450 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ken
Roczen. Preseason hype focused on the
arrival of three big-name rookies to the
450 class—Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen and
Wil Hahn. All had worthwhile credentials as past 250 Supercross regional
champions. Given the stacked 450 field
of established veterans, the rookies had
their work cut out for them. Who rose
to the top? Ken Roczen. The KTM sensation took a surprise win at Anaheim
1, held the points lead through Anaheim
2 and won in Atlanta. A first-turn crash
the following weekend in Indianapolis
destroyed his dream of winning the 450
Supercross title in his first attempt. As is
the case with most racers who step up
to a 17-round schedule from a nine-race
250 regional series, the grind of traveling
and racing for 15 weekends in a row
was punishment for Ken Roczen.
Of course, that marathon is something
that Eli Tomac and Wil Hahn would
have welcomed. Tomac didn’t make it
through the opening round before going
out with a rotator cuff contusion. Eli
battled through pain to land on the
podium when he came back, but his
rookie campaign was marred by injuries.
As for Wil Hahn, the Geico Honda rider
was an eighth- to tenth-place finisher.
Then St. Louis happened. Hahn mistimed a rhythm section and was ejected
violently from his bike. He suffered a
broken right humerus and collarbone,
as well as a cracked skull. Wil Hahn is
proof that Supercross is a brutal sport.
