It’s been a big week for the injured Ryan Dungey in regards to mainstream media. Earlier this week it was announced that Dungey would appear alongside 18 other athletes in the 2016 Body Issue of ESPN the Magazine. Dungey is the first active professional supercross racer to receive the honor. Travis Pastrana was featured with his wife, Lyn-z, in 2014, while Tarah Gieger was featured in 2013.
ESPN released the nominees for the 2016 ESPYS this week as well and Dungey has been nominated for a second straight year for Best Male Action Sports Athlete. In 2015, Dungey became the first athlete not named Nyjah Huston or Shaun White to win the award since 2007. He was also the first motocross/supercross racer to win an ESPY for Best Action Sports Male Athlete.
Travis Pastrana was the only other motorcyclist to win the award back in 2007 when he was recognized for his double backflip in 2006 and winning three gold medals at X Games in Moto X Best Trick, Moto X Freestyle, and Rally Car Racing.
Dungey will be competing against freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, skateboarders Nyjah Huston and Pedro Barros and snowboarder Mark McMorris.
In 2015, Dungey won the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship for the third time. He followed it with a historic season in Monster Energy Supercross winning 9 of 17 races en route to a second straight title. Dungey also recorded a record 31 consecutive podiums dating back to 2015. The streak ended with a fourth at Round 16 in East Rutherford.
Dating back to 2015, Dungey also finished first or second in 20 straight races. He made the podium in 16 of 17 races in 2016, with his worst finish being a fourth. Dungey is currently recovering from a cracked C6 vertebrae sustained in the second moto at Round 3 of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross from Thunder Valley.
But we really don't need to tell you how impressive The Dunge has been over the last year. You already know, so go vote for a dirt bike racer as best Male Action Sports Athlete. Voting ends on July 13, at 8:00 p.m. EST. You can vote now here.
The ESPYS, created by ESPN in 1993, recognize sports-related achievements.
