Ken Roczen was asked directly if he knows if he will be racing in 2027 and what it would take running the number 1 plate in 2027 in the SMX pre-race press confrontation in LA and while he didn’t fully commit to 2027, it sounds like Roczen is edging towards returning next year.
Ken said: “Honestly, for me it was just getting racing again. I enjoyed last weekend and I am excited for this weekend and next weekend as well, I was hoping and I feel like this is what kind of gets me back in the swing of things. Obviously after the big deal of the championship, it was nice to take some time off. I was battling with that question but I didn’t give myself much time to think about it. I was busy but also I was kind of dreading that question a little bit!
“I kind of live day to day at the moment but I am taking a lot of things into consideration, Larry (Brooks) wasn’t there all year and he should be good to go for the entire season next year which would be really nice to do this thing together again. I know the fans would like to see me out there, me personally, I have never actually been able to represent the number one really well, the one time I had it outdoors, and I never had it in Supercross. I am taking all those things into consideration. I think we are moving in the right direction. “
“The longer I was away from racing the less I missed it. Of course I watched every single weekend but it was just fun for me to live a normal life for a little bit. But having said, it is exactly what I was hoping for, that when I do start racing again, like right now, you just feel back in your element and you realise this is what you want to do. I’m not going to make the decision right now that I’m going racing next year but we are trending in the right direction. It helps just being here and being involved, it makes you want to do it more.
Roczen also gave some interesting information on his he is more emotionally calm these days and doesn’t get he hyper confident highs he used to after a big win: “I don’t really get that super high confidence feeling like when I was younger, so that’s why I said if I go race again, I am going to pretend that I don’t have a championship. That means show up, be the best version of yourself and race as if you have never gotten one and I am sticking by that, it happens naturally, I don’t know if it’s an age thing or just because of all the things I have been through, I am just just riding that high and low anymore. I am just having a good time and I feel like with the approach I am having it makes me want to be better naturally by caring a little less, so championship or not I am here to race and win, no championship is going to change that.”
