Certainly Ken Roczen would have preferred winning the last three years but without the drought, injuries and doubt he could have never felt what he did on Saturday.
It wasn't a Championship run but little else comes closer. And, he did it in dominating style, passing Zach Osborne after the first lap and checked out the rest of the way.
After limb altering and career threatening injuries that sidelined Roczen for much of the 2017 and 2018 Monster Energy Supercross seasons, Roczen finally crossed the checkers first - three years to the round - taking Round 2 of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross series on Saturday in St. Louis The Dome at America's Center. The last time Roczen won a 450 class Supercross race was San Diego Round 2 in 2017, a week before that infamous launch out of the seat of his Honda which resulted in months of surgeries and rehabilitation to his left arm just to get back on a dirt bike.
Roczen was over the injury talk long ago, though he followed that crash with another the next year breaking his right hand and all the while remained a contender. Last year he held the #1 plate for a bit but already 2020 seems sweeter as he cozies up behind Justin Barcia in second-place in the standings.
Speaking of Barcia, he followed his Round 1 win with a second-place and Jason Anderson rounded out the podium in third.
In the 250 West class, Austin Forkner got his first win in a dominating performance reminiscent of last year before a crash in Indianapolis resulted in a torn ACL which ended his 2019 season and likely Championship run in the 250 East class. Justin Cooper, who won last week, finished second and Brandon Hartranft rounded out the podium.
Supercross heads back to Anaheim for Round 3 on Saturday. Until then, check out all the action from Round 2 in St. Louis. Photos by Ryne Swanberg.
2020 St. Louis Supercross
