Suzukis Ken Roczen Battles to Fourth Place at SMX World Championship Final

Roczen and Nichols Finish Strong on SX/MX Track Built Within Thunder Ridge Nature Arena.

Brea, CA – (September 28, 2026) – The SMX World Championship Final wrapped up the 31-round series on a hybrid SX/MX track built solely for the occasion inside the spectacular Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. The track combined high-speed sand sections with steep Supercross obstacles for a challenging gauntlet for a dramatic conclusion to the Supercross and motocross seasons, along with the SMX Playoffs. Clear skies during the day gave way to rain that turned the track treacherous and slick for the final Motos of the 2026 series.
 
Race Highlights:
• Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear ECSTAR Suzuki 
o 450 Class 
 Ken Roczen earned a second-place Moto score and wrapped up the season with a fourth-place overall result at the event and in the series’ final standings.
• Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance 
o 450 Class 
 Colt Nichols delivered several season-best performances, including best Moto and overall post-season results.
 Jason Anderson was in attendance to greet the fans and support the team while his injury from Playoff 1 heals.
 

Ken Roczen (94) had the pace to win Moto 1 with an impressive surge in the final laps; he settled for second place as the lead pack ran into lapped riders.

Ken Roczen (94) showed that he still had the speed at Round 31 that had earned him the Monster Energy AMA Supercross title at round 17. After sitting out the entire summer motocross season, Roczen has been brilliant in post-season racing. In Ridgedale, Roczen posted his best post-season results in the second qualifying session and in overall qualifying. In Moto 1, Roczen put his Suzuki RM-Z450’s power down into the deep-tilled start straight to earn a second-place spot at the holeshot stripe. Roczen maintained his position, then put on a charge in the final seven laps of the 17-lap race. Roczen moved to within one bike length of the lead, but lapped traffic impeded his charge to the front. In the second Moto, a small mistake off the gate put Roczen back to 17th place at the holeshot stripe. Roczen took advantage of his Suzuki’s track toughness to slice through the pack; he was the top Hard Charger and gained 12 spots. Roczen reached fifth place by lap seven out of 17 laps and held the spot to the final checkered flag of the SMX World Championship. Roczen’s 2-5 Moto scores gave him fourth place at the Final and also fourth place in the final 450SMX Class standings.  

“I had a really good first Moto out here,” said Roczen. “I was running second and closed right up on the leader, but lapped traffic affected the battle at the end. It was a strong ride and I was happy to come away with second. In the second Moto, I hit a bump off the gate and had a terrible start, so I had to fight my way through the pack. I also tweaked my wrist early in the race, and the jump landings were really taking a toll as the track broke down. We gave it everything we had, finished fifth in the Moto and fourth in the championship, and had a lot of fun doing it. Overall, it was a good day.”



Colt Nichols (45) capped his 2026 season strong with a top-ten result in the final Moto of the SMX World Championship.

Colt Nichols (45) posted times in both qualifying sessions that were inside the top five for the un-seeded sessions and strong enough to break into the top-15 overall. Nichols started the racing with a mid-pack start in Moto 1 and battled through the 17 laps to a top-fifteen result. In the second Moto, Nichols pulled a tenth-place start and held the spot to complete the series with a top-ten Moto; it was good for an 11th-place overall result. The Final’s triple-points payout moved Nichols up ten places in the final SMX World Championship standings.
 
“The last SMX race here in [Ridgedale] was good for me,” stated Nichols. “I went 14-10 for 11th [overall]. [It was the] best race I've had in a while, and I felt like I actually rode a lot more of where I was supposed to be at [this season]. So [it was a] really fun night, an awesome day with the team, [and I’m] gonna miss all you guys.”
 
“I'm not going to be racing today; my injury from the first round is lingering,” said Jason Anderson, who was at the event with the team. “Right now I'm going to be geared up for World Supercross and [I’m] excited to get back on the bike.”
 
“We’re glad to wrap up the season with Ken and Colt healthy,” said Dustin Pipes, Team Principal for Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance. “Ken had a shot at the win in the first Moto until some lappers played a factor in the outcome. Colt raced to a top 10 in the second Moto, and it was good to see him finish off the playoffs with a good Moto. Prep for 2027 starts now.”
 
The Suzuki riders and team members can reflect upon a strong showing in the fourth running of the sport’s post-season events. Jason Anderson is the reigning WSX Champion; as his injury from Playoff 1 heals he looks forward to defending that title aboard his RM-Z450. The entire Suzuki group thanks the fans for the unprecedented support that made the 2026 racing season a special one for the brand and for Ken Roczen, who earned five Supercross victories on his way to winning his first 450SX Class Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, aboard the brand that launched his professional racing career in 2009.
 
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.

Photos by CONVRG MEDIA

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Suzuki Motor USA, LLC (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.