Image: Supplied.

Newly-appointed series leader Ken Roczen has downplayed the aggressive pass that defending champion Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) made on him at Glendale’s second round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship on Saturday night.

Following a red-flag caused by Malcolm Stewart’s (Smarttop Bull Frog Spas MotoConcepts Honda) heavy fall, the race was restarted under a staggered start procedure with Roczen at the front, although the Honda HRC ace was taken down just a number of laps in by Anderson, relegating him the fourth.

The German import recovered from the incident, rebounding to third while taking hold of the championship, as Anderson was later demoted to second when he was passed in the closing stages by Blake Baggett (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM) to capture his maiden victory in the premier class.

“We’re racing, you know,” Roczen stated. “I didn’t think of him diving in there like that – I didn’t hear him either – the ruts in the last couple of years I feel like go up and hook down pretty sharply, so I was committed to the inside rut there and saw a white bike.

“I went down and tried to get up as quick as possible, luckily my bike was still running. Once I got going and went over the finish line I knew I was in fourth – the front two guys had a little bit of a gap on me, so I was just trying to get on the podium.”

Roczen holds a one-point lead over round one winner Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha), who managed a sixth place finish in the 18-lap encounter.