt knee, so he struggled through the night. Dilan Schwartz finished 13th, which was a better night for him, but I know he can do better. So, we will return to work and try to improve because it was not the night we wanted.”
The series heads to the Lone Star State to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki rider Marshal Weltin returns to the team as the 250cc class switches back to the east coast. Racing starts at 6:00PM PST. You can catch all the action live on PEACOCK TV and follow along with us on race day through our social media channels.
