From a special KTM event, Red Bull / KTM’s Ryan Dungey just announced his retirement from professional motocross and supercross to the world.
With eight total combined national motocross and supercross championships—not including his 2009 250SX West Championship—on his career resume, Ryan Dungey will now ride off into retirement on top of the sport. Just like Ryan Villopoto before him, the Belle Plaine, Minnesota rider will retire immediately after winning a 450SX Championship and forego the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Also like RV, he will pass on the opportunity to break Jeremy McGrath’s record of winning four-straight 450SX championships—Dungey is retiring after winning three in a row. Instead Ryan will rest on his extremely decorated Hall of Fame resume, hang up his boots and begin life after motocross and supercross with his wife Lindsay.
Video of Ryan Dungey’s announcement
When we look back at Dungey’s incredible career, he no doubt comes up in conversations about the winningest riders in SX and MX, but he will be best remembered as the most consistent rider to ever throw a leg over a dirt bike. This is a man that once raced 99 straight motocross nationals without missing a moto—dating from 2008 through early 2016—and holds the record for 31 straight 450SX podiums in a row. Say what you want about “The Diesel” not being the most exciting champion you have laid eyes on, the fact is his consistency and ability to race at an elite level year in and year out without crashing and injuring himself sets him apart from all of the all-time greats.
On top of Ryan’s legendary stats, he has also carried himself off the track in a way that any parent would no doubt hope their sons or daughters would emulate. The man has always been a class act and a true ambassador of the sport we all love. With that, he helped the sport cross over into mainstream popularity with accomplishments like becoming the first SX / MX athlete to grace the cover of a Wheaties box and becoming the first MX / SX athlete to win an ESPY Award—winning the award in both 2015 and ’16. In a sport where fierce aggression is a must and emotions are a roller coaster to an extreme degree, Ryan has always found a way to keep it classy.
Here at MotoXAddicts, we would like to congratulate Ryan on his truly legendary career and wish him luck in his new life outside of moto. You, sir, deserve everything you have earned.
Check out Ryan’s career racing stats below.
Career Accomplishments – From Wikipedia
2009 AMA West Coast SX Lites Champion
2009 AMA 250 Motocross Champion
2009 Motocross des Nations Champion
2010 AMA Monster Energy Supercross 450SX Champion (Rookie Season)
2010 AMA 450MX Motocross Champion (Rookie Season)
2010 Motocross des Nations Champion (Team USA)
2011 Motocross des Nations Champion (Team USA)
2012 AMA 450MX Motocross Champion
2015 AMA Monster Energy Supercross 450SX Champion
2015 AMA 450 Motocross Champion
2016 AMA Monster Energy Supercross 450SX Champion
2017 AMA Monster Energy Supercross 450SX Champion
Total Career AMA Wins
250SX AMA Supercross Wins: 12
250MX AMA Motocross Wins: 7
450SX Supercross Class: 34 [6th all-time]
450MX AMA Motocross Wins: 39 [2nd all-time in 450] [3rd all-time MX wins 250 & 450 combined]
92 total wins
Motocross of Nations Wins
2009: Team USA Win – MX1 Class Team Captain
2010: Team USA Win – MX1 Class Team Captain
2011: Team USA Win – MX1 Class Team Captain
