CHINO, Calif. (May 5, 2017)–As the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season draws to a close Saturday night in Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium, Justin Bogle and RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing look to finish out the season on a high note for the Suzuki RM Army.
“It’s been a long season, a difficult season,” commented Bogle. “At the same time, it was important for me, personally and professionally, to have a season like this that forced me to take a long, hard look in the mirror and give myself an honest assessment of where I’m at. It’s been an accountability check, for sure. This season has forced me to sharpen my focus and rededicate myself as a professional rider.
“I made a big move during the break a couple weeks ago. I made a lot of changes with my program. I made the decision to go to the Goat Farm and work directly with the boss (RCH team co-owner Ricky Carmichael). I feel like I was lacking in a lot of areas. I’ve been frustrated all season and decided it was time to make some changes. I feel confident and comfortable with the decisions I made. If I can have a solid night in Las Vegas, that’ll be a good way to cap off a tough season.”
While Bogle has been understandably frustrated with his sophomore season aboard a 450 and first with RCH, the 2017 season had its share of bright spots, too. In the season’s first 16 races, the 2014 Eastern Regional 250SX Class Champion earned his first 450SX Class heat win and collected a pair of top-10 finishes.
“You can’t be unrealistic and you can’t over promise,” said Bogle. “I feel like I made a lot of changes. Things don’t happen overnight or in a week or two. It takes time to adjust and get better. For it to stick, it just takes time. Realistic steps and realistic goals would be to get up in the top 10 and keep improving. Supercross is a wash but that doesn’t mean I can’t finish out strong and build some confidence before we get to the outdoor series. I’m much better than what I’ve shown. I just have to apply what I’ve been learning and we’ll be alright.”
Bogle didn’t compete in last weekend’s main event or any of the preliminary races at MetLife Stadium after the Cushing, Okla., rider suffered a hard crash during the event’s second 450SX Class timed qualifying session.
He finished 14th at Sam Boyd Stadium last year in his first full season aboard a 450 and prior to 2016, the 24-year-old rider logged a 7.5 average finish in 250SX Class competition where he notched a runner up finish in 2014.
Bogle’s RCH stablemate Broc Tickle remains sidelined for the final race of the year after sustaining a fracture in his right wrist in a practice crash last week at the team’s practice facility in Corona, Calif.
The Holly, Mich., rider earned seven top 10s this season, including his first career 450SX Class podium finish, and after sitting out last weekend, slipped to 10th in Monster Energy Supercross points.
“It’s definitely a bummer to have to sit out again this weekend,” explained Tickle. “If there’s one positive, it’s that I should be ready to go when the Pro Motocross season starts in a couple weeks. I’ll have about a month for my wrist to heal and for my whole body to recover from Supercross. I was hoping I could have picked up another spot or two in points over the last couple of Supercross races but sometimes it’s out of your control.”
Before the starting gate drops at the track, Bogle and Tickle will meet fans and sign autographs at Carter Powersports, tonight from 6 – 7 p.m. Located just minutes east of the Las Vegas Strip, Carter Powersports is a premier Suzuki dealer and proudly offers new and used motorcycles, parts and accessories, clothing and replacement parts.
The curtain rings down on the 2017 season tomorrow night where Round 17 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, will be televised live on FS1 beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 7 p.m. Pacific.
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