by Aaron Hansel
450 Words: Pala Raceway
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In this article…
Riders
- Ryan Villopoto
- Trey Canard
- Ryan Dungey
- Brett Metcalfe
- James Stewart
- Chad Reed
- Jake Weimer
- Chris Pourcel
Races
The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship came to a close at Pala Raceway on Saturday, marking the end of the best rookie season in AMA motocross history. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey handled Pala the same way he handled most of the other nationals this year; first overall by way of 1-1 moto finishes.
Ryan Dungey's historic season is nearly over. We say nearly, because there's one race left in Colorado next week...
Photo: Steve Cox
Throughout the course of the season, it’s been said that Dungey has had luck on his side, that he’s been at the right place at the right time, or that he’s simply taken advantage of the misfortune of other racers. While there might be a small amount of truth to these statements, the fact of the matter is that luck won’t deliver 10 of 12 overall wins, 19 of 24 moto wins, or a staggering final lead of 145 points. Ryan Dungey has become the fastest man in the world, and if this is starting to sound a lot like the 450 Words from Seattle, blame Dungey, not me; the guy was absolutely unstoppable this year.
Of course, the racing environment is set to go through some major changes before 2011, and Dungey could find his hands full with the return of Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto and James Stewart. And don’t forget about the arrival of 450 rookies to be Jake Weimer, Christophe Pourcel, and newly crowned 250 National Champ Trey Canard. With all six of these riders in the mix, you could play out a million different bench-racing scenarios, but it all boils down to two questions: Will Dungey be chasing these guys, or will they be chasing him?
I’m probably going to get shredded in the comments section for saying this, but there’s a very good chance that the other guys are going to be the ones doing the chasing. Yes, Dungey will certainly face more challenges next year, but think back over the 2010 Motocross series; when was the last time you remember Dungey riding out of control, or throwing away a great performance by making a silly mistake? Can’t think of anything? Me neither. So what does this mean? It means that Dungey hasn’t been pushed to the point where he has needed to ride on the razor’s edge, which in turn means that he’s probably got more speed stashed somewhere in his bag of tricks. That doesn’t bode well for the competition.
Brett Metcalfe is another guy who will be on a 450 for the first time at Anaheim 1.
Photo: Steve Cox
The final factor to consider is the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team’s loss of Roger DeCoster. He was the one responsible for plucking Dungey from the amateur ranks, and has been the only team manager that Dungey has ever known as a pro. How DeCoster’s absence might affect Dungey remains to be seen. Maybe Jason Weigandt can pull out his Weegey board and give us the answer.
One thing is for certain: the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship was a good one, and if you are like me, 2011 can’t get here soon enough. Get our your calendars and start counting the days. May isn’t that far off. See you next year!
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Weegie Board!! Well said and well thought out article. anyone who races or has raced will see the brilliance in your viewpoint. yzsean is blushing somewhere.
RD will make plenty of silly mistakes if everyone stays healthy. If RD is 3rd in points he will need to pucrap at some point if he wants to be #1 again and thats when crap happens. This year things went unbelieveably well for him and he had huge point leads early on and did not have to push. He is a great rider and I can't wait to see what happens next year. If he does it again with eveyone healthy (if they say that way) I will be shocked. But what are the chances of the top 5 or 6 guys finishing the hole thing in one piece? I say next year will be a WAR!! Can't wait!!!
Good point you bring up....Dungey hasn' really been pushed. Josh Grant gave him a run, but only in moto one. DeSalle made him work but Dungey took care of that too. I think hanging out at the Carmichael ranch is really paying off for Mr. Dungey. Nothing could be sweeter than seeing Bubba and the snivler Reed running behind the Dunge !! This year was a fantastic outdoor series !!
Good point of view about Dungey, He grew up but let's wait !!! I guess wil be impossible to say one who has more chance to be the winner in 2011. Aaron forgot Josh Grant, everybody knows when he decides to win, nobody can stop him.
I dont't think its fair to call Dungey a rookie. He's been pro since '06 right? Went to Des Nations, last year? Supercross Titles?.. child please.
@Braamp450, do you not understand what the term "rookie" means? It is his 1st FULL season in 450's. Do I need to go any further???
Hey Braamp450... Just like in other forms of motorsports as a professional, when you move up in class you get called a Rookie also. Yes, he is not a Rookie as terms of being a professional racer, but new to the 450 Class. Do you really understand motorsports at all?
AT LEAST WE KNOW NEXT YEAR IF DUNGEY IS SMOKING STEWART AND REED THEY WILL PROBABLY PULL OFF THE TRACK AND QUIT LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO!!
2011 450 SX … Reed, Sewart, Villopoto, Dungey, Windham, Millsaps, Short, Alessi, Grant, Hill, Weimer, Pourcel, Canard, Metcalfe, Tedesco, Brayton, Lawrence, Stroupe, Hansen, Wey, Goerke, Byrne, T-Hahn, Chisholm … 11 AMA SX Champions … 16 AMA SX Winners … 21 AMA SX/MX Winners …
2011 450 SX … Reed, Sewart, Villopoto, Dungey, Windham, Millsaps, Short, Alessi, Grant, Hill, Weimer, Pourcel, Canard, Metcalfe, Tedesco, Brayton, Lawrence, Stroupe, Hansen, Wey, Goerke, Byrne, T-Hahn, Chisholm … 11 AMA SX Champions … 16 AMA SX Winners … 21 AMA SX/MX Winners …
2011 450 SX … Reed, Sewart, Villopoto, Dungey, Windham, Millsaps, Short, Alessi, Grant, Hill, Weimer, Pourcel, Canard, Metcalfe, Tedesco, Brayton, Lawrence, Stroupe, Hansen, Wey, Goerke, Byrne, T-Hahn, Chisholm … 11 AMA SX Champions … 16 AMA SX Winners … 21 AMA SX/MX Winners …
I understand why you think he's a rookie dummy. He's just not a true rookie in my eyes. being on a factory team for years doesn't qualify you as a rookie in my book. You guys are the first ones calling the 250 class the premier class of this year too.
" do you understand motorsports"?? I understand that i'd probably lap you on your home track!
beaches!
Something that I've noticed this season is that the guys coming out of the 250 class start getting better results when they get in the 450 class. Dungey had more outdoor overalls in the first 8 races on the 450 than he did in 3 years on the 250. Metty started getting better finishes as soon as he got on the 450 too. Trey had better finishes on the 450 in SX than the 250. I'm not sure if this has just been a funny year or is the 250 class getting harder than the 450 class. Either way the 450 class next year is going to be one of the best ever.
twk101... No JS, NO REED, NO RC... Someone has to win right?? If Reed and JS raced all year RD would not have as manny wins... Champ?? Who knows but I would bet my last dollar he would not have as many wins. so yes..... Funny year.
Yes JS, Yes Reed, RC retired. 10/12 overalls. Champ=Yes I don't think the Dunge is w0rried about anyone in 2011. It will certainly be fun to find out.
Nice article. Personally, I think Stewert will only be a factor on these threds and Fuel TV. As long as he is under Larry Brooks hoodie he's done, stick a fork in him. Put him on a Honda under Kehoe or even a KTM with The Man. Thats his best shot. Then again, what do I know. Its just an opinion and we all know what they say about opinions.
BillC. I hope you meant RV not RC. I think RC retired or something. Can we also stop with the "no Reed?" since he was out there most of the year trying to repeat his opening moto results? Since Stewart doesn't like the sunshine anymore, he is a non-factor as any outdoor champion is going to hear the "No Stewie?" comments. RV is the big factor that can be talked about, but as has been said time and again, ya gotta be in it to win it. Dungey vs. Villo would have been crazy, but there is always next year.
hey BillC, I know you don't like it but Dungey did win it all this year....true story!
This line up could be close what a few of us witnessed in the mid 80's. If you weren't alive in those days, or still wearing diapers, do the names Bailey, Ward, Johnson, Barnett, O'Mara, Lechien, Hannah or Glover mean anything to you? Sit back and enjoy it, it could be epic.
I'm old enough to have witnessed DeCoster riding the Trans AM series in the late 1970's, battling the likes of Bob Hannah & Marty Smith and Dungey has qualities of all three of those Champions. Smith's fluid smooth style never seeming to over-ride the bike or the track, Hannah's desire to train more than anyone and outlast the bastards and "The Man's" sheer domination of the competition in Europe or the USA. Dungey has made a name for himself and he's just getting started!
NO WAY GARJAN111!!! When did that happen??? What did I say that was bad about your golden boy?? All I said is if there all there next year it will not be so easy. You must think he will win them all if you disagree with what I said.
BillC.......I don't want to get into a pissing match with you but I'm just tired of you and some others kicking him in the nuts all the time. Hey maybe your right, I don't think he'll win like he did this year but I think he is going to win his fair share. He proved he can ride with anyone that showed up [Stewie, Reed]. Now if they smooth the tracks out like in the past he might be in trouble cuz he seems to do better on the brutal tracks. I think what is more of a concern is his team with Decoster leaving. I hear Suzuki is in trouble so will he even be on a different bike, mechanic. When you break up a good combination sometimes it doesn't work out.
No pissing match, and i did not kick him in the nut either, (if I tried I would have hit yzsean in the back of the head!! JK) He has not proved to me yet he can beat everyone, JS only raced 2 SX's, won the first and crased out of the 2nd so we still don't know there, JS did 1 Nat and after being off the track for 8 months did well, but there we may never know because JS may never go outside again. As for Reed, Same thing 2 SX's then a few late in the year with his head not in it IMO and he was sick outdoors too, And RV was beating RD in SX even though people say he did not need to win (but aint that baggin on RV???) so not knocking RD but Still not ready to say he is the Man yet. After next year.... maybe!!
When the gate drops the Bullcrap stops, for those that aren't behind that gate your opinion is useless drivel. You want to criticize a rider then win against him first. As far as Dollar Values go you are as goods as your last result. For Dungey you have to go back a long way for his result to be less than first, Race wise and championship wise he is in first place and taking on all comers. The world comes next.
I cant wait til 2011 to see if the dunge is really for real. He is the greatest rookie in the history of mx/sx, as the records now prove. But, there has been lots of banter about the missing frontrunners, who have been out hurt all year. Will dungey shut them up ? I cannot predict what will happen, but #5 has a LOT of confidence going for him heading into A1. Remember that last A1 was supposed to be the perfect storm also, with 7,22,33,2,5,101 and look at what happened. Dungey was the ONLY man left standing when the dust cleared. I want to be optimistic about the riders all staying healthy this time, but doesn't it seem that major injuries are WAY more common than in the old days? Is it the bikes or the tracks? True, they are going faster and jumping higher, but they also have WAY better equipment, so I think its really all the same, apples for apples. I don't care who wins, I just want to see them all on the track at the same time. That would be a show.
does that aply to your opinion aswell mrwhirlwind?? lol
BillC......fair enough, but what if RD didn't win and Metty or even Short won the whole thing what would everyone be saying ? LOL.
Dungey is a rookie to the 450 class. Noone said he was a rookie pro. Good God how hard is that?? Zundapps list is O.K. but I dont think Stroupe will be in the 450's will he??
It fits right in. Dungey was able to go that fast and not get hurt for what? 3 straight championships or 4? The ironic statement was "missing frontrunners" if they are missing they aren't running in the front. Injury's and Bike failures while unfortunate are part of the equation . Surviving the obstacles while hauling the mail on a rough track is what the sport is all about All one fast lap of a smooth lap during practice earns you is a pick on the gate. All an opinion on here gives you is a chance to make yourself look bad.
Coming back from an injury is deceivingly difficult too, the bar keeps climbing and you start back not where you were when the injury happened. Just how high could the bar be right now? MXdN will show us