In a script too improbable for Hollywood, Ken Roczen entered Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City holding the championship points lead, with the red plate mounted to his Suzuki RM-Z450 heading into the final race of the 17-round series. The oldest rider in history to win the title had battled back from two near career-ending injuries on a machine that still has a kickstarter!
“Salt Lake is done and dusted and what a fairy tale ending it was for me and the team,” said Kickstart Kenny after clinching the title. “It took so much work to get here. Today wasn’t easy… I had an insane main event, and then just had a little bit of peace and quiet toward the end to bring it home. We won the championship tonight. This is so huge. I can’t wait to really process everything.”
“Emotionally, I think we’re all just on a high right now,” added Team Manager Larry Brooks during a post-race interview. “I am so proud of the team. When I was unplugged after the second round while going through (my) cancer treatments, they picked up the ball and ran with it. Everyone stepped up under an incredible amount of pressure and never stopped believing. I couldn’t be more proud.”
For Suzuki, the moment represented far more than a championship. “It was a validation that consistency, balance, rider confidence and purposeful engineering still matter,” noted Suzuki’s Senior VP of Marketing & Sales, Kerry Graeber. “In an era of constant change and escalating complexity, Suzuki remained committed to building a machine designed to excel at its intended purpose: winning races.”
The 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will forever be remembered as the season the yellow bike shocked the sport and reminded the entire industry what Suzuki is capable of, concluded Graeber.
