TICKLE CLAIMS BEST FINISH OF 2013 MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS SEASON AT ANGEL STADIUM

January 20, 2013

ANAHEIM, CA (January 20, 2013) - Broc Tickle claimed his best finish of the AMA Monster Energy Supercross season Saturday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. He finished 11th in the Main Event on his No. 20 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/RCH Racing/Bel- Ray/Suzuki RM-Z450.

Tickle was upbeat about his night despite having a few issues off the start in Turn 1.

"Looking back now, I think that I should have lined up to the outside and ripped the corner a little bit better," said Tickle. "I got all bunched up with everyone trying to get through Turn 1. It just cost me too many positions. We tried to attack the first turn and just ran out of room. We finished 11th. It’s another week of improvement for the No. 20 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/RCH Racing/Bel-Ray/Suzuki RM-Z450 team.

"I thought that I came out of the gate really good. We just didn’t have a good angle getting into Turn 1 and maybe should have lined up outside more. The Suzuki launched well and I felt great. Just a lot of guys trying to fight for the same real estate and got pinched a bit."

Tickle started 11th in the 20-lap Main Event. He was crowded off the track on the first lap and fell back to 16th. However, he rebounded and found himself in contention for a top-10 finish at the end of the race.

"On the first lap, I was making some good passes and a guy ran me off (the track) and I dropped all the way down to 16th," said Tickle. "From there, I just started to put my laps down and wanted to be smooth. The track was pretty slippery and technical. I tried to carry as much speed as I could.

"I feel like the puzzle isn’t put together yet. We’re gaining on it; we just don’t have all the pieces together yet. We’re getting closer. I still think that I should be running up in the top five."

The Holly, Mich., native started fifth in the second 450 SX Heat Race and posted a sixth-place finish in the eight-lap dash. Tickle comfortably transferred into the Main Event (the top nine finishers from each heat automatically qualify), earning his third Main Event start this season.

"I actually thought that I should have come out of the first corner in second," said Tickle. "I just ran a little bit wide and into the tuff block. I was running fourth and then (Chad) Reed caught me. I struggled a bit connecting with the track. I had a great start when the gate dropped and that was a real positive for us. We’re just going to keep working at it and get this team running up front.

"I feel like the stuff that we worked on this week really showed today. I was relaxed at the gate and made sure that when the board goes sideways at the gate that I give myself a few seconds to relax and just get my composure. I did that and I felt that my starts were better. We just didn’t have that great of a starting spot at the gate and got caught up into some guys trying to power through Turn 1. We certainly made progress."

Tickle moved up to 13th in the series point standings, 10 behind Josh Grant in 10th.

Ryan Villopoto won the Main Event, his first victory of the 2013 season. Rounding out the podium finishers were Trey Canard (second-place) and Chad Reed (third-place). David Millsaps has a three-point advantage over Trey Canard in the series point chase.

The next event for the Monster Energy Supercross Series is Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Oakland-Alameda (Calif.) County Coliseum.

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