RCH SOARING EAGLE TEAM GOES BIG IN DALLAS
RCH Soaring Eagle Team Goes Big At Dallas Supercross
Broc Tickle And Josh Hill Put In Best Races Of The Season
Arlington, TX (February 17, 2014) – Everything is bigger in Texas! The home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium had a bigger crowd (80,000 seats), bigger JumboTron and bigger expectations than any race in the first half of the 2014 series. The RCH Soaring Eagle Supercross Team definitely was looking to go big in Big D• and they delivered! Both Josh Hill #75 and Broc Tickle #20 qualified well and both made it into the main. And with all the big expectations on the line, the RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s both finished inside the top 10.
The day in Big D began well when RCH Racing duo of Hill and Tickle qualified 7th and 8th just behind 2010 champ Ryan Dungey. ‘The guys have been putting in the work,’ said RCH principal Ricky Carmichael, back in the broadcast booth for the first time in a couple of weeks. ‘They just need to get better starts,’ said the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in the broadcast booth somewhat prophetically.
Heat #1saw Broc Tickle with the fourth gate pick. When the race started, two Suzuki’s were running in the top three• unfortunately for RCH, it was James Stewart and privateer Weston Peick. Tickle was mired in a mid-pack start. He moved up quickly, but despite dicing with Dungey and Eli Tomac all race long, both Tickle and Tomac were relegated to riding the semi. ‘The day started off good with decent practice times and a relaxed vibe. The heat went well and I rode great, but with only four riders transferring, I still had to go to the semi,’ said Tickle simply.
Like Tickle, Heat #2 saw teammate Josh Hill with the fourth gate pick. However Hill had a great start, just getting nipped by defending SX series champ Ryan Villopoto for the holeshot. When RV bobbled on the third lap, Josh jumped into the lead. Mike Alessi attempted a pass which let Ken Roczen get by both of them for first, then lappers slowed Hill up enabling RV to get back by for second. (RV set the fastest lap of the heat races when he went by Josh). Hill then settled in for a solid third ahead of Alessi and went straight to the main. ‘We made some improvements on the bike and on my starts,’ said Hill. ‘It was nice to get up into the mix and lead the heat race, not to mention qualifying straight to the main from it.’
Learning from his heat race, Tickle took 5th at start of 450 Semi #1• and immediately went on a charge. He moved up to third with two laps to go and then into second at the checkers just behind Wil Hahn. Definitely demonstrating his speed from qualifying and the first heat race (BT #20 set the 6th fastest lap time out of both the heats), both Tickle and Hill were ready for the main. ‘ I didn’t get the best start in the semi,’ Broc admits. ‘But I had the speed to work my way into 2nd to transfer to the main.’
When the gate dropped for the 450 main event, both RCH Racing Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s were inside the top 10 with decent starts. Within the first couple laps, Tickle and Hill were running in 7th and 8th respectively. At the half-way point in the 20 lap event, Hill began suffering the effects of his surgically repaired collarbone and not enough time on the bike as Wil Hahn got between the two RCH Soaring Eagle teamsters. When the checkered flag fell, it was Tickle taking 7th and Hill finishing in 9th.
After a crash in practice, Hill was riding in some pain in the main. ‘I need to stay off the ground,’ claims Josh. ‘I was riding in a lot of pain and couldn’t push as hard as I wanted to when Wil went by. I’ll rest up and get back after it in Atlanta!’
‘The main was tough,’ said Tickle, echoing his teammate’s earlier comments. ‘The track was chewed up, slippery and bumpy• very technical. I came around first lap in 8th and rode to a 7th. Best finish for me this year and I can keep building from here. I am looking forward to Atlanta and all the East Coast races.’
East Coast or West Coast, the RCH Racing Soaring Eagle pit is the place to be before each Supercross race. From the Suzuki Holeshot Experience to the team autograph signing and the Soaring Eagle all expenses paid trips to the Luxury Resort, there is something for everyone! RC even jumped in and signed some autographs along with the guys during the Dallas SX stop, while co-principal Cary Hart was on hand with his musically inclined wife, Pink. Who knows what will happen at the party in the pits next week when the RCH Racing Soaring Eagle team heads to Georgia Dome in Atlanta for Round 8 on February 22.
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About RCH Racing Soaring Eagle:
RCH Racing is in its second season of the partnership between Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart. Ricky Carmichael merged his Suzuki relationship and technical development with the established five year marketing giant of Hart & Huntington Racing in 2013. The RCH Racing Soaring Eagle Team continues its partnerships with Suzuki, Fox, Dodge, Sycuan Casino, Yoshimura and Bel Ray. Stay up to date on all RCH Racing Soaring Eagle news, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @RCHRacing and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hartandhuntington.
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