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RYAN DUNGEY
450 SX / A-1
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> From within the shadows, at times, lurks the greatest of beasts. An unsettling feeling overwhelms those on the other side of the curtain, feet tapping, and heart rates rising, as the idea of the unknown frightens many to their core. And as the drapes unveil, the spotlight immediately attracts to the number one, captured at instantaneous speeds as if it were a metallic relic. Both crowd and competition are overcome with feelings of uncertainty and awe; many are startled, quietly pondering whether to bow and relinquish their status of individuality, or for the few brave hearted, rising up, and casting immense effort in order to dethrone. All who choose to fight must rise and be prepared to clash when the iron imprints the dirt; the time is now! The lights illuminate the city of Anaheim, the stadium appearing as a flare from the sky, and in an instant, the calm of Angel Stadium is swept away, and the main event is underway. A top 5, but rather mediocre start in terms of championship caliber, left Dungey on the outside looking in, as many of his biggest rivals lay just ahead, although sprinting feverishly. Shirt tails seem- ingly at his grasp, Dungey knew he had to latch on, leaving no time to waste if he wanted to secure solid position. Moving into fourth in the commencing moments, and teammate Marvin Musquin, along with Eli Tomac just laying ahead, the champion knew he had to flip the switch of aggression in order to make contact with his biggest rival, that of Ken Roczen. The typical, dry, textbook technique al- lowed Ryan to slowly slither past both of the aforementioned competitors, leaving himself on the outside looking in, as he railed each specific groove with accura- cy. He seemed to be connecting the dots rather well, no line wasted, and no path unchartered; creativeness on the insides of specific corners truly displayed his ability to weight the footpegs and dig the KTM in for the utmost traction. Howev- er, all of the training in the world couldn’t seemed to have prepared him for what the 94 had in store; and Dungey, being the champion that he is, knew that this race was lost, but a very well respected second place finish would be all that was needed as the doors closed on the opening round.
12 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 9, 2017