Josh Hill is still sidelined with injury, but Broc Tickle has a solid main event at the Anaheim III Supercross.
After an injury-filled Monster Energy AMA Supercross round in Oakland grounding half the RCH Soaring Eagle Supercross Team, the third and final Angel Stadium stop of the 2014 series on February 1 left the team in doubt about its chances for a strong showing. Even so, RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s Broc Tickle fought through his injuries and made the main event at “the home of Supercross.”
After riding a tentatively in the first qualifying session, Tickle qualified in eighth ahead of eight-time Anaheim Supercross winner Chad Reed, and the speed Tickle found in afternoon qualifying carried over into the evening racing. Tickle started second just behind Ken Roczen in the first heat race, and he was strong the throughout the heat race, but he failed to earn a direct transfer to the main event.
“My heat started out well with a second-place start, but I was struggling in the whoops and it cost me,” said Tickle said.
Tickle grabbed another great start in the semi. He was third off the line and then quickly moved into second. Justin Barcia came out of nowhere to first, but Tickle hung tough, passed Mike Alessi for second, and charged after Barcia. Although he couldn’t catch Barcia, Tickle showed he has the speed to run with the best in the business even when he is riding hurt.
“I was confident in my start from the heat and did the same in the semi,” Tickle said. “I felt I rode well to qualify for the main out of the semi.”
In the main event, Tickle was unlucky 13th at the start after getting squeezed out in the short starting straight. He moved up to 12th by third lap, then slipped back to 13th by the six lap. With seven laps left, Tickle was 11th. But not being able to ride for nearly two weeks took its toll, and Tickle didn’t have enough left in the tank to get past Ivan Tedesco and crack the top 10.
“I knew today was going be tough because I wasn’t 100%,” Tickle said after his valiant effort. “My shoulder, ribs and finger were getting weaker all night. I was definitely feeling it in the main. I’m not happy with it, but glad I’m getting healthier so I can regain the confidence I had the first two rounds. I wanted to get back out racing and start building momentum to be where I was the first two rounds.”
RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s Josh Hill said he is hoping to be cleared to ride by the next round in San Diego despite suffering a broken collarbone in Oakland.
“I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone,” Hill joked. “I was bummed I had to sit out the third Anaheim,” Hill added more seriously. “I had a surgery to repair my broken collarbone this week, and I’m amazed with the pace of my recovery. I’m going to take it day by day, but I expect to be back on the gate much sooner than we all anticipated. This is what we all love… It hurts not being out there. Nothing to do but keep making strides.”
RCH Racing Soaring Eagle team heads to San Diego for round six of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series on February 8.
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