After going on break in early February, the action in the Western Regional 250SX series will get back under way this weekend in Seattle. Let’s take a look at where the series left off, and what we can expect in the final three races of the year.
A look at the win list out West would likely have you believing that Eli Tomac is in firm control of the series. After all, with four wins to Ken Roczen’s two, it wouldn’t be an outlandish assumption to make, but it’d be wrong. Thanks to the DNF that Tomac posted in Oakland, a result of a hard crash in the whoops, it’s Roczen who’s behind the wheel, to the tune of 17 points. With only a trio of races remaining, it’s a gap that’s so big it puts Roczen in the luxurious position of not having to race Tomac for the win for the rest of the season, but given the brewing rivalry between the two, you can bet that rolling over for Tomac isn’t a very exciting or attractive option for Roczen.
Interestingly enough, a determined-to-win Roczen actually spells hope for Tomac , whose only chances of winning the championship at this point lie in some sort of catastrophe befalling Roczen. Flash back to Seattle last year, where Tomac and Dean Wilson were engaged in a heated battle for the championship. Both intent on winning and neither one willing to concede a single millimeter to each other, the pair found themselves locked in a high-intensity race full of aggressive moves and block passes. For Wilson, both the race and his quest for a championship came to an abrupt end when a hard move from Tomac left him on the ground with a dislocated shoulder. Heroically, Wilson got back in the race and took seventh, but the damage was done, both literally and figuratively. Wilson and his sore shoulder crashed out of the next race, handing the championship to Tomac.
Tomac is known for his aggressive style, but winning the championship like that wasn’t his intent; crashes are simply bound to happen sooner or later in those types of battles, which is something Roczen knows he needs to avoid. Settling for second certainly won’t be an easy decision for Roczen to make if it comes to that, but it’s one you can count on him to make, especially since he’s got a few extra points to spend if he needs to. His lead is big enough that even if Tomac wins from here on out, Roczen can take third in each race and still win the title. Given the fact that his worst finish thus far is a second place, this shouldn’t be a problem. Barring any crashes or mechanical problems, Ken Roczen is your 2013 Western Regional 250SX Champion.