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theGRIT
Letting Roczen go, Dungey worked into 5th by the end of the first few turns and began the pressure
he’s popularized, focusing its influence on the back of Chad Reed. Getting by within the first few laps, Dungey continued to stress Justin Brayton sitting in third behind Cole Seely. On lap six, Brayton and Dungey played a bit of cat and mouse before Ryan, almost unnoticeably, scrubbed a triple out of a rhythm on lap eight and rushed by the fellow KTM rider as if he was standing there, stationary. Over the next seven laps, while Tomac continued to work his way up through Reed and Brayton, Dungey began to put in work on Cole Seely in 2nd. Deciding to play it safe. Ryan realized the hard charging Tomac wasn’t going to play nice so he dialed it back a notch, allowing the Monster Energy Kawasaki by for 3rd.
Almost metaphorically, the decision cost Dungey his podium streak, which ended at the thirty-one mark mentioned previously, as he finished fourth behind Seely in third, the blitzing Tomac in second and the too-far-gone Suzuki of Ken Roczen. With one round to go and no worries in sight, Ryan Dungey’s season is complete which sets the stage for Las Vegas to be anyone’s race. There is one thing that Dungey will be doing in Sin City, though, and that’s his homework as there is no questin the now three-time defending champ will be shooting for a three-peat in 2017.
14
GRITMOTO • MAY.2.16
words/BRENTECKERT
IMAGES/LAKEKILPATRICK