Monday Conversation: Ryan Dungey
Monday, July 9, 2012 | 12:00 PM
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PrintIt looks ho hum from the outside, but Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey keeps finding challenges every week, even if it's just a battle with the stop watch. After going 1-1 in the 450 Class of the Red Bull RedBud National, Dunge talked about it in the post-race press conference.
Racer X: On the outside it looks like the same thing for you every week. But I’m sure each race brings its own set of challenges and its own story.
Ryan Dungey: Absolutely. Like this week, having James [Stewart] back was good for me and for the series and the fans. It’s good for the racing and the sport to have everyone back, also [Tyla] Rattray, too. Coming into this race, we did some testing over July 4th, and the 5th, and I think we made some progress. It really helped us out. We had a new bike coming into the season and we’ve had to work our way through it a little bit, so with some time off we were able to capitalize on that and make some progress. Right from the start today the bike worked really well.
First moto you had a holeshot. You’ve had mostly good starts all year, but it seems like it has been a long time since we’ve seen you blast through the first turn first. How did that feel?
It was good. I knew getting out to a good start would be key. I got the holeshot in the first moto and I almost got one in the second moto, but Mike [Alessi] edged me out. It makes your life a lot easier when you can get a clean track. I like RedBud, it’s a great track for a lot of guys, it has great soil, great turns and great jumps.
So James was back, and a lot of people were wondering if you would want to race him and win, or if you would be thinking points and protecting your lead. How do you play that?
You know, it’s early to be thinking about points, but at the same time you have to be smart. You know, the game plan coming in, knowing James would be back, we were kind of back to where we were heading into Thunder Valley. We expected him to be there. Today might have been a rougher one for him, but he’s back racing so you have to give him credit. He’s going to get stronger as it goes on, so you can’t ever underestimate him. You need to be ready. So I think today, getting a good start and going strong early and seeing how it played out was key. Luckily I was able to that, because honestly even I wasn’t sure what to expect, like a lot of people.
Yeah but I think some people were theorizing that, “Dungey will just come out and get second today and let Stewart win.” But the goal is to win the races, right?
Absolutely. The goal is always to win, and you can’t let little things like that play with your mind. You know, he could push the envelope and you could have a heated battle and things can happen. There’s a lot of racing left, I know I always say that, but anything can happen and you have to be aware of that.
Talk a little about being behind Alessi in the second moto.
He edged me out for the start, and I actually got shuffled back and was in fourth for a little bit. I had to regroup. Mike was on it right from the start in that second moto, he was going good. I don’t know what lap I got him but I was eventually able to make the pass and open it up from there. He was riding really well, though.
Now you’re heading home.
Yeah, Millville is a great track. I always look forward to going back there, a lot of family and friends there. What’s also cool is we’re going to host a charity bike ride on Sunday after the race, it’s called the Minnesota Major. We’ll ride down in Minneapolis, and you can do a 23-mile ride or a 62. It’s a $50 entry, so if you have a bike, come on out and ride with us, and all of the money goes to St. Jude to help cancer research. Target has partnered up with me on this, as well as Livestrong. Sunday after Millville, starting at 8 a.m.. So come on out.
Dungey's win at RedBud marked his fourth straight.
Simon Cudby photo
We were wondering, will you go easy on everyone, or are you gonna’ ride this as if it’s training. Because I’d imagine the average guy might not be hanging with Dunge on a road bike ride.
[Laughs] Hey, I’ll just be coming off of two motos at Millville the day before! The rule is, no racing, but there is a nice little hill if you want to kick it up and see what you can do.
Last thing: we’ve noticed that when you have leads in these motos, you keep pouring it on. Who are you racing? The stopwatch? A ghost? Do you treat it as training for the day when someone is right there for the whole 30-plus 2 again?
It’s just like at home. Sometimes you find yourself in a good position and you have a nice lead, but just like at the practice track at home, you keep pushing. Your putting in 2.06s and you see the lap time bump back up to 2:07, and you challenge yourself to get it back to 2:06. That’s fun for me, you know. I like pushing myself harder than I have to sometimes, but I really feel like no lead on the track or in the points is ever safe. There are going to be guys and challenges that come up every year and you have to be ready for it. I want to know that I left doing everything I possible could, plus, when you settle, it seems like that’s when things backfire on you. Nothing will ever be enough, that’s the way I see it.
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Strong ride, Just hope to see him a JS go at it a few times before it's over then team up with Baggett for the MXD.
I am going to send one of my socks to Fro to stick in Jamie Bestwick's mouth at Millville!!! STFU dude you sound soooooooooooooo stupid when you say things like Roczen really want to win over here!!! NO CRAP??? I thought he was here on vaction!!! Thanks for clearing that up for me Jamie!!! Be sure to let Baggett and the other know as well!! WTF!!!
Dang Id be afraid to verse this guy outdoors. Hopefully RV can give him a run for his money next year, but this year is all about the Dungey show.
Now this guy know how to get it done; respectfully, silently, and with a strong work ethic!
He doesn't need to pay a big name trainer to help him, he doesn't have a bunch of controversy surrounding him, and he is not a show off!
Very nice ride Minnesooooota Boy...
RD Open a HUDGE can of Whoop A$$ on the rest of the field @ RB, I can’t believe how unbelievably HOT it was, but was still some awesome racing.
Also have to give some HUDGE PROOPS to the KTM race team, we were at the Hotel on Sunday after RB watching all the teams tear down their bikes and clean all their gear and RD Mechanic’s gave my 2 boys (13 and 10) RD #1 Rear number plate off his 450.
Thanks Guys........ They could not wipe the grins off their faces for the 4 hour ride home to MI.
Sounds to me like Dungey just said, once I get out front, I don't have any competition and I like to crush evreyone else by running 206's while they hang on to 210's,
He simply is on a different level than everyone else right now.
mattus....cool story. i like how rd wears his hat. billc...this is the wrong place to beoch about that, its about rd ahole.
I hate to agree with BillC but Bestwick is a joke...i loved the "storytell ending" line...uh, hey dumbass, its "fairytale ending" here in the good ole U.S.A
They didnt show too much footage of the Dungey in Moto 1....Was Moto 2 of the 450s even on TV saturday?
Dungey is a class act for sure, always a good interview and he looks really good on that KTM.... If you recall, the beginning of the series, Stewart and Dungey were both in a league of their own as they were both 2 and 3 seconds faster than the rest...Texas ring a bell???....Right now Dungey is alone in that league and Stewart should be back up there with him hopefully as he gets back into it.......If Stewart wasnt in the series early on, Dungey would be blowing these guys away all by himself and a 24-0 season would have been there for him.....Stewart didnt push it at Red Bud, he seemed to have some set up issues in moto 1 to me.....in the past, he would have tried to ride harder and crash.....so maybe its a sign of better decisions for him....Bestwick doesnt know moto and he talks over Weege and Emig the entire broadcast....I didnt catch his comments, but aside from that he bugs me already anyway....
@Bill C. That's the way I feel about Jeff Emig, He constantly gets lost in his sentences, and says the wrong name all the time.
I still haven't figured out why Bestwick is there he is a bicycle rider.
BillC: Why are you griping about the announcers in an article about Dungey?? Besides how many times have we heard Ralph, Emig, and Wags say the same thing? They do have to fill time, if they didn't we would just hear Emig stutter all day. 3 of my buds heard Jamie this weekend for the first time, they all thought he did fine. For not being a moto guy he pretty damn knowledgeable
Can't wait to see ya in Millville this weekend buddy! We will be down there early in the week. Keep it up! Doing MN proud.
Took a few nationals to get his bike dialed, but now he looks comfortable on it and riding similar to a young Decoster. smooth, fast and untouchable.
Someone with more time than me can double-check, but I think in one or both of the motos, Dungey had the fastest lap time every single lap. That's impressive.
Nothing like having British MXer tells us about motocross racing on US Independence Day weekend. Helpful comments like , "The track is insane" and "Brayton making moves" (as he's getting passed).
BMXer that is
Killomotto.............Spent a good 20 min. on Sunday talking to JS head mechanic when we were at the Hotel and he told us the JS got some huge arm pump in moto 1 which lead to some "get-offs", then in the second moto he just did not have the steam to push Alesie for 2nd, claimed being off the bike for 4 weeks lead to some fitness issues in the heat...........who known’s?
Hangin' out with the G.O.A.T. doesn't hurt either.
Sounds like Bagget is down at R.V.'s place and that's why he's getting better too.
just trying to get a comment on before you know who takes the column over...mf'er has lost his mind.....As for RD5..you hear alot of 'consistent , smooth..but .man Dungey can flat haul and he KNOWS how to win championships...so does RV1 and I wish they would have got to race this year....that pace would be amazing...saw RD beat RV at washougal and they were flat leanin on it..fun to watch........
In comparisons to other racers, many people fail to acknowledge Dungey's situation. He's on a new bike (to him), it's a new bike (first-year design with no catalog of settings to fall back on), a new team (the U.S. Team KTM with Decoster is two years old compared to 20+yrs. old for the others) and all this was done on faith in Roger DeCoster* (he was leaving Suzuki anyways for money issues).
NOBODY told him KTM's were awesome bikes. In fact, many said KTM's were NEVER going to have success in SX.........many people on this site right here.
This guy who enjoyed some success in 2010 (some say because the other big names weren't there) could've signed a (major) contract with ANY team and taken the money and put in the hours like some folks do at crappy jobs. Instead, this guy followed a man he believed in to a team that was barely a blip on the American MX radar, and has competed with the best this sport can muster and by some accounts (not all), is doing one heck of a job.
There's no drama coming from him on-track, off-track or in his personal life (all his drama went away with J-law).
He's thanked the lord, on national television, for his success and safety which, REALLY rubs some people the wrong way.
Parents can be confident in his ability to continue to be a positive role model.
What's not to like about this kid????
Here's the kicker......................he's still on the rise.
coolhand ..... I know because every other thread on here stick to the topic 100% RIGHT??..ahole...HAHAHA... just think in a few weeks summer vaca will be over and you will be doing the 5th grade over again!!
ronniebarnhardt think of it this way...at least for once you will be right!!! LOL
carlsbad I agree with a lot of what you said but pretty sure KTM is paying RD just as much if not more than he could have made any where else. The man was a bonus.
@BillC,, I would have to agree with you. KTM has a lot of cash....
@ Scrub-This, "You cannot (be) anointed by the "media" ". I humbly disagree. Where did all of #7's "FMOTP" hype come from? That title was heralded more than any championship ever earned. To control the media is a powerful thing. What is said should not be taken lightly.
@ BillC, eventually, the children become annoying. Apparently, it happened to Mr Mx but, I didn't see what was said.
Dungey is clearly a class act as KilloMoto stated... hard to find anything bad to say about the guy. Also very impressed that he often compliments his competitors regardless of the circumstances and never states anything to bring any drama.
Interesting to hear his comment about Stewart coming back and how good that is for the sport and the fans. Anyone who really is a moto fan should want the same and Ryan is intelligent enough to understand the importance of great competition... even if that might mean not always winning.
@ BillC, Honestly, I would have taken DeCoster over ANY rider because in time, he will build a juggernaut MX /SX team. It will be a sad day when RD1 (Scrub-This) moves away from the hands-on period of his (legendary) MX career.
I would definitely add this about KTM's contract with Dungey..........value recieved.
Congratulations to the Locomotive!!! He just keeps chugging along, picking up speed on each track. Ryan is proof that hard work can take you were you want to go. He has done a great job of keeping his head down and screwed on straight. He is smart enough to just worry about the things he can control and let the rest play out as it will. KTM does have a lot of money and it looks like they will be sharing quite a bit of it with Ryan....
Been out of town, read something to the effect of Mr Mx getting kicked off the site, Whats up can some one fill me in?
@Scrub-This,, Hmmm, I was thinking JS switched teams and bikes also?? If RD was faster in those three motos, how come JS passed him and RD could never get him back?? Facts are Facts...
@ RacerMX264,
"Interesting to hear his comment about Stewart coming back and how good that is for the sport and the fans. Anyone who really is a moto fan should want the same and Ryan is intelligent enough to understand the importance of great competition... even if that might mean not always winning."
That's humbleness / humility.
Nowadays, people have a difficult time recognizing it anymore. Myself included.
@Scrub-This,, also, JS swithed MID-SEASON.. Trust me, I'm an RD Fan. He grew up real close to where I grew up,, and yes, I give him all the credit he deserves..
@Scrub-This
7) JS was just faster, and ended up winning all four motos..
@Scrub-This,, Its well know that he did not like the Yam for whatever reason. Kyle Regal doesnt seem to be doing well on that bike, does he??
@Scrub-This ,, I have had plenty contact with diversity. No, I dont live in Chicago or Minneapolis, but trust me, I have had contact with it.. I really dont know why it matters, but yes, I am a white boy.
@Scrub-This,, You brought up the Yamaha thing, not me.. Kyle Regal was a very good MX rider,, and got lapped at his home track at Red Bud..
I wasn't always a Dungey fan but I do like how he keeps giving credit to all the other riders no mater how big a lead he has on them by the end of the race. Also I find it funny how everyone thinks Stewart is going to take over and start winning everything again and I think he can but often people in a position of not having a chance of winning the championship that they don't push for wins. Like Emig talks a lot about intensity that comes with a championship battle it makes everyone go faster and if James can't be champion why put that hard. That doesn't mean he won't win again this year but he is trying to make the bike better for him and with a rough track you need everything working right and hooking up to put in the real good lap times.
@Scrub-This ,,, I said "contact" because you said this --- "It would be reasonable to speculate, that you had very little contact with diversity and its associated pathologies."
Do you think you are the only person in the world who has experience with diversity?
Dungey: The Quiet Warrior. Bring back David Bailey in the booth.
Ryan Dungey has the DNA of a true Champion. He is smooth, consistent, humble, professional, and a bunch of other positive adjectives you can think of. Decoster is an expert at navigating the rough waters to a championship. It could be said that the rider carries the most weight in this endeavor. I see Dungey as someone who understands how connected everything is and it's proven in his results and when he speaks. Could he possibly have no ego? Many of us really dug what Carmichael has done for our sport, myself included. I want to add to that, in time we could possibly, over a beer, be bench racing over whether the term GOAT can only have one member. Congratulations RD and team. Love the spirit you folks bring to the sport. Carry on.
I am sure Dungey will find more speed, not to sure about "fasters"!
On a curious note, did Mr.Mx have an emotional meltdown over skateboarders?
@Blackjack- Dungey is young, so lets see what accomplishments he makes in the future to be considered in that group.
@Scrub-this- Dungey is to much of a professional to play those kinds of games. Besides isn't that what Pourcel did to Dungey on the 250f's a few years ago?
yay dung
Two times and fasters. Tahaha, your posts are pointless and full of hate. Get over him, he will forever be a LEGEND whether you like him or not.
Mighty white of you! Total racist comment. I love how you try to be well spoken behind your computer but your little slip ups show you are most likely uneducated or self educated. Possibly even educated but someone higher up in the KKK than yourself.
Scrub-This: Good question about Target. I'm with you on that.
Imagine this guys: 2013 Outdoor season starts. RV is back & healthy with a SX season under his belt to get him back to top form. RD is back to defend (this time with the same bike AND team) and he's also at the top of his game. CR is back, realizing his window is closing, and he's ready to go. He knows this could be his last chance to not only win a championship but to go toe to toe with James. JS is back with a year and a half under same team/bike tired of hearing about "the Ryans" . He also realizes his time is getting short and he may never get to bang bars with CR22 again. TC is back for the first time in forever with some bike time during the SX season. He has sat for the better part of 2 years wanting to prove he's as good as any of the others. DW, JB and BB (The Young Guns) have moved up and have no fear. We are in for some racin next year and I can't wait! Go Dunge!
@czmark "On a curious note, did Mr.Mx have an emotional meltdown over skateboarders?"
I think he went over his lifetime limit of posted words. He could come back as "Mr. Manifesto". Bu seriously, he obviously spent a lot of time on this board, so it's a bummer for him if he did get kicked out.
I hate to dive into the whole racist thing, but where did the name "Lil Stew" come from? It seems just short of calling him "boy".
Dungey is a machine. Focused and smart. Hats off to DeCoster. I remember watching him on a b & w television on the farm, on WW of sports battling that dentist also mounted on a TM-400. Since he quit racing........seriously.........is there one thing, just one that he was directed to do and not accomplish? Since I was 7 (43 years), he has been Da Man IMO.
@Scrub-This
"If RD was faster in those three motos, how come JS passed him and RD could never get him back??"
Emig is very likely correct when is says something like, lil'stew has great killer instincts, especially during the chaos of the opening lap(s). At minimum lil'stew is willing to take chances that RD is not.
As for not getting is back, maybe
1) RD was being cautious, looking at the big picture
2) lil'stew was riding a wide bike
3) RD feared lil'stew reputation as a take out artist
4) RD feared lil'stew would retaliate by landing on his back after Lorocco's Leap
5) RD bike was not fully developed yet
6) RD speed may have been fast enough to catch lil'stew by not enough to make the pass
Pulling for RD this season but...
1)RD always is looking at the big picture, and is one who seems to not ride over his head. But dont be fooled, RD was trying to win those races. Any of these guys are trying to win every race. maybe with a race or two left in the points lead he might play it safe, but just like he said in this interview there are too many races left to be not going for the win.
2) JS was not all over the track in any of the races, he was taking normal lines. bad excuse.
3) Startiing to show your bias. RD has said in interviews that he likes racing JS, and the 2 of them have never had any problems.
4) Really starting your biasness....
5) RD is on a new bike, as well as JS had very little time to test his setup as well. So both of them I would say were feeling it out for the first few races.
6) This is true. The leader does hav an advantage sometimes becasue they are able to take the fast lines, while the guy right on his wheel is searching for different line while constantly eating roost.
JS is much more aggressive in the opening laps, and when it comes time to make passes. His charge past 10 guys in 2 laps at Thunder Valley was pretty remarkable. RV is very good at forcing early passes also. I think if RD has one kink in his armor, is that maybe he is not aggressive enough when he might need to make a pass. But then again, on the flip side, how many times has he been injured?
BTW, can't remember if I read it on here or heard it on the TV, but did I hear RV was talking to Honda becasue he was looking for a 3 year deal with Kawi then he was out? As in retiring?
@MX Bob- Big James-Big Stewie, James-lil Stewie, Malcohm- Baby Stew. Nothing about racisism here that I can see!
@MX Bob- I cut myself short on my last comment, but I would never go there with the boy thing, not my style. Also thanks for the udate on Mr.Mx, he went on a rant the other day.
It was really no surprise that Dungey won both motos, he's ridin' good right now, anybody that races knows that there is really no better training than racing, you lose your edge when your not racing, which is exactly the case with Stewart, Dungey has raced every round, he is bound to get better & stay sharp, Stewart with the injury & time off was a little rusty, 3rd overall on a 450 is not bad for being rusty, Dungey even said it himself in the interview " You can never under estimate Stewart", even Dungey is smart enough to know that, too bad his fans were'nt, Stewart will beat Dungey before the end of the season, be patient haters! Awesome ride Baggett for #1 plate!
Pure Moto machine, Larocco type machine, w/ just a tad more talent, tough combo. 3 ATTABOY"s.!
Scrub-This, your gonna eat ur words, Dungey doesn't under estimate Stewart cause Stewart can beat him straight up when he's on his game, Dungey knows this, it's not a secret, and yes Stewart will get more than 5 wins, if not outdoor, Supercross, wait & see hater, ya the haters don't like Stewart, so what, he can still whip your ass on the track when he's on!