Page 14 - Issue45

RYAN DUNGEY
450 SX / 2ND
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / WILSON
>> Ryan Dungey’s season has been tough to judge. He started off the year playing second fiddle to a dominating Ken Roczen and then inherited a sizable points lead when Roczen suffered his season-ending injury. Then it appeared that he would pretty much ride off into the sunset after a win at A2 but that was far from the case. I would say he struggled from there on out but he really did not. He has just been so dominant the past few years that not seeing him win races consistently came as a shock. He was still finishing on or just off the podium never placing worse than fourth. His struggles to find the top spot of the podium were mainly due to Eli Tomac taking all of them. He has eight wins on the year compared to Dungey’s two and he has knocked the points lead completely away and tied it up. Coming out of the break, Dungey knew it was time to make or break the title and he aimed to reassume full command of the championship with a win in Salt Lake.
Dungey looked strong per usual in qualifying practice throwing down the third fastest lap time just a few ticks off of Tomac and his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Josh Grant. He was ready to duel during the night show. Dungey got the holeshot he needed in his heat and attempted to runaway. He knew Tomac would be somewhere close by so he tried to distance himself quickly. Tomac moved into second a few laps in and hounded Dungey for the last couple laps but the Dunge held strong and finished with the win. It was the little confidence boost he may have needed heading into the main.
Dungey nailed another great start in the main event, quickly taking the early lead from Justin Bogle. Tomac was buried in fifteenth so Dungey tried to build up a big lead and runaway like in his heat. However, this time around it was different. Dungey could hear the crowd go wild every time Tomac made a move and could see him chipping off large chunks of the lead lap after lap. He managed to continue leading the first eighteen laps but in that time Tomac had pulled up on his rear wheel. Dungey tried to fend him off but he was no match for the Kawasaki rider. Tomac blew by and pulled away with ease forcing Dungey to finish second and assume that position in the points standings. Tomac put forth one of the most impressive all-around rides in recent memory and it must have Dungey scrambling for answers. The Red Bull KTM rider has two more rounds to figure out how to stop the freight train that is Eli Tomac.
14 GRITMOTO • APRIL 23, 2017