Ken Roczen celebrated with RCH Suzuki this past weekend at Budds Creek after wrapping up the 2016 AMA 450 National Championship.

2016 IRONMAN 450 NATIONAL RESULTS
1. Ken Roczen (Suz)……………… 1-1
2. Justin Barcia (Yam)……………2 2
3. Eli Tomac (Kaw)………………… 3-3
4. Marvin Musquin (KTM)…….4-4
5. Jason Anderson (Hus)………. 5-5
6. Phil Nicoletti (Yam)…………… 6-8
7. Weston Peick (Yam)………….. 8-7
8. Matt Bisceglia (Suz)…………. 11-6
9 . Fredrik Noren (Hon)…………. 9-9
10. Benny Bloss (KTM)…………. 7-11
11. Kaven Benoit (KTM)……….12-10
12. Dean Wilson (KTM)…………10-12
13. Cole Martinez (Yam)………..15-14
14. Ryan Sipes (Hus)……………….19-13
15. Cade Clason (KTM)…………..14-18

2016 450 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL POINTS STANDINGS
1. Ken Roczen (Suz)…………………584
2. Eli Tomac (Kaw)……………………498
3. Marvin Musquin (KTM)………401
4. Justin Barcia (Yam)………………360
5. Phi Nicoletti (Yam)………………..229
6. Benny Bloss (KTM)………………..228
7. Christophe Pourcel (Hus)…….217
8. Weston Peick (Yam)…………….. 197
9. Andrew Short (KTM)…………….197
10. Fredrik Noren (Hon)…………..192

Photos by Scott Mallonee

IRONMAN NATIONAL ROUND-UP

At the beginning of the season, we all hope for a riveting end to the championships like in 1996, where Jeff Emig edged out Jeremy McGrath by a mere 10 points. As recently as two years ago, Ken Roczen won his first AMA National Championship by beating teammate Ryan Dungey by only 14 points. This year, however, Ken Roczen turned the 450 title fight into a snoozefest. He wrapped up his second 450 National title a round early. Eli Tomac kept Kenny honest by winning at Southwick and Washougal, but that was about the extent of it. Still, Tomac clinched second overall in the 2016 450 standings, which isn’t too shabby. If he can gel better with the Monster Energy Kawasaki SR450, there is hope for a Tomac resurgence (remember Eli in 2015?). Even so, Ken Roczen is at an all-time high. At the press conference he threw jabs at his old trainer, Aldon Baker, and dropped the mic. And while the championship is over, there are still fans in Indianapolis who haven’t had the chance to watch the boys of summer scream around their home track. Roczen and Tomac will put on a good show, just as they have the 11 previous rounds.

Aaron Plessinger put the hammer down off the start. Notice the compressed forks and shock.

Aaron Plessinger finished the season strong. That’s his father, Scott, who was a National off-road racing legend, is next to Aaron. 

The AMA 250 National championship also wrapped up on Saturday. Unlike Ken Roczen, Cooper Webb did not go 1-1 in clinching the title. In fact, he didn’t even finish on the podium. As for teammate Alex Martin, his season has been very strong, but mechanical failures and a few crashes slowly led to a points deficit that he couldn’t overcome. Joey Savatgy has nothing to be sad about, but he’ll look back at 2016 and think, “What if?” He lost the 250 West Supercross title to Cooper Webb, and then the 250 National title slipped out of his grasp midway through the series. While Savatgy has been a serious contender, second moto DNF’s have been his Achilles heel. However, Budds Creek wasn’t all losses for the 250 riders. Zach Osborne earned his first career overall, and rookie Austin Forkner made the podium for a third consecutive race.

2016 IRONMAN 250 NATIONAL RESULTS
1. Austin Forkner (Kaw)…………..1-3
2. Aaron Plessinger (Yam)………..8-1
3. Cooper Webb (Yam)…………….5-2
4. Alex Martin (Yam)……………….. 3-4
5. Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)……..6-5
6. Arnaud Tonus (Kaw)……………..4-9
7. Mitchell Harrison (Yam)………10-6
8. Mitchell Oldenburg (KTM)…..7-13
9. Joseph Savatgy (Kaw)…………..2-34
10. Justin Hill (KTM)……………….. 15-7
11. RJ Hampshire (Hon)………….14-10
12. Bradley Taft (Yam)……………..12-14
13. Zach Osborne (Hus)………….11-15
14. Tristan Charboneau (Hon)…16-12
15. Martin Davalos (Hus)………….22-8

2016 250 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL POINTS STANDINGS
1. Cooper Webb (Yam)………………..495
2. Alex Martin (Yam)……………………422
3. Joseph Savatgy (Kaw)…………….383
4. Austin Forkner (Kaw)………………376
5. Aaron Plessinger (Yam)…………..351
6. Jeremy Martin (Yam)……………….321
7. Zach Osborne (Hus)…………………312
8. Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)………….266
9. Arnaud Tonus (Kaw)…………………243
10. Mitchell Oldenburg (KTM)……237

Ken Roczen blazed to a 1-1 finish at Budds Creekand repeated at Ironman?

450 CLASS NOTES

1. KTM has the most podiums at Ironman–three in two years. Honda, Suzuki and Husqvarna all have one podium.
2. Only European bikes have won the overall in the 450 class in any Indiana National. KTM is the only bike to win in the 450 class. The single 250 two-stroke race was won on a Bultaco by Gary Bailey in 1972.
3. Ken Roczen has led the most laps at Ironman. He has led 24 laps. Ryan Dungey has led 14, Trey Canard has led 13, Justin Barcia led three and Christophe Pourcel has led one.

Cooper Webb collected two titles this year.

250 CLASS NOTES

1. While there was an AMA National in Indiana in 1972 and 1973, there were no 125 class races in the series–just a 250 two-stroke and a 500 class.
2. Cooper Webb is the first 250 rider to win both the Supercross and AMA National Championships in the same year since 2009. Ryan Dungey was the last to do it.
3. In both 2014 and 2015 Joey Savatgy earned second overall and Jessy Nelson earned third overall. However, both were riding different bikes in 2014 and 2015. Nelson was atop a Honda in 2014 and switched to KTM in 2015. Savatgy was on KTM and switched to Honda.

Justin Brayton is the latest casualty in a string of injury victims.

450 Class

James Stewart – Bubba has a tweaked shoulder and is done for the rest of the AMA Nationals.
Trey Canard – Recovering from a practice track concussion.
Justin Brayton  – Recovering from injuries sustained at Washougal.
Ryan Dungey – Dungey’s crash at Thunder Valley looked like no big deal. He got up and finished the moto. After the fact, doctors discovered a crack in the C6 vertebrae.
Cole Seely – Out with a broken finger, which had to be plated back together. Fredrik Noren will fill in at HRC Honda.
Jason Anderson – Broke his collarbone early in the season, but has been selected for the MXDN team, so will probably make an appearance at the final National.
Christophe Pourcel – Out for the rest of the season with a fracture in C6 at Washougal.
Josh Grant – Ankle surgery cut his season short. His fill-in, Tyler Bowers,  injured his shoulder and is also out for the season.
Justin Bogle – Out for the rest of the series with a neck injury.
Blake Baggett – Re-injured his shoulder. He is out for the rest of the season.
Broc Tickle – Tickle sustained a fractured pelvis at Millville when he crashed with Weston Peick.
Ben Lamay – Torn MCL at Washougal.

250 Class

Jeremy Martin – Injured some ribs in the Savatgy vs. Webb fiasco at Washougal. He won’t return this season.
Jessy Nelson – Serious back injury and broken wrist from Unadilla. He has undergone surgery to repair T4 and T5.
Colt Nichols – A torn meniscus at Washougal. He won’t return this season.
Shane McElrath – A shoulder separation, broken ribs and a concussion at Soutwick. He won’t return this season.
Alex Frye – Troy Lee Designs’ Alex Frye sustained a torn ACL and additional torn ligaments in his knee. He will be out for the rest of the 2016 National season.
Christian Craig – Craig collided with teammate Jordon Smith at Glen Helen. In the crash, Craig broke his tib/fib.
Chase Sexton – The AMA Horizon award winner was supposed to make his Pro debut at Unadilla, but he has an avulsion fracture of the knee.
Jesse Wentland – Broken collarbone.

There is a number one hidden in Cooper Webb’s plate.

Alex Martin put in a strong ride for fourth overall.

Joey Savatgy had a strong first moto. However, he DNF’ed the second moto for the third week in a row. Since Tennessee his second motos have been dismal.

Photos by Scott Mallonee