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Suzukis Ken Roczen Captures Race 1 Win at SMX World Championship Playoff 2
Ken Roczen Battles to an Overall Podium at the Penultimate SMX World Championship Round
Brea, CA – (September 21, 2026) – Playoff 2 of the SMX World Championship delivered exciting racing under clear skies inside Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The high-speed hybrid SX/MX track put an emphasis on starts, aggressive passes, and avoiding mistakes. Post-season competition combines the scores of two 20-minute-plus-one-lap races to determine the overall results, and this second Playoff event paid double points.
Race Highlights:
• Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear ECSTAR Suzuki
450 Class
• Ken Roczen earned his second post-season Race win and his 10th post-season Race podium.
• Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
450 Class
• Jason Anderson posted a top-three overall time in the first un-seeded qualifying session.
• Colt Nichols earned his season-best post-season Race result.
Ken Roczen (94) battled his way to the Race 1 victory and held strong for an overall podium result.
Ken Roczen (94) emerged in fourth place off the start of Race 1. Roczen was immediately aggressive and quickly moved his Suzuki RM-Z450 into second place. Roczen remained within striking distance of the top spot, and with 10 minutes left on the race clock, he took over the lead. Roczen impressively maintained 99% lap-time consistency over 25 laps en route to the win. In Race 2, Roczen crossed the holeshot stripe in seventh position. He picked off two spots before the green flag and then engaged in one of the most exciting battles of the year. Four riders contended for the overall win, and at the midpoint Roczen held second place and the overall victory. In the closing laps, the action was so tight that Roczen scrapped back and forth over a position, made contact with another frontrunner which lost him a spot, then benefited from a frontrunner’s crash – all within the span of four corners. When the checkered flag flew, Roczen's 1-4 Race scores earned him third overall. Ken Roczen retained his fourth-place standing in the SMX World Championship points and sits just 18 points down with only the triple-points-paying Final ahead.
“I'm honestly really happy with our racing day,” said Roczen. “We were actually able to [deliver] a really awesome race. In the first one we got the Race win there after some good battles. And then in the second one, I was fighting pretty hard, but I just ran out of [energy] a little bit. This was really our first, if you want to call it ‘blow-out,’ as in a really intense race. Last weekend in the mud didn't quite count in that way [of overall effort output]; it was difficult in its own way. [Today] I'm happy; it's just tough coming back after a few months [without racing], and I feel like my intensity is pretty good in the first Race and it's just not quite enough to bring it home for two Races. But I think I will get there pretty quickly. You just can't buy this intensity, you have to be out there racing and get better in that environment, and that's what we're doing. So, I can't fast forward time, but I sure will work on myself and just show up better every weekend.”
Jason Anderson (21) battled through a healing wrist injury, but he and the team ultimately opted not to contest Playoff 2.
Jason Anderson (21) was in position for a top-five result the previous weekend until another rider landed on his right wrist in the muddy event. Anderson did all he could to recover and showed impressive speed in Friday's Free Practice sessions and the opening qualifying session on race day. Unfortunately, the injury was not ready for the stresses of racing, and Anderson and the team made the tough decision not to compete.
“Last weekend I had a crash in the second Race,” Anderson stated. “I tried to do therapy all week to get ready and I could kind of ride [today], but… I feel like I'm going to put myself in a couple [dangerous] situations [and] I don't want to get hurt. With my hand, especially since it’s my throttle hand, I can't really use my front brake right now. So [we’re] going to just sit out and wait till next weekend and hopefully see you guys [at the Final].”
Colt Nichols (45) missed a transfer spot in the Wild Card race but found himself on the line for Race 2 nonetheless.
Colt Nichols (45) earned a second-place overall spot in the first un-seeded session and followed that up with a fifth-place spot in the final qualifying session. In the Wild Card race, Nichols moved into a qualifying spot but a small mistake in the sand resulted in a crash. Nichols missed a qualifying result and looked to be done for the night. Unexpectedly, two riders were not able to line up for Race 2, and Nichols jumped at the opportunity to gear up and put his Suzuki on the track. Nichols was squeezed off at the start but used his speed to gain positions and secure top-15 Race finish.
“[It was a] very, very last-minute decision down at the gate [when] they pulled me in. But I was ready and wanted to go race, so I lined up and took off,” said Nichols. “It felt like I was just coming off the couch, but overall, I think I made the most of it… I definitely still wasn't where I wanted to be, but for… jumping in I was happy with the progress and I'm happy with how I raced.”
“It was a good weekend in Los Angeles with another podium finish and Race win for Ken Roczen,” stated Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Principal Dustin Pipes. “We have an outside shot at the SuperMotocross Championship, and we are going to come into next weekend as prepared as possible to come away with a win. Jason unfortunately tried to come back a little early, so we collectively decided to sit him out after the first qualifier. Hopefully he can give it a go next weekend. Colt was able to race his way to 15th place in Race 2 and I felt he rode really well.”
The 2026 SMX World Championship will be decided on Saturday, September 26th inside Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, and the Suzuki team members are ready. Ken Roczen has a clear path to earning a second major title this year after already winning the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Jason Anderson will continue to recover from his wrist injury, and Colt Nichols has the speed to cap off a strong year.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
Photos by CONVRG MEDIA
About Progressive
Progressive Insurance® makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance, home insurance, and other protection needs. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us however it's most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, via the Progressive mobile app, or in-person with a local agent.
Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is the second largest personal auto insurer in the country, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers.
Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price®, Snapshot®, and HomeQuote Explorer®.
The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE: PGR
About Suzuki
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..
Brea, CA – (September 21, 2026) – Playoff 2 of the SMX World Championship delivered exciting racing under clear skies inside Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The high-speed hybrid SX/MX track put an emphasis on starts, aggressive passes, and avoiding mistakes. Post-season competition combines the scores of two 20-minute-plus-one-lap races to determine the overall results, and this second Playoff event paid double points.
Race Highlights:
• Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear ECSTAR Suzuki
450 Class
• Ken Roczen earned his second post-season Race win and his 10th post-season Race podium.
• Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
450 Class
• Jason Anderson posted a top-three overall time in the first un-seeded qualifying session.
• Colt Nichols earned his season-best post-season Race result.
Ken Roczen (94) battled his way to the Race 1 victory and held strong for an overall podium result.
Ken Roczen (94) emerged in fourth place off the start of Race 1. Roczen was immediately aggressive and quickly moved his Suzuki RM-Z450 into second place. Roczen remained within striking distance of the top spot, and with 10 minutes left on the race clock, he took over the lead. Roczen impressively maintained 99% lap-time consistency over 25 laps en route to the win. In Race 2, Roczen crossed the holeshot stripe in seventh position. He picked off two spots before the green flag and then engaged in one of the most exciting battles of the year. Four riders contended for the overall win, and at the midpoint Roczen held second place and the overall victory. In the closing laps, the action was so tight that Roczen scrapped back and forth over a position, made contact with another frontrunner which lost him a spot, then benefited from a frontrunner’s crash – all within the span of four corners. When the checkered flag flew, Roczen's 1-4 Race scores earned him third overall. Ken Roczen retained his fourth-place standing in the SMX World Championship points and sits just 18 points down with only the triple-points-paying Final ahead.
“I'm honestly really happy with our racing day,” said Roczen. “We were actually able to [deliver] a really awesome race. In the first one we got the Race win there after some good battles. And then in the second one, I was fighting pretty hard, but I just ran out of [energy] a little bit. This was really our first, if you want to call it ‘blow-out,’ as in a really intense race. Last weekend in the mud didn't quite count in that way [of overall effort output]; it was difficult in its own way. [Today] I'm happy; it's just tough coming back after a few months [without racing], and I feel like my intensity is pretty good in the first Race and it's just not quite enough to bring it home for two Races. But I think I will get there pretty quickly. You just can't buy this intensity, you have to be out there racing and get better in that environment, and that's what we're doing. So, I can't fast forward time, but I sure will work on myself and just show up better every weekend.”
Jason Anderson (21) battled through a healing wrist injury, but he and the team ultimately opted not to contest Playoff 2.
Jason Anderson (21) was in position for a top-five result the previous weekend until another rider landed on his right wrist in the muddy event. Anderson did all he could to recover and showed impressive speed in Friday's Free Practice sessions and the opening qualifying session on race day. Unfortunately, the injury was not ready for the stresses of racing, and Anderson and the team made the tough decision not to compete.
“Last weekend I had a crash in the second Race,” Anderson stated. “I tried to do therapy all week to get ready and I could kind of ride [today], but… I feel like I'm going to put myself in a couple [dangerous] situations [and] I don't want to get hurt. With my hand, especially since it’s my throttle hand, I can't really use my front brake right now. So [we’re] going to just sit out and wait till next weekend and hopefully see you guys [at the Final].”
Colt Nichols (45) missed a transfer spot in the Wild Card race but found himself on the line for Race 2 nonetheless.
Colt Nichols (45) earned a second-place overall spot in the first un-seeded session and followed that up with a fifth-place spot in the final qualifying session. In the Wild Card race, Nichols moved into a qualifying spot but a small mistake in the sand resulted in a crash. Nichols missed a qualifying result and looked to be done for the night. Unexpectedly, two riders were not able to line up for Race 2, and Nichols jumped at the opportunity to gear up and put his Suzuki on the track. Nichols was squeezed off at the start but used his speed to gain positions and secure top-15 Race finish.
“[It was a] very, very last-minute decision down at the gate [when] they pulled me in. But I was ready and wanted to go race, so I lined up and took off,” said Nichols. “It felt like I was just coming off the couch, but overall, I think I made the most of it… I definitely still wasn't where I wanted to be, but for… jumping in I was happy with the progress and I'm happy with how I raced.”
“It was a good weekend in Los Angeles with another podium finish and Race win for Ken Roczen,” stated Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Principal Dustin Pipes. “We have an outside shot at the SuperMotocross Championship, and we are going to come into next weekend as prepared as possible to come away with a win. Jason unfortunately tried to come back a little early, so we collectively decided to sit him out after the first qualifier. Hopefully he can give it a go next weekend. Colt was able to race his way to 15th place in Race 2 and I felt he rode really well.”
The 2026 SMX World Championship will be decided on Saturday, September 26th inside Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, and the Suzuki team members are ready. Ken Roczen has a clear path to earning a second major title this year after already winning the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Jason Anderson will continue to recover from his wrist injury, and Colt Nichols has the speed to cap off a strong year.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
Photos by CONVRG MEDIA
About Progressive
Progressive Insurance® makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance, home insurance, and other protection needs. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us however it's most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, via the Progressive mobile app, or in-person with a local agent.
Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is the second largest personal auto insurer in the country, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers.
Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price®, Snapshot®, and HomeQuote Explorer®.
The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE: PGR
About Suzuki
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..
