Ryan Dungey has opened up a lot more and seems to be having more fun in 2015. Words by: Dan Lamb – Interview by: Chase Yocom – Photo by: Simon Cudby
It seems like every year we go into the Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, thinking this is the year of incredible depth and parity in the 450SX class, but by this time, we always seem to have a breakaway rider or two. This year, with the reigning 450SX Champion heading overseas, we had a deep list of rookies, young contenders and former champions to fight for the vacated title, but after eleven rounds, it’s all Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey.
The series started out with RCH/Suzuki’s Ken Roczen winning two of the first three 450SX main events and Honda/Racing’s Trey Canard winning the fourth, but since round five, it’s been Ryan Dungey’s world. The 2010 450SX Champion has simply gone on a terror and stamped his name as the favorite for this Championship trophy. Ryan has been on the podium every round since round two. He’s won five of the last eight main events and the last three main events in a row to take a massive 45-point lead in the Championship. While Ryan has won an SX Championship in the past, we have never see this kind of aggression and flat out domination from the #5.
After Ryan’s third-straight main event win in Indianapolis last Saturday night, Chase Yocom caught up with him in the pits for a quick “Race Rewind” interview. You can hear what “The Diesel” had to say in the Q&A below.
We’re here with Ryan Dungey. Ryan, man, third in a row. You’ve got to feel pretty good about that.
Yeah, definitely. Today the track was tough. Daytona was a tough track last week and things were solid, but this weekend in Indy, the dirt was much softer, rutted, rough. All day, we never fought it too much but it was tricky. The heat race – coming into the main event based off the heat I didn’t get off to the greatest start. I knew that the start was going to be important—so just executing that the right way and then being able to lead my laps—I was able to just kind of get out front right away and try to open up a gap as quick as I could, if at all, and we were able to. Another win, it feels great. Definitely we worked hard and these wins are special.
Throughout the day, you were pretty fast in qualifying, 4th in the heat, and then in the main, it looked like you just had your bike dialed. Make any changes throughout the day?
We made a few changes in practice, but from the heat to the main, no. I mean, the heat race was more just a matter of—not taking from the guys they’re riding fast—but not being able to ride my lines. We’re all going so fast and we’re all right there within tenths, so it’s really hard to get underneath a guy and make a pass. A couple of bobbles put me back to 5th, was able to get into 4th, got in the main, so when I was sitting in the main event and getting ready to take off I was like, “Alright, this start is going to be important,” and we got off the gate good thankfully. By the third or fourth turn we were able to make the leap and pass for the lead.
How much did the track deteriorate through the night? It looked so gnarly out there.
They hooked us up before. They gave us a nice little tune up on the track before the main event. They had enough time, but, man, by the halfway mark, the line you were in you had to get out of it and do something else because it was just getting to be so deep and rough. We all dealt with that, but I felt like the bike was really consistent and I was able to pick consistent lines that didn’t go away too much and found a good groove. I was able to settle in nice and put a good hard charge and, by lap 15, open up good gap. The last lap I was able to kind of chill out and take it in for the win.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen people jump through whoops. Those things looked pretty gnarly, especially towards the end.
Yeah, all day—practice, the heat race—they were tough. They didn’t build them smaller when they rebuilt them for the night show either, so it was a struggle. It wasn’t the fastest to jump through them, but it was consistent and that’s what I was looking for. With that being said, a track like this can reach out and bite you pretty quick if you try to test the limits too much.
On to Detroit next weekend having extended the points lead. You’ve got to be happy going into Detroit.
Yeah. I’m excited. Just taking it one at a time. It’s important not to get too far ahead of ourselves. We know where we’re at and we’re in a great position so just to keep building on that, but at the same time, taking it race by race and performing on the given race days. I’m excited. Detroit was a new stop last year for us, so it’ll be good to go back there this year and have a good week and take it from here.
Thanks for your time, and congrats again.
Alright, guys. Thank you.
