Monday Conversation: Ryan Dungey
Monday, August 20, 2012 | 12:30 PM
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PrintRed Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey has won plenty of races this year in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, but the victory at the Red Bull Unadilla National over the weekend was extra special. Thanks in part to a first-moto DNF by Mike Alessi (who had a rock punch a hole in his radiator) Dungey pulled far enough ahead in points to wrap up the 2012 450 Championship--the first-ever big bike title for KTM in the U.S. He talked about his big day in the post-race press conference.
Racer X: You said early in the year, at Colorado when you left with a big points lead, that Roger [DeCoster] said, "We aren't popping any champagne yet." So, is Roger finally popping some champagne?
Ryan Dungey: [Laughs] Yeah. This was a pretty amazing day, and we didn't expect it. To be honest, I knew if everything went the way it did, we could wrap up the championship, but I was more focused on putting in a solid day and wrapping up the title at Steel City. Mike [Alessi] has been really consistent, but he ran into some bike problems in the first moto. Second moto, I just wanted to put in a solid ride. I was able to wrap it up and get the overall. It's amazing, just to see what it took, behind the scenes, to make this work and make this moment come about.
When you won the championships with Suzuki, there was a core program in place. Here, it was starting from scratch. Talk about that process.
Yeah, we were getting ready for Monster Cup, that was our first race. We had two weeks before that, and the bike was a brand-new 450 that we had to work on. I knew we could do it because I knew we had the right guys behind us. Roger and the whole crew, they could do it. It was a lot of hard work and a lot of effort from the guys here and the guys in Europe, Pit [Beirer] and those guys. Supercross, we had some good things going there, but we had a setback at mid season. We made progress, and I felt like at each round we kept making progress. For KTM, when I signed my name on that paper, I committed everything to it. Winning races and championships, that's what you get paid to do, so I'm really fortune that I was able to do that. This is KTM's first 450 championship in the U.S. but hopefully there will be many more.
Dungey celebrates his first 450 Lucas Oil Motocross title with KTM.
Simon Cudby photo
And when you signed that paper, there were a lot of skeptics.
A lot of people had their own opinions. A lot of people said it was career-ending and things like that. Whatever. If you listen to everybody in the crowd, you'll soon get lost in it. It seemed like the right fit for me, everything fit with all of these people. And there were tough moments, there were tough times, but we struggled through it and here we are.
Talk about today's race a little bit. First moto, everyone was going down, including you. Was it the track?
It was a crazy first moto. Before I even knew it I was on my head and realized I needed to pick my bike up and get going. A lot of other guys made mistakes, too, [Jake] Weimer, I think I saw [Michael] Byrner down, and [James] Stewart. So I tried to play it smart, tried to get back to the front. Broc [Tickle] was riding an awesome ride, it took me a long time to get to him, but I was able to get him at the end there. That was amazing how it worked out with the rain we had yesterday. The track turned out great in the first moto and was even better in the second moto. It was amazing how the rain worked with us.
We have a week off and you have the championship. Business as usual?
Same game plan as coming into all of the races, we will keep working. But it's awesome to get this championship, it's cool, and congrats to them. Especially to Marvin [Musquin] getting that 250 win for KTM, just an amazing day all around.
You still have des Nations to think about.
Oh yeah, and we have a great group of people, and we're going to over early to get some time in on that deep sand. It's kind of a hectic time, but we all treat each other good and hopeful we can come up with another championship there.
The new number 1.
Simon Cudby photo
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Finalmente! Go USA des nations and kick some booty!
He worked his @ss off for this. He deserves this, and so does "The Man" - very happy to see the hard work KTM has put into the US series pay off. Now go over there and win this thing for USA!
Congrats to Ryan, Roger, Ian and the rest of the crew at KTM. Well Done!
Impressive kid. Three 450 Titles so far and he will soon be #2 on the all time 450 MX win list, trailing only RC. We will be entering the 2013 SX/MX season with Dungey having 3 big-bike Titles, RV with 3, Stewart with 3, Reed with 3, a healthy Canard, with Barcia and Wilson added to the mix. Wow, is Anaheim 1 going to be incredible!
RD you deserve this hands down !!! enjoy the glory and lead our boys against the world !!!
@ scrub-this. What the f@$& are you babbling about? Do you wake up and go to sleep thinking about "lil'stew"? Get over what ever it is, and if you have nothing to say, and it seems you don't, say nothing.
@johnny6....glad i'm not the only one that can't stomach the endless ENDLESS obse
sorry about that...endless obsessive JS7 hatred....the damn article is about Dungey and his accomplishments...RD1 can haul and regardless of who was or wasn't there (which is not his fault or responsibilty) he had a great season and deserves all the credit.... a great rider and a decent guy...a great representative for our sport and hes only gonna get better I think....I'm an RV2 fan but you can't help but like this guy..
@johnny6,, I think he has a man-crush on JS...
@tonewall, thank you. Very well said. You summed up what I think a lot of people are feeling with the degrading comments taking place on here (by a select few) regarding religion, race, gender, etc.
@johnr290
Doesnt RV only have two big bike titles? 2011 MX/SX? Am I forgetting one?
The racing next year will be unreal in lites and 450s
@Kawimx, those two and the 2012 SX Title. Easy to forget when he was hurt in Seattle that he had already clinched the SX Title by Seattle.
Once again the novice comments are out in full force. JS7 has more talent in his pinky then most of us have in our lifetimes. The fact that he crashes and gets hurt often is no different than Trey Canard, Josh Grant, Josh Hill, Michael Byrne and whoever else I missed. They ALL crash...its the nature of the beast. When I see novices make comments about JS7 (and I'm an RV1 fan), I find it disgusting and I think racist in nature. When you're at his level of talent, I wonder how long you can keep it on 2 wheels??. Everyone crashes...some more than others.
I could write a thesis on why Stewart gets all this attention (some of it is racist, but definitely not all), but really, this is a piece on Dungey and his well-deserved championship. It's ironic that some of these "fans" get the same "Thank you for your comment" message after hitting "submit" as the rest of us. Thanks, indeed.
Very true localexpert, They all crash. Hell RD crashed twice at Southwick and once at the Dilla and luckly did not get hurt. JS... Not so lucky. JS did do well in moto 1, BIG crash came from the way back fell over again and still got 9th.
.Congrats RD another solid performance!!!
Way to go Dungey and KTM,
well deserved? there was nobody there no reed no rv1 a hurt js7 (the races he was in) this guy only wins like that with no competition, i cant wait for sx 2013 he will only see rvs back
Congrats to Ryan Roger and the rest of the KTM racing division on a job well done!!
Ryan's comment: "If you listen to every body in the crowd, you will get lost in it!"
Truer words were never spoken and hold value in all walks of life...very astute coming from a 22 year old!!!
Classiest guy in the pits, on the track, wherever....and an amazing ambassador for our sport. I'll tell a, I wasn't a fan in the first couple years, but RD5(1) won me over HUGE a few years ago. Any racer should take a look at RD and take notes. Self train, self motivate, humble, champion! Congrats rd5, the man RD, and the whole KTM family...you earned this!!
@alezx9....are you kidding? you gotta be in it to win it! You can't take away anything from this kid. Not his fault everyone crashes, crashed, or was injured. Are people like you know saying this isnt "straight up?"
Making fun of "Novice comments" coming from the localexpert....how ironic. People like you still playing the race card over comments about js7 crashing so much....it's becoming a weaker argument with each crash.
alezx9 Yes, Dungey earned this years championship and your are correct, next year Dungey will see a lot of Villopoto's back, just as Villooto will see a lot of Dungey's back!! Both these young men are amazing to watch on a motocross track and their best days lay before them. Each will be victorious over the other, but neither will submit until the victory has been claimed. Then as true sportsman, a hand shake and congratulations will be exchanged before the next battle begins...We the fans are lucky to have these two moto warriors and all the rest, to do battle and entertain our key board punching butts and to which ever one attains the most points we shall declare him our Champion!!
Alezx9. what was villos 2012 season like. Villo deserved it, he was last man standing, just like RD.
muhamed bd25 you guys know its true this guy is like reed you have to admit that is a FACT that if reed rv and a healthy js7 would have been there he would not be our mx champion
alez- ur a dope
RD has beat everyone at one time or another.
Not fact. Fact is RV would have not been champ if not for RD's bike related DNF's last year. Thats a fact.
When was the last time Reed or Stewart finished an entire series? I dont blame them, its damn difficult. But after awhile its more than a trend.
alezx9 I know nothing of the sort sir, as I posted on the 450 words, with all the talent of Reed, Villopoto, Canard and Stewart on the line, no one rider is going to win every race. That is where consistency comes into play and that is Dungey's strongest attribute! In the Great Outdoors of 2011 Dungey was off the box only twice, Freestone and Southwick, when his bike let him down, other than that he had six moto wins, fifteen seconds and one third out of 24 motos, that will win you a title. So alezx9 without the help of a crystal ball you can not say what would have happened, only hope your fave would have won....As for next years Great Outdoors we will have to wait and see...
Green-59 The Dif is RV was beating everyone BEFORE they got hurt.
Good for Ryan and all the effort put behind him and KTM. Srubnuts is just upset because it wasn't James up there with the number 1 plate, he'll get over it!
Let me add I am NOT taking anything away from RD he did what he had to do.
thats right billc i hate when people say that excuse of dungey having a two dnf in 2011 everybody here knows that rv was waaaaay waaay faster in 2012 than in 2011 being an rv fan i recognize that in 2011 he had consistency and was smart thats why he won the championship in 2011 but in 2012 he was plain and simple THE FASTEST MAN he had the fastest lap time in almost every race (but one) if usain bolt would have hurt himself after the first race then in the other races EVERYBODY would know that other guy won because he wasnt there my point is rv was a loooot faster in 2012 than in 2011 and he will be back even faster mark my words he wont care that barcias is coming up or that james is now with suzuki i said it before he is the next rc
besides thats no excuse dungey having those dnf in mx 2011, remember jacksonville 2011? and rv still won the championship WITH ALL THE COMPETITION HEALTHY
So only the "what ifs" that benefit RV count?
We'll see if Canard and RV can keep coming back from injury riding as fast as they were before they got hurt. Same goes for Reed. All their so-called fans have an excuse at the ready for any of them.
im sure dungey himself knows that, i used to arm wrestle a lot with my friends and i was the stronger of all but one one night we were at a party and the guys started to arm wrestle and i beat everyone but just because that guy didint show up at the party that is the exact same thing
what are you talking about mx bob? rvs dnq in jacksonville is no what if in fact when people talk about dungeys dnfs in mx 2011 what are they thinking? that rv would have been last if dungey would have race and there would be no excuses at all rv is going to have a loot of time to heal in fact he is already riding and he said that he is really happy about where he is speed wise he said he is with almost at the same speed he was when he got hurt and he still have a lot of time to get faster for sx 2013
alezx9 ...little bit confused..are you talking supercross or motocross, as we never got to see Villopoto outdoors in 2012 to see if he was faster than 2011..RV was great in supercross this year, he put in some wonderful performances in defending his championship!! As good as he is outdoors, I think he is even better indoors where his aggressive riding style really pays off in the short 15 minute sprint race main events. In 2013 Dungey is going to have to really up his game to run with Poto, Reed, Stewart and the incoming rookies in supercross. If he gets a start, he has shown he can beat those guys, but coming from the back is his achilles...so I agree Villopoto is faster in supercross ...
I don't like it when Dungey's fans use his bike failure as an excuse either, just part of racing! Villopoto had to overcome his share of adversity in 2011 to win the title, illness and ill handling motorcycle, before getting on a roll to win the title, he earned it down the stretch when he had to!! Besides no excuses necessary in finishing second to a great champion like Poto!!
@ MX Bob
No way to contact thru your web site. I didnt get any response from my last post.
http://www.racerxonline.com/2012/08/17/racerhead-33
Mr-Mx wrote: 9:46pm August 17, 2012
@ MX Bob
Thanks
bd25 right on i agree he seems to be better in sx than in mx but he likes better the outdoors thats what i have red in his interviews and remember that in the lights he won more championships in mx than sx besides the best performance of his life was mxdn 07 remeber? and its an mx track but you are right in everything but dungeys speed come 2013 he has never been in the group of the fastest i think his strength will always be consistency but we will have to wait and see
alezx9: You obviously don't belong on here. Please just go away kid...
50 freaking years from now when you check the record books. The 2012 MX champ will say "Ryan Dungey". All you bitter non-Dungey fans stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Ohm and tell your boyz (RV, TC, CR, JS) to quit killing themselves trying to beat the Dunge!
of course he is inside the fast five but the raw speed was from villo and js7 lap times dont lie thats what i meant
Off subject
Wanted to give a big Whats up to my friends you know who you are of our late friend
Phyllis Ada Driver AKA Phyllis Diller who pasted today at 95 ..
RIP
my second uncle who ran around and was the worlds most famous bartender in the day of the rat pack. Bartender to the stars in the day Fernand Petiot
Congrats to Dungey, The Man, and KTM on a well-earned and well-deserved championship.
It still amazes me the disrespect that Dungey gets. Not everyone has to think Dungey is the best - everyone's entitled to their opinion, but some of the claims on here are ridiculous! Dungey couldn't beat RV straight up? What?! Did you not see the MX races in 2011 where Dungey owned RV? And acting like RD's bike problems had NO effect on the championship?!?! I'm not taking away anything from RV, because the dude is a beast. But to think that RV completely dominated RD outdoors in MX - that means you're doing some heavy smoking, and I don't mean tobacco.
Some of the more learned posters here got it right when they said that there are days Dungey is gonna whoop RV, and there are days RV is gonna whoop Dungey. Same with Canard, Barcia, Reed, and yes, even Stewart. The competition is so fierce that on any given day a new guy can come out on top.
And that, my friends, is awesome.
alezx9 .. to respectfully disagree..in 09, while on 250's Dungey found he could beat Villopoto at Washougcal and then again at Millville, since then, those two have had many close battles outdoors, including last year when Dungey finished ahead of Villopoto in 11 of the 24 motos...they were very close in speed, and have a great respect for each other....In Supercross 2010 they were again very even in speed the edge to Villopoto but he got hurt while using that speed..the fastest guy does not always win the championship...as for setting fastest qualifying times Dungey has his share of those over the years also...It is great you are a Villopoto fan and think he is the best, I understand that...as as a Dungey fan I give Poto full credit and respect for what he has done, an look forward to watching them race in the future.. is a shame that motocross's step sister, supercross, has caused so many injures, robbing us fans of some close intense racing over the years.....In racing the one thing that will never change is, the rider who finishes with the most points in a championship series is called the Champion and deserves all the accolades and respect that goes with the title!! No ands if or buts can change that outcome, those only count in bench racing.....and thats what we do on here...for fun and entertainment....
Mr Mx Yes, Phyllis was a treasure and ground breaker in world of comedy!! I will always remember her on Ed Sullivan, holding that long cigarette holder and talking about Fang! She will be missed!!
Another asterisk championship for Dungey.
He deserves it cause he is out there but the only time he wins a title is when ALL of the competition is out, that's a FACT !!!!! He will never win one with the top guys healthy, never has never will. Sorry but the truth hurts. You wont hear his name mentioned at all on here besides maybe a hey what happened to dungey this year comment here and there when supercross starts. But with all of that said congrats Dungey.
@graciousOne
I like Villo and Dungey, but the truth is Villo has beat Dungey more times the Dungey has beat VIllo. Villopoto has won championships with the most race wins while ALL of the top riders healthy, Dungey has not, FACT. Dungey has never won a championship with all or one top rider in the class, FACT. Dungey is an amazing rider yes, but he doesn;t have what it takes to be a champion with all of the top riders healthy because he is not fast enough to get the race wins it takes to gain all of the points.
persona Your entitled to your opinion as I am mine, so I think with more competition the better Dungey's chances are, as consistency will be the key to the title...while others are fighting over races wins and having their ups and downs, Dungey will be there on the podium, week in week out collecting points, maybe even winning a few races just to surprise those who doubt him and his talent...Guess we will all have something to look forward to in the 2013 Great Outdoors!!!
@persona--You are an idiot. Stewart NEVER won a title until RC was out, so does Stewart get an asterisk?? Answer that one!!
@xxktm
When has Dungey ever won a championship with all of the top riders in it healthy? Hell even on top rider in it at the end and healthy? He hasn't. FACT.
Everytime one or more of the top riders are in it at the end the champions name has never been Dungey. I like Dungey but you guys are crazy if you think he's the number one rider, Dungey is never talked about until all of the competition is out with injuries. Truth hurts.
@ BD25
Long cigarette holder was a stage prop. She was a life long NON smoker !
The husband frequently mentioned in her act, "Fang", was entirely fictional, and not based on any of her actual husbands
I dont know if there is something been wrong with this web site or what to do aanything I have to refresh half the time in never comes back............My wife will have to do something I have tried al kinds of things. That may be half the problem in its self right there.. Other sites seem to work fine ????? Later
@muhamed
"Making fun of "Novice comments" coming from the localexpert....how ironic. People like you still playing the race card over comments about js7 crashing so much....it's becoming a weaker argument with each crash"
#1....who's making fun? I merely pointed out bogus comments.
#2...I'm a local expert for the past 24 years, turned expert at 16, then got a pro card at 22...I'm now 40, whats your point?
#3...playing the race card? no, but there is racial undertones and having a black athlete dominate our 99% white sport is a threat to some. When people like you jump on the bandwagon of "everything wrong with JS7" and offer what seems to be a biased opinion on his crashes, while skipping Trey Canard, Burner and Josh Grant without the same fair treatment.
So, you see muhamed (provided this is really who you are), I'm also a psychologist and I can literally pick apart what people are REALLY trying to say. Maybe your comments are not racist in nature, given by your name...but most of what I see tends to lean towards the latter. I'm not saying that what I say is Gospel, but I do offer some professional analysis.
In closing, do you really think JS7 sucks? do you really think he wants to break bones, tear ligaments? the man can retire right now for the rest of his life, he doesn't need this crap...he does this because he loves motocross, something you need to revisit.
persona...you have an interesting take on things, looking at things from your side, some one has always gotten hurt to allow Ryan to win a title, except his west coast supercoss title in 09, so statistically you were almost correct...CP outdoors in 09, RV in 10 and several in 12... but to say he will never win with the top riders in it or that he does not have the speed seems incorrect ...since thru the years, Dungey has had the speed to be right there trading moto wins, in contention for the title, until his competition went down with an injury of their doing. Who's is to say he would not have won those years anyway,something we will never know. 2011 Dungey again, had the speed to be right there in both series, got his share of wins, was on the box most all the time and came up just short in each series, a mere 10 points behind the champ in supercross and a meager 12 points behind the champ in the outdoors, when every one was healthy...Give credit where it is due, I can't guarantee he will win another championship, but Ryan will be a threat to win the championship for the next several years no matter who lines up...as he is one of the top riders of this generation...
Mr Mx Yes, those were just props and a running gag, but they were her calling card, just as Jack Benny pretended to be cheap and a lousy violin player, when actually he was very generous and accomplished musician...They played the role so well and made us laugh so much.... the younger generation will never know what it is like to experience G rated humor...that's why they should all buy the Dean Martins Roasts!!!! lol...
Persona
You are completely clueless when it comes to sports in general if you truly believe what you are saying. If you crash out and the other guy does not, YOU LOST!!!!!! Your logic is illogical as can be. If CR, RV, TC and JS were racing, RD would not be able to beat them? Fact is, they all crashed out and RD did not, hence, who is the better rider? If we are racing head to head, and I crash out, did you really beat me? Not to start a JS rant, but he came into the race fully healthy, and crashed twice in the 1st moto and crashed out in the 2nd moto, did
RD really beat him or did he become ineligible to be beat at the moment he crashed out? Just congratulate the best rider who did not crash out!
Almost no one commenting this post paid attention in English class in high school--FACT!
If we want to discuss the RV-RD rivalry over the years, keep in mind that both have beaten the other fairly consistently. In 2010, Dungey was leading the points when Stewart, Reed, and Villopoto all went out. Stewart won Anaheim 1 with Dungey in 2nd, Dungey won Phoenix (the race in which Stewart and Reed came together and Reed was hurt) with RV finishing 2nd, Stewart finishing 15th, and Reed 19th. At Anaheim II, Dungey won again with Josh Hill in 2nd, Stewart in 3rd, and Villopoto in 7th. Stewart dropped out injured after Anaheim II. Only at round 4 in San Francisco did Villopoto get his first win, but even at St. Louis where RV was injured, Dungey still led in the points coming into the race.
Even this year, in Supercross, Dungey won Phoenix with all of the top riders, even Canard, in the field as well as Atlanta where he beat RV straight up. Dungey injured himself the week after Atlanta but decided to ride St. Louis hurt as he was only 10 points behind RV. At St. Louis, riding hurt, Dungey came from mid-pack to catch RV at the finish. That was the last race in which RD and RV raced and at that race the two were almost even speed wise even while Dungey had a broken collarbone. The last race between the two in which Dungey was healthy at Atlanta he won. Those are the facts, and the beautiful thing about facts is that they're true regardless of whether or not one will accept them.
I am not by any means saying that RD is a faster rider than RV. Just labeling one rider faster than another in that group (RD, RV, CR, and JS) does all four an injustice. All four have beaten the other three at some point or another in their career straight up. They are incredibly close in speed and you cannot blindly predict at the beginning of the season who will win which race. To say that one rider is faster than another means that that rider should be able to beat that other rider in virtually any condition, straight up, without accounting for something beyond the riders' control such as bike failure. That Dungey would beat Mike Alessi in almost ever moto this outdoor season after Stewart dropped out was a given. But at Hangtown and Freestone, no one could with any amount of certainty predict who would win before the gate dropped. In such a situation, the riders' abilities should be assumed to be equal and equal respect given to both for what they have managed to accomplish.
That being said, congratulations to Dungey and the entire KTM effort for their accomplishment. It is truly an astounding achievement to develop a bike while racing it, while also taking one of the least respected and least successful team efforts in motocross and making it one of if not the strongest.
.
Enjoyed all the conversation on here today, thanks for all the interesting comments and view points! I agree with some and disagree with others, but that is the beauty of it, a healthy exchange of ideas is always a good thing. Thanks to all!!
Jess Wilder...Really like your post, but in our defense; We often comment on here so hastily that is looks as though we did not pay attention, when in fact, a lot of us did pay attention in english class, only to have age, memory loss and poor typing hamper our writing skills.....lol...night to all and thanks again
Great article about about new champ can't wait for Monster Cup ...should be some great racing.
It goes on and on and on.......
many a SX and MX title was won when the competition's bike broke or a crash occurred or an injury happened. Every great rider can point to at least one title where his competition suffered some form of bad luck and he benefitted with a title that otherwise may have gone to the other guy. Regardless, it is still an earned title as keeping it upright and on two wheels and avoiding mechanicals are parts of the game as much as speed is. RV earned every title he has, Dungey earned every title he has, and every other title owner earned every single title they have to their credit as well so let's stop the madness of who was or wasn't there, who crashed, who had a flat tire or broken chain, or who missed their flight because they overslept.
The purpose of a series is to end any argument as to who is the best. If you can't line up or refuse to line up for a series, you can't win it. How about Larocco losing something like 92 points to Emig in the last two races in the '92 125 series with several mechanicals in a row? How about the guys that won titles after Hannah wrecked himself on the rocks while water-skiing? Not to mention titles won after Donnie Hansen and David Bailey had their career-ending injuries? If only RC had been born 10 years later or earlier, K-Dub would be a multi-time champ.
I'd say there's still lots of room for improvement in the handling department on that bike, he's just that much better than anyone right now. when they get that thing figured out-look out (RV, Reed, Stewart, the ones every one is saying would've beat him). Congrats to Dungey on the championship!! Can't wait to see next year
The reason people don't think RD is as Good as RV, in SX anyway is because RD has not passed RV, or JS in the last two years but they have passed him many times. RD has only 2 SX wins when all the top guys are on the line and they both came with a holeshot!! Yes he is very close on speed but lacks the aggression to make it to the front. he needs a holeshot or bad luck from the others. Atleast that has been the case the last 2 years. Yes in the end he is always there but does not look as strong doing it. It does not matter how you get there in the end but people will view it the way it looks and RD does not "look" as fast because he is not aggressive and makeing passes like RV does making his way to the front, RD waits for the perfect pass....Now you can call me a RD basher all you want but i am not, Everything I said is true.
thats right billc good post rv is more aggressive and faster i remember in sx in almost every round rv was a full second faster PER LAP than dungeys look it up right here on racerx in the archives, rv will race de mec but i dont think he would be 100% because of the short time back on the bike but come A1 he will be 110%
well said BillC. absolutely right, but I think his confidence and experience might give him that little extra that he's needing for next year especially outdoors
@localexpert
Wait, let me guess, you're also a multimillionaire / body builder / model / genius / who is dating a miss USA pageant beauty queen winner. And maybe you stayed at a holiday inn express...but that's unconfirmed.
BillC..You are not an RD basher, just a RV and JS fan, that is great! Every rider needs a loyal fan base. Just a quick reply before I head to work. The point you seem to bring up most seems to deal with motocross's ugly step sister, supercross, so I will start there. If you go back a little farther, in 10 the Ryans passed each other back and forth quite a bit, before Villopoto crashed heavily in front of Dungey, which ended Poto chances of attaining his goal the championship.
Decoster has taught Dungey, what he learned long ago, you don't have win every battle to win the war. Staying steady and focused on the long term goal is the path to achieve said goal. I am sure Poto's crash was used as an example. Does RD hang it out in supercross like RV or JS or even Chad, no, usually he rides with in himself to finish on the podium, assuring that he will be in the next race. The saying " You can't win the title at the first few races, but you sure can lose it there!" Is the same as "Got to be in it to win it"
So, I will agree Villopoto is more aggressive and willing to go a few tenths faster in supercross, take more chances, thus he is faster and has won his titles that way...Dungeys approach is, as I mentioned above more conservative, but very effective at winning titles, as we have witnessed, Dungey collect several championships!!
Both extremely talented young men with bright futures ahead of them, no matter which one you cheer for, he is one of the good guys!!
Having great speed is like having great power one must use it wisely or disaster may incur.
Well said, BD25. BillC, you've NEVER been willing to give Dungey his due, and each time you give your "explanations" as to why he's "not as fast," you give your patented "you can call me a RD basher all you want but i am not." Maybe basher is too strong a word, but you certainly downplay what he's done. Was Stewart faster than Dungey last Saturday? At times, perhaps. But the rider who gets to the line first, or at all, or compiles the most points at the end of the season, IS the fastest for that race or series (and I'll emphasize that the SERIES is always more important). And BTW, when you finish a statement with "Everything I said is true," you're usually trying too hard to convince someone of something that is questionable. Dungey has won two out of the last three 450 national championships. You can't win, or be the fastest, when you're sitting on the sidelines. Now THAT'S the truth. LOL
Everything you all say is true don’t depute it but the key is if you are willing to push that envelope or razors edge you take that risk of ending up on the couch! Villopoto, Stewart, Canard, Reed Hepler, Hill, Tedesco, any of the before in history that rode period. It’s all the same injury, surgery, time of the bike others are still left out there racking up wins.Mx SX are about using your head and being smart. Just not twisting the throttle!
As I stated in an earlier post yesterday:
Allot of the James Stewarts crashing maybe do to lack of riding from the past hand injury and out of bike shape, riding. Trying to match intensity and pace will result in a lot of mistakes. All riders at the top level make mistakes on every lap that they take in any given race. The goal is to quickly contain the consequences of those mistakes which James appears not to be as proficient as he ounce was. Results are crashing quicker.
"Dungey has won two out of the last three 450 national championships. You can't win, or be the fastest, when you're sitting on the sidelines. Now THAT'S the truth. LOL"
TRUE!
Well sef154 I am entitled to my opion on the why I grade the riders just like you. Untill I see RD Pass RV manytimes in SX like RV has done to him I will think RV is the better rider, It does not mean I don't like RD and it also does not mean RD will not win a title over RV it just means I feel RV is a better rider. Why does that bother you and others so much??
Yes BD25 Outdoors and SX combind I give the edge to RV, Outdoors it is very close and will change every week/track but in SX the edge goes to RV no question to me. You went back to 2010 but I said in the last 2 years. In 2010 RD was way ahead of RV at the start of the season but by mid year RV was the faster guy and won 7 races to RD's 5 but then got hurt and RD is the Champ.
.and yes you are right Decoster has taught Dungey what he learned long ago, you don't have win every battle to win the war. Staying steady and focused on the long term goal is the path to achieve said goal. That is not alway the case, Yes it will work sometimes but not as offten. Look at history, How did that aproch work for K-Dub?? 0 titles, how about the balls to the wall aproch?? RC 15 titles, RV 6 titles, JS 5 titles see what I mean?? and thats only going back 10 years. RD's aproch only works when the balls to the wall guys get hurt. aned again I like RD a lot, IF RV is a 10 in my book RD is a 9.9
RC did plenty of "race management" when the circumstances called for it (finishing second to Reed in SX races, for example). How many championships did Magoo win? Your theory has plenty of holes. As of now, the Ryans have the same number of 450 championships. So BillC, you keep your "opion" (LOL); Dungey will keep his championships!
Way to go Dungey and congrats to KTM! Who would have thought they would have ascended to the top of American MX - a testament to hard work and dedication. Kudos to Roger for bringing together the missing pieces.
Ryan Dungey deserves the accolades. A great racer and a great guy.
Yes RC did but he was no RD, RC went for the win every time the gate dropped, Hated getting beat anytime. As for holes I don't see to many. You gave me one wildcard Magoo. How about RJ?? Ward?? Henry?? the list of guys who pushed the limit and won titles is VERY long. How many RD's have titles??
.PS thanks for letting me keep my opion!! LOL
@ scrubs himself. "Seems like you another ball sport type that has just arrived". One, lern too spel. Two. I've been racing since 1974, and I'm still at it. Three, I've forgotten more about this sport than you will EVER know. Four. You are, and always will be, an Idiot, want to be, never was, and every time you open your mouth, you show the world I'm right.
Did it take you a hole day to come up with that line fiftyone50?? You truly need help!!
i have said that rv is just like rc but maybe he will be even better, since he is in the 450s if he finishes the series he is the champion that is an awesome FACT he has had a lot of injuries and weird deseases but when ryan villopoto stays all year he wins the championship and with all the major contenders in, im sure reed 04 no rc 08 no js7 and dungey no rv no reed no js7 cant say the same thing
Billc is dead on in my opionion, I have said on here dozens of times RD deserves every title he has gotten and right now RV and RD are tied for 450 titles. They are very close to each other in speed with RV getting the nod.here are some facts ;
Much of racing is luck, injuries happen the all the top racers, when the injuries happen is critical. RV's last one was a fluke, most times a rider stabs his foot down in a corner he doesn't tear an acl, but it cost him the outdoors season. Rds collar bone cost him a chance at the SX title. I can't think of one top racer that injuries have not been part of their results.
In SX last year RV was consistantly faster than RD, In the first half of the 2011 outdoor season RV was slower but in the last half he was clearly faster. In the 2010 sx season same story RV won 4 or 5 in a row before his injury and was turning faster times than RD. When RV and RD have raced the same track at the same time RV finishes ahead more, The score is RV 23, RD 16 this is combined MX and SX races that they have both been at and raced each other.
AS of now they are tied for titles with RV winning far more races when they race together - this is proof to me that they are very close but RV tends to beat RD when uninjured.
The cool thing is they are both great sportsmen and the two best in the world right now and they will not be able the relax as the competition is coming in waves now
well not in mx i dont think anyone will be at rc level in mx the guy was THE BEST EVER
"How many RDs"? Last I knew, there's only one. He's the only one I'm talking about, and all the "explanations" in the world don't change the championship tally. Ward? Really? Better check to see how many races he won during his championships. Just about anybody you can name won championships through a combination of speed and consistency. Dungey has both, and HE IS THE CHAMPION ... AGAIN! I've made my point. I'm giving it a rest. Feel free to keep beating this horse.
BillC
Can you clarify why you think RV is a better rider than RD? Wouldnt a "better rider" not be out due to injury as much as RV? I am a fan of RV, but I believe your opinion is very biased.
What ever SEF154 your the one who brought Magoo into this now you don't want to play anymore?? What ever.
. Uneasy_rider, It will not be the same for everyone, To me RV is better because he has beaten RD more times than RD has beaten him, RV has passes RD in SX to win but in the last 2 years RD has not passed RD in an SX race. RV can come thru the pack WAY WAY better than RD, RD takes for ever to make a pass and sometimes does not make the pass even though he is faster then the guy he is behind. Speed wise in SX RV has it, Outdoors like I said the day and the track, they are every close but we saw what heppen last year with 8 moto's to go and RV 1 point up on RD, RV took the bull by the horns and won the title. in a nut shell that's it for me. It does not me I dislike RD I just like RV more.
Uneasy....
RV twisted ripped his knee up in a freak 5 mph tip-over!!! hardly crashing his brains out!
Now look at RD at Southwick? That was a scary looking high-speed get-off that had it happened anywhere other than the soft sands of the Wick we may be here talking about whether or not RD may be back in time for SX !!
Everyone crashes, some more than others cause they want to win more than just show....
RD missed a number of rounds in 2012 SX from a crash injury......in fact over the last year I would bet they've had the same amount of crashes.....
just saying....
to me a better racer is one that wins more. A better rider is one that rides better-and that is a matter of opionion as to style and ability.
I am a RV fan and feel RV is a slightly better racer than RD. There are days when RD is better and there are days when RV is better. I have no problem with someone who feels RD is a better racer.
I can't wait for next year, and I like MX more than SX.
Thats right Ripdown , LUCK has a HUGE part in it. Look at some of the yard sales RC rode away from!! Other's break something everytime they fall.RD has been VERY lucky to not get hurt.
BillC I have no problem with you or alezx9 or any one else liking RV over Dungey or Stewart over RV and RD, as I said we are all fans and need to support the rider we favor, other wise bench racing would be very boring..We each draw our conclusions on our own criteria, I understand why you think RV is better, you appreciate his skill set as I like the things RD does better. Both great riders!!
As for the in it to win it approach, no it does not work for everyone, you have to be very close in speed and very strong mentally, Windham as you chose, was close in speed but no where near as mentally strong, I have heard him admit that many times. It is the approach Decoster used, Roger was very fast but he was gifted at least 2 of his titles when Maico's broke, but he was right there in points to take advantage of it, and today we call him the Man!
Both ways work, balls to the wall has given RV and JS titles, it has also robbed them of titles. It is no crime to win a title because some on else took them selves out nor should it be treated as one!!
Lastly before heading back to work, my sayings for the day:
.Live by the sword die by the sword!!!
Great speed is like great power, it must be used wisely or disaster can occur!!
What we think carries no more weight than a fart in a thunder storm!!
As always enjoy the debate, I for one, am glad we have differing opinions!!
THE OTHER RIDERS ARE OUT BECAUSE THEY MADE MISTAKES
DUNGEY DID NOT- HE DESERVES THIS
BillC, as I said before, just about anybody you can name won championships through a combination of speed and consistency. I don't want to debate every rider for the past 40 years (or whatever). Frankly, I've spent too much time on this already (since this isn't my job). You brought up specific riders to "prove your point," I brought up others to show that BOTH POINTS ARE VALID. 450cc championships? RV - 3, RD - 3. Beyond that, as BD25 said, "What we think carries no more weight than a fart in a thunder storm!!" Just make sure I'm upwind if you have any brainstorms!
Metta, actually its injuries and not mistakes that RD was lucky in not getting. In the last two races we have seen RD on the ground 5 times, fortunatly he did not get hurt and most of those were in practice. Lucky for him his collar bone didn't hurt his mx season as he was already pretty far behind RV in points when it did happen in SX.
Its very interesting in 2010 a few races before RV broke his leg RD did almost the same thing and was not injured. What I hope is RD's luck holds and RV's luck improves.
it seems I get hurt on the little stupid stuff and almost never when I am racing. JS can have a wreck that would kill a normal person and jump on his bike and finish the race passing 15 guys. Then you have Byrne who doesn't wreck just simply dabs his foot wrong in a rut and breaks his leg ! Rv's Seatle inside corner we see dozens of times and this time it popped his acl and hes screwed for the MX season.
I think injuries are a lot more than tallant or lack of. I feel they depend on how strong a persons bones and tendons are, how flexible they are, pure luck on how and where you land (CR= lucky to be alive) and agility to land properly when you go down. Reflexes and instinct and knowing when to push and when to accept.
I don't view any hurt rider any less as a racer unless a very consistant pattern of crashing out develops. I hate what happened to TC and feel better luck has to be coming his way.
I think it was so cool to see RD pressure JS for all he was worth at Hangtown and freestone, I was lucky enough to be there, Freestone was epic and thunder valley was looking like more of the same when JS had to take the zing out of the season.
RD has earned every race win and title he's had and he will only get better !
@BILLC, how can you say "people" dont think Dungey is as fast as guys in supercross and then you mention Stewart. Dungey has spanked Stewart the last two seasons in supercross. Even when Stewart was healthy, and rtaced all year.. Dungey is better at racing period than Stewart, dont lump everyone else in with you Stewtards.. Has Stewart even beaten Dungey in a full 450 season yet??
@persona--I like how you dodge my Stewarts asterisk for his titles question, coward!!!
@ripdown
I never said RV wrecks his brains out, I said he has wrecked out of more series than RD. Fact, not opinion. I am a Huge RV fan, and when he is on, he is on! No doubt, but last year was a major turning point for RV and his crashing ways. Not hating on him, I believe he is going to be awesome when he comes back out healthy, but Dungey, even though not near as exciting to watch will be in the mix for years to come, while the other guys are out with injuries/retiring.
@BillC
RD isnt good at coming thought the pack? Have you watched any races these past couple of years? This past weekend, Dungey went down, was 10th place and still won the race (even with the media darling on the track), or southwick last year, almost a lap down, and passes up to 7th? I agree RV makes much more agressive moves, but you gotta give RD credit.
I think 5150 has a crush on me!
Dungey left the relative safety of an established team and went with the team that people said was a career-killer and that the bike would never win a SX race.
Ryan Dungey now has a proven, race winning bike that will only get better. He is now re-united with his mentor who, just happens to be Roger freakin' DeCoster, he has a team in KTM that wants to be #1 in motocross and isn't worried about their board of directors babbling about pianos, outboard motors, locomotives or autos, just racing motorcycles. Dungey's team also has one of, if not THE biggest sponsor in MX / SX with Red Bull who, is supporting him 100%............and his personal sponsors are Nike and Target, two huge outside sponsors.
Not bad for a kid from Minnesota that was plucked out of the "B" class. I'd run him against anyone, anytime.
and he just won the 450 MX title..................guess who's going to Disneyland?
Way to go Dungey! Bench racing with my friends at home in the past I said he would win a ton of championships and here is another tick. Here's to many more to come.
Sometimes smooth and consistent is the right style. Especially in the kind of stacked fields we can see these days.
I can't wait for 2013 Supercross/Motocross, the depth in the 450 calss is insane!!!
Emperor ScrubThis is frothing at the mouth today- like a mangy runaway dog who just found a nice juicy steak in the trash. What kind of a NUT spends most of his time taunting people who live on the other side of the world- and through a computer no less. Must have a real interesting life there pal. And furthermore- if the 33 year old Timmy Ferry was indeed slower than he was, when he finished second in one of Carmichaels perfect seasons- then why was he never selected for the MXON team until the ripe old age of 32? And he WON it for us by the way! And since the chinese are of such obviously superior intellect- then why are there no chinese motocrossers? Or chinese motocross bikes? Only chinese keyboard warriors like you- who have never even ridden a bike.
Fu)k I left this place for awhile and I see it always turns into a who is faster than who. Can't you just say congratulations and leave it at that.
Congrations Dungey. See how easy it is.
uneasy_rider ...Please!! You gave me 2 times,One of whitch is BS, Yes Southwick last year was AWESOME, He should ride like that all the time. But last weekend?? Come on!! OK he was in 10th...and 4 of the guys in front of him DNFed and it took him 30min to pass Tickle!! How about last year when Barcia holeshot and RV passed RD and Barcia in 3 laps but RD took 30 + 1 1/2 laps to get by Barcia BOTH moto's!!! I could give you MANY examples. I think most would agree with me that he is not good at passing so i believe you are in the minority if you think he is as good as RV at passing.
BillC Good Morning sir, hope you had a great evening! To clarify, I brought up 10 to tell the story of the crash, and how Dungey was an eye witness to what can happen, I think it was a lesson he learned..I agree with you, to a degree.
RV's aggressive style enables him to pass quicker, he seizes the moment.. JS sees different lines he can use to pass and uses them to his advantage, neither shy away from contact with who they are passing. Reed is also a very good passer, as his experience really helps him. RD is more calculating, not as aggressive and less likely to try a pass where contact will be made, as he sees it as a chance to fall and lose positions, especially in the short supercross sprints.(Weimer may disagree, as he is the only one I can think of RD has forced his way around) Outdoors RD is willing to again, be patient wait for a mistake allowing his superior fitness to come into play. So I can understand your view point... Again it comes down to different styles and approaches to racing and which works best for the individual!!! By the way this is all just my opinion, based on what I have observed these talented riders do, and what do I know...lol..Have a great day sir!!
BillC
I give up, your right. RD is terrible at passing. Maybe he will learn to get more aggressive and I know this is a longshot, but maybe he can get it together and win some titles one day! How many titles does RV have again? How many 450 titles does Barcia have? I'm done!
Congrats, BillC! You've earned the ire of 5150. Who is this guy, and what rock did he crawl out from under?
With as many 450 titles as RV in less time and less injuries, I think it might be premature to say that Dungeys strategy isn't working.
While the tapes may show that Dungey isn't pulling the trigger as fast as his competition when it comes to passing, the fact remains that he is still there at the end and in the points column.
@ BillC, C'mon Bill, 30+ min to pass Tickle? Didn't Dungey fall down and remount in (about) last place? I think that might be a little unfair.
Another version of the same story might read something like: "Dungey fell down on the first laps and still managed to pass current leader Tickle who, by all accounts, was riding well".
I'll give you the assumption that if a rider fell down with all the "fast five" in place, he would be off the box at the end but, let's not get carried away.
Sef154 he has been after me for weeks!!! Don't worry school starts soon and the short bus will be pulling up in front of his house soon!! So grab your helment and don't lick the windows 50150!!!
5150 is his waist size, and then his I.Q.
carlsbad yes the Tickle statment my have been a bit much but hey it did take him a long time to get it done once he was in 2nd
Maybe RD does not like the track?? Could be. Either way you can't be arguing that he is as good as RV at Passing!! Can you??
SmartypantS you give him way to much credit on the IQ!!! LOL
@ BillC, I'm not going to argue RV vs RD's passing abilities but, lap time-wise, I don't think anyone could have gotten to the front any faster than RD did........lap time-wise.
I will give you that history has shown RD is not the quickest gun in the west when it comes to making passes.