After signing a supercross-only contract with Honda in 2004, LaRocco finished the season in third place, including a win at his hometown race at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. In 2005, he scored four podium finishes en route to a fifth place finish overall.

As fate would have it, LaRocco’s final year of racing was cut short due to a practice crash at the RCA Dome in 2006. It was supposed to be a special night for the LaRocco family as Mike and his son, Ryder, would become the first father and son to compete at an AMA Supercross race. Ryder was selected to compete in the KTM Junior Supercross Challenge, which is built into the night’s program that culminates with the premier AMA Supercross class.

“It’s always been a family sport,” said LaRocco. “I grew up traveling with my parents to the races, and now I have a family and Ryder’s traveling with me to the races. It’s something that for me has always been there one way or the other.”

Instead of playing duel roles as father and racer, LaRocco spent the entire night with his son. Donning a cast to support the broken arm sustained in the practice crash, LaRocco walked to the starting line with Ryder before the 50,000-plus Indianapolis race fans.

Ryder finished in seventh place March 4, 2006 while Dad watched on in his first night of retirement.

When asked about a book that would sum up his career, LaRocco said, “Well, it’d be a long book, that’s for sure. At some point I’d like to have it say that I tried hard and I never gave up. I’ve spent years with that attitude, and I think it’s what has taken me this far.”