KEN ROCZEN INTERVIEW: I AM JUST TRYING TO ENJOY MYSELF AND NOT PUT ON A LOT OF PRESSURE

 

 

I must admit, before the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross championship season started, I didn’t have Ken Roczen battling for the title, however, the Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki rider has shown he still has what it takes. Although losing the red plate to Red Bull KTM’s Chase Sexton after the Glendale Supercross, Roczen is only two points back. we were able to talk to the father of two, who took the second moto win, and after a dramatic final lap battle in the final moto, finished third on the podium.

 

 BY JIM KIMBALL

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Ken Roczen was the winner of the 2024 Glendale Supercross and was able to win on of three main events in 2025.

KENNY, CONGRATS ON WINNING  GLENDALE MAIN, AND FINISHING ON THE PODIUM. Thank you, absolutely, I am enjoying it and taking it all in.  

HOW DO YOU PREFER THE TRIPLE CROWN FORMAT? Well, I don’t prefer it more than a normal format. It feels better winning a full main event, meaning twenty laps plus one.  There is a lot of chaos that can happen on Triple Crown nights,  that is for sure. Your goal is to execute every single start to put yourself in good positions and then see how the race unfolds. 

Ken Roczen seems to like the hardpack conditions that Glendale has to offer.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE RIDING AND RACING BETTER THAN EVER.  WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? I honestly think I am in a good sustainable mindset and when it comes down to it, I take it for what it is. I try to enjoy wherever that puts me.  You know what I mean?  Sometimes things can happen, you can get a bad start, or you tip over, so it is really about the effort that you put in.  Every weekend, I am just trying to enjoy myself and not put a lot of pressure on myself, to be honest. I  just take it for what it is, and after the racing go back home and hang out with the family. That is a nice distraction from the racing stress.

WITH THAT SAID, DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON YOURSELF IN THE PAST? No, you just change over the years.  You get older and as I said, having a family makes it a little bit easier to get away from the everyday grind. Having a family is a nice welcoming distraction for me personally.  I am turning 31 this year, and my mindset is going to be different than say when I was in my twenties. I had other issues back then and things were just different, so I did not enjoy it quite as much as I do now.  

Good starts all evening helped Ken Roczen to finish third overall.

YOU LOOKED AMAZING TAKING THE SECOND MOTO MAIN WIN, BUT IN MY MIND, YOU WERE THE BEST WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO CATCH JUSTIN BARCIA IN THE FINAL LAPS OF THE FINAL MOTO. I was made aware that I needed to pass Barcia to get on the overall podium, so I went for it. Justin was riding great, but I just knew I had to pass him. It was close, but I was able to make it happen.

LAST QUESTION, WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THIS STACKED SERIES? That is a good question.  Obviously, we are only four rounds in, and the racing has been incredible.  Everybody is firing on all cylinders. Right now, I have been one of the most consistent guys, and I am going to try to continue doing the same thing.  You know, it is going to be very important to put it on the box, and always finish top five. But I don’t know if that is going to be enough.  You know, this is a long season. We will all have our bad nights. Hopefully, we can click up some wins at some point but there are just four or five guys that are insanely good. Actually,  if you look at the whole field, there are ten guys that are just ripping right now. It is difficult but honestly, I am not worrying about it. I really am not.  I am trying to enjoy this and go into every weekend just to take it for what it is and wherever that puts me at the end of the year.  It is an exciting mindset to be in. 

Ken Roczen now sits two points out of the lead, behind Chase Sexton.