Supercross
Ryan Dungey: An Epic Career Part 3
The final entry of a three-part series highlighting Ryan Dungey's historic career.
Ryan Dungey’s storybook first season on the KTM in 2012 set the stage for what was sure to be a remarkable few years for the Dungey/Decoster/KTM faithful. Surely he was set to dominate the class for the foreseeable future.
But the story didn’t quite go as speculated. 2013 and 2014 were statistically the worst of Dungey’s 450 career. Of course, they were still replete with top fives and podiums — that’s just the Dungey way. It was no mystery at this point that he was the most consistent rider in the class. No matter what was happening around him — people going slow, people going fast or people going sideways — Dungey’s mental game is so rock solid that he doesn’t deviate from his race plan.
Ryan Dungey Red Bull Teka KTM Team Shoot, 2011
© Hoppenworld.com/Red Bull Content Pool
The old homage that reverberates over and over from the mouths of MX coaches goes, “Ride your own race.” There’s no rider who freezes out the rest of the world and rides his own race like Dungey. However, many questioned his speed up against the likes of juggernauts like Ryan Villopoto or James Stewart or Ken Roczen, as well as his aggression on the track in getting around slower riders. Dungey had seemed hesitant to make passes throughout the Supercross and motocross seasons.
Following 2014, KTM released yet another Factory Edition 450 that was a huge change from the previous model. Though KTM had won the 2014 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the hands of Ken Roczen, rumors had made their way around the pits that the riders were struggling with the bike’s setup, including Dungey. The 2015 Factory Edition bike was a completely new machine, inside and out. For Dungey, it was yet another game changer. 2014 was the last season that saw Dungey with a finish outside the top five in AMA Supercross or motocross.
Ryan Dungey in 2015
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
The 2015 season was vintage Dungey — absolute consistency, and incredible speed to boot. While competitors like the reigning Pro Motocross champ Ken Roczen and then-Honda rider Eli Tomac struggled with consistency, bike setup and injuries, Dungey clicked off flawless ride after flawless ride. Furthermore, while his races were mistake-free as usual, it was his speed that was distinctly different. Dungey cut through the field like never before, making quick attacks on riders at the early stages of the race, something we were not used to seeing.
Ryan Dungey getting forward in the saddle
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
The 2015 Dungey’s newfound bravado on the track was succeeded by stellar results. Fifteen total wins and both the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross championships put the No. 1 back on the Carlos Rivera-tuned KTM.
Dungey won two more titles in his career, the 2016 and 2017 Supercross championships. 2017 marked his most hard fought battle ever against the impossibly-fast Tomac. With only two wins on the season to Tomac’s nine, Dungey once again killed ‘em with consistency. He was, as usual, the most mentally sturdy rider on the gate. Dungey’s decision to retire prior to the 2017 AMA Pro Motocross Championship came as a surprise to a lot of people — it’s not traditional for a rider to retire mid-season. But it was time for a change for the Minnesota legend. He’s had one of the most fruitful careers of all time — nine career AMA Pro titles, dozens of wins and the longest podium and top five streak in AMA history. Dungey got it done.