Hear from the stars of the show following round 15 of the AMA Monster Energy Supercross series.
Ken Roczen: (1st in 450SX) “I said before the first step I took on the property, “I love it”. I went to dinner here last night, and it’s definitely my favourite spot. It’s super cool around the stadium—it’s amazing. We struggled this morning a little bit with the weather and it was really muddy. But, it actually almost got too dry in some spots. We had some hard pack and some ruts that made it difficult but good for racing. We grabbed a good start in the main event, made some quick passes happen and really just rode my own race. I feel like in some spots I might have been quite slow, but it was consistent. We got away with the win tonight—the first one here [in Gillette Stadium] and I’m super stoked.”
Eli Tomac: (2nd in 450SX) “This was the first race at Gillette Stadium and I ended it on the podium. I rode like myself in the Main Event, made a few good moves in the first couple of laps and got in the mix early. I felt really good on the track and was able to do a few rhythms different than anyone else which really helped early on. After the halfway mark I had to settle in a bit but overall it was a huge improvement and I’m really happy.”
Ryan Dungey: (3rd in 450SX) “I lost a little there in the beginning from the first lap. I had a good start and was right there running first. I tried to put the tires to the ground to get that maximum traction, but I was having a hard time doing that. Ken [Roczen] got by me, then there was Eli [Tomac] and they were going for it. It was just one of those tracks that wasn’t coming as easy to me as the other ones. I was fighting it a little bit, but that’s racing—no excuses. I gave it my best. Once Jason [Anderson] got by me, I was like, “Man!” I kind of was able to settle in a little bit, get back on Jason, make the pass back by him through the whoops and settled in for third.”
Jason Anderson: (4th in 450SX) “We had some rain and it was muddy in the beginning of the day, but it cleared up for the night show. I got a heat race win and was feeling pretty good. I went into the main and was feeling great. I was battling with Dungey but lost my front brake in the process. I settled into fourth and just rode on from there.”
Justin Bogle: (6th in 450SX) “Heat race was good, got through with a second in that. Great start in the main then I made a small mistake in the first rhythm and lost some spots. Felt like I had a solid main event, just was a bit off the pace, but still progressing and still working for where I believe I can be. Ended up sixth so definitely not a bad night but obviously always want more than that.”
Josh Grant: (11th in 450SX) “The weekend went well. I struggled a little early on because of the mud, but the rain cleared up and the track was good for the races. I won my semi which is always good and gave me some momentum heading into the Main Event. I had another great start in the main that put me in a good position to mix it up early on. I couldn’t quite find my groove and it cost me early on, but I was able to settle into seventh. Near the end of the race I made a mistake in the whoops and it cost me a few spots. Overall, I’m really happy with the progress I’m making, I’m looking forward to the last two rounds and then heading outdoors.”
Martin Davalos: (1st in 250SX) “My starts were pretty good all day. My start was great in my heat race but I hit neutral in the first rhythm section, then I got squirrelly in the rut and crashed so that put me behind. I was actually dead last and came all the way back to fourth. I felt good throughout the day. The track was tough, slippery and rutted but it came out ok. In the main, my exit off the start wasn’t great but I knew I had to be consistent. I was very patient in the first turn and rode a smart race. I stayed within my limits. It was definitely hard to be up front and have Jeremy switching and trying new stuff right behind me. I felt good throughout the moto and I’m pretty pumped with this win. I had a pretty good drive in the whoops, and knew I had to be consistent in the corner and not try to rush it. It was a great race overall. I’m super pumped on the improvements and I’m excited to go to New Jersey next week.”
Jeremy Martin: (2nd in 250SX) “It’s a bummer. We had some misfortune there earlier in the season, but I’m pretty disappointed with tonight. I really wanted a win. I got that feeling at St Louis and I won. We were close tonight, but Martin [Davalos] just edged me out. I was coming through the pack. I didn’t have the best of start—I spun a little out of the gate—so I was bummed. We’re going to move forward from here, go into New Jersey and carry the momentum.”
Malcolm Stewart: (3rd in 250SX) “Overall the day turned around for sure. It was real muddy in the morning and then obviously the change was amazing, for the heat race and how the race went. The track turned out dry. The heat race went good. Won that one and that was amazing. Then we went into the main event and I got the lead really quick. I started kind of pulling away a little bit. I think I started making a couple mistakes. The track got worse and worse and I think the mistakes, it was more of the track getting to me. I felt like you got to a point you couldn’t even take the same lines every time. Fifteen laps, I think you took fifteen different lines! I had to just ride, just ride my own speed. I made a few mistakes and I let [Jeremy] Martin and [Martin] Davalos get around me, but I settled down and got on the box with third.”
Shane McElrath: (4th in 250SX) “I didn’t have many expectations when I came into the season because of the injury. I always want to be battling for the win, but wasn’t sure where I was going to fit in at the start of the season. So I’m really happy that I’m up there going after the win and podium spots.”
Tyler Bowers: (6th in 250SX) “The weekend started off with a bit of rain and mud. Practice went well for me, then in the heat I led from start to finish which was great for my confidence. In the main I had another great start from the very inside gate and came out third. I’ve spent the last few races getting caught up in the mayhem of the first five laps and it costs me later on, so I really tried to ride my own race today. I ended up sixth overall, which I know I’m better than, but I didn’t have the same issues I normally do so my confidence is up and I’m looking forward to the next race.”
Gannon Audette: (7th in 250SX) “The weekend started off with a really muddy practice. I qualified sixth, my best of the year, but then in the heat finished sixth, so I didn’t have the best gate pick moving forward. My start was a little bit off in the main so I knew I had my work cut out for me. I put my head down, made some passes and ended up in a pretty lonely seventh, where I stayed until the checkers. There’s two races left and I’m looking forward to improving for the next one!”
