Dungey Report
Round 2 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, held in the blazing heat of Freestone Raceway in Wortham, Texas, took a considerable toll on the competition.
While most riders and their machines struggled to make it through the day, Ryan Dungey and his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 simply dominated the field en route to a stunning 1-1 moto finish.
Teammate Matt Moss, his wrist still sore from being landed on in Hangtown, gutted out a tough day, managing a 34-20 finish for 24th overall.
Anxious to improve on his Hangtown results, Dungey secured a good first moto start near the front. He then quickly made his way to the front, taking the lead on lap 7.
As the heat and humidity intensified, however, Dungey and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 held strong at the front, crossing the finish line well ahead of second place, taking his first moto win in the 450 class.
Ryan Dungey says: “We put in our work the last couple of weeks, actually, it goes all the way back to after the Vegas Supercross, really,” Dungey said after the race. “I admit we didn’t have a good race at Hangtown, but we kept after it as a team and pulled through in some pretty tough conditions in Texas. We know each other very well after 4-plus years together and you could say we drew on our experience to win this overall. This was a team win.”
The second moto saw considerably more treacherous conditions. The Freestone track had become much rougher and the 100-degree heat had yet to back off. For Dungey, however, it was just another race to win.
Dungey started near the front and once again moved into the lead early on and never looked back. Dungey made it look easy aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, stretching out another sizable lead on his way to his first 1-1 overall finish.
For Moss, the second moto was an improvement, as he was able to finish 20th on the tough track with an injured wrist. His efforts were good enough for 24th overall.
“I had bad luck in the first race with a crash, but in the second moto I got a great start and my bike was working great,” Moss said.
“I just struggled with the heat and my wrist, but I do feel like I’m getting better. Next weekend will be good. I have seen the track and it’s the sort of track that I like, so I can’t wait to get there and get a good result.”
Dungey continued: “My bike was a big advantage today,” Dungey said from the top spot on the victory podium. “The power delivery is very controllable and on a rough track like this, it made it easier to be smooth and find good lines. My team really worked hard to get the setup right, and I can’t say enough about them and the bike.”
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Flagstar Bank Freestone National
Freestone Raceway – Wortham, Texas
June 5, 2010
Round 2 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-1)
2. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (2-3)
3. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda (6-2)
4. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (7-4)
5. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (5-10)
6. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki (4-12)
7. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (12-5)
8. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (3-16)
9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (9-9)
10. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Yamaha (8-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 87
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 76
3. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 68
4. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 66
5. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 60
6. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 55
7. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 54
8. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 51
9. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki, 43
10. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 37
With the win, Dungey moves up to second place in the championship standings. The next stop of the series is June 12th at Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, for the Rockstar Energy High Point National.
