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(Madera, CA, May 8th, 2023) – Incredible round for our riders, the crew, Suzuki and Pipes Motorsports Group/H.E.P. Motorsports. Three RM-Z Suzuki 450cc finish inside the top 8 of the 450cc premiere class. Ken Roczen performed phenomenally, returning from a first-corner crash to 2nd place. Shane McElrath got the holeshot and put his Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Suzuki, presented by Progressive Insurance, out front for the entire main event finishing in 5th place. Kyle Chisholm got the holeshot in his heat race and rode great with a solid main event finish in 8th place. Dilan Schwartz had his best finish of the season with 11th place on his RM-Z 250cc Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki.
Ken Roczen #94: Truly a phenomenal race from Ken Roczen. After crashing in the main event’s first corner and navigating through some down riders in turn two, Ken found himself dead last and far from the front. Roczen took things to another level over the course of the next 20 minutes + 2 laps. Passing nearly the entire field, Ken worked his way up to 2nd before it was all said and done. He now sits 2 points out of 3rd place in championship points with one round to go.
“What a day,” said Ken Roczen, “We made a lot of adjustments to the motor due to altitude. Every single practice, we made some changes.
Couldn’t be happier with how my bike was running, with suspension, and everything. All the work has really paid off. We had a mental main event, unfortunately, went down in the first turn and got caught up in the second turn as well. I had to come thru the field. I ended up 2nd, even catching Chase at one point. Riding-wise, this is the best I’ve ridden in a long time. I’m very thankful for today, and I am super stoked about the team and how we handled everything. It’s a little bit surreal because Its been a long time since I’ve had a supercross season like I am right now, getting better towards the end. I am truly enjoying it and trying to take the momentum into every single weekend. I am stoked with everything.”
Shane McElrath #12: A personal best in the 450cc premiere class for Shane, getting the holeshot in the main event. Shane rode incredibly well, staying in the front of the pack and finishing 5th overall.
“We came to race tonight,” said Shane McElrath, “We had a really good week this week. This week I threw my hands up and trusted in the team. It was really good. I felt like I raced hard and did my job. That’s something I’ve been looking for 3 years since coming into the 450cc class. All day today, I felt good; I felt like I was getting better. I never changed my suspension all day. Im happy with feeling good on the bike and racing hard. The bike was really good today; I continued to learn it and continue to adapt to it. It felt good to race tonight to get the holeshot. So that is what I’ve been looking for all year, and I’m looking for one more next weekend,”
Kyle Chisholm #11: Another round in the top ten for Kyle Chisholm. Getting the holeshot in his heat, racing, and bringing it home in 4th place. Kyle carried that momentum into the main event with an 8th-place finish.
“Overall, a pretty good day,” said Kyle Chisholm. “Everybody struggles here with the altitude. The bike felt good all day; the team did a great job getting the bike power pretty close to normal. I was really happy with that. The bike was working great the suspension was working great I was really happy with that. I ripped the holeshot in the heat race which was awesome. I led for a little bit till Kenny past me. I ended up 4th in the heat, which was awesome. I didn’t get the best start in the main event, but I worked my way up. I ride a pretty steady race. I ended up 8th, which is good. I was hoping to be close to the top five, but overall the team with three guys in the top ten is awesome; it shows how good the team did, giving us what we needed here this weekend. Overall happy and looking forward to finishing strong next week.
Dilan Schwartz #85: Strong race from the young Suzuki RM-Z 250cc Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki rider. Dilan experienced his best supercross event to date, qualifying 11th in the heat race and following that trend to finish 11th for the night.
“It was a good night for me,” said Dilan Schwartz “Best result of the season for me so far. I am really happy with that. My riding has improved a lot, and I’ve gained a lot of confidence, so I am also really happy with that. I’m bummed it took so long, but I’m glad I got that confidence and made it thru all the rounds, which was a big goal for me this year. I’m looking forward to next weekend.”
“Super proud of my team,” said Team Manager Larry Brooks. “This Denver Supercross was really good. All the riders qualified straight out of their heat races with holeshots, great starts, and good finishes. Then in the main event, Dilan Schwartz finished 11th and rode really good, one of his better finishes. Shane McElrath got the holeshot in the 450cc class and led it for a bit; he finished in 5th, which was his best finish ever in the 450cc class. Kyle Chisholm got a mid-pack start but was able to finish in 8th. Ken Roczen fell in the first turn and came back to 2nd place. That was an amazing ride. I am a little bit in awe still by how fast he was going and how good our bikes were working. We had three Suzuki in the top ten, which hasn’t been done in a long time. The team has been working super hard, and I am happy with how it is all paying off.”
The 2023 Monster Energy A.M.A. Supercross series is coming to a close, with the finale this Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The team is eager to finish on a high note coming off a historic weekend in Denver with three RM-Z 450cc finishing inside the top 8 of the premiere class. Expect to see another strong performance from Kyle Chisholm, Shane McElrath, and Ken Roczen continue in S.L.C. this Saturday. Racing starts at 7:00PM PST; you can catch all the action live on PEACOCK TV and follow along with our riders and team race day through our social media channels.
Partners:
TWISTED TEA/ HEP SUZUKI: Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea, Suzuki Motor of America, INC. (SMAI), Progressive Insurance, ECSTAR, FLY Racing, Western Power Sports (WPS), Mayhem Wheels, Dixxon Flannel Co, Pro Circuit, Twisted Development, SKDA Graphics, WD-40 Brand, DID, Dunlop, JE Pistons, Hinson Clutch Components, Mika Metals, DT1 Air Filters, Nissin Brake Components, Galfer Brakes, Acerbis, Boyesen, GUTS Factory Seats, Motion Pro, Matrix Concepts, Alpinestars, 100%, OGIO, Works Chassis Lab, Works Connection, Scar, ARC Levers, CV-4, Crank Works, XTRIG, Midland Tractor, Showa, record7.
Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki: Progressive Insurance, Suzuki Motor of America, INC. (SMAI), ECSTAR, FLY Racing, Western Power Sports (WPS), Mayhem Wheels, Dixxon Flannel Co, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Twisted Development, SKDA Graphics, WD-40 Brand, DID, Dunlop, JE Pistons, Hinson Clutch Components, DT1 Air Filters, Nissin Brake Components, Galfer Brakes, Acerbis, Boyesen, GUTS Factory Seats, Motion Pro, Matrix Concepts, Alpinestars, 100%, OGIO, Works Chassis Lab, Works Connection, Scar, ARC Levers, CV-4, Crank Works, XTRIG, Midland Tractor, Showa, record7.
