Dungey Does it again: 2x Titles
KTM takes both overalls at Unadilla
Dungey Makes History Again
KTM takes it second title in 2012
Photos: Shan Moore
2012 is the year of the Dungey and KTM, the duo has won it all, SX and outdoors.
It was big news that Yosh Suzuki rider James Stewart made his return to racing in New York, yet at the end of the day I bet he wished he would have watched the race from the comfort of his home. JS made good friends with the dirt in both motos, yet he did lead the first moto for a lap. James needs to regroup after his regroup and maybe wait until the 2013 SX season opener. Early reports did not say if Stewart was indeed hurt or just banged up.
Michael Byrne was another rider that was looking to have a strong day in moto one, yet he too crashed pretty hard and was out of the race.
The BIG NEWS, Dungey taking the second moto win and clinching the 2012 Lucas Oil Motocross title with two rounds to go. Amazing what a year can do and just when you might have figured KTM would never be a player, they take the series by storm and clean up in the 450 ranks for 2013.
Moto Concepts’ Mike Alessi failed to finish moto one but came back in moto two to claim a well-deserved second, yet it was PC’s Broc Tickle with 2-4 moto finishes who took second overall for the day.
250 class
Unadilla is a perfect circuit for the Euro riders and it proved to be just that in moto one for former and current world champions Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin. The two Katoom pilots went one-two in moto one and displaced the PC and the Geico crew.
It might not have been an overall, but Ken Roczen did win a moto at Unadilla.
KTM's Marvin Muquin went 2-3 for his first US overall.
Right now Baggett still leads Barcia by 24 points with four motos remaining in the series
Unadilla was a major historic milestone for KTM with at title and two overall victories for the day.
Monster PC's Blake Baggett still leads the point chase by nearly a moto with two rounds to go.
MX Sports Notes
Eighth Victory of the Season Secures Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Title for Dungey at Unadilla
Musquin Emerges With First Career 250 Class Win on U.S. Soil
NEW BERLIN, N.Y. (August 18, 2012) – The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, hosted its annual stop from Central New York on Saturday, with the 10th round of the season from Unadilla. Continuing his dominance of the 450 Class field, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., captured his second career title with two rounds remaining by sweeping the day’s motos for his eighth consecutive victory. In the 250 Class, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin, of France, broke through for his first career win on U.S. soil.
BTO Sports/Palmetto Suzuki’s Michael Byrne, of Australia, and Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., battled for the early lead in the opening 450 Class moto, with Stewart taking the spot on the second lap. However, the following lap, Stewart crashed out of the lead, dropping to the tail end of the field and allowing Byrne to reassume the position. The same lap, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, passed Byrne but went down moments later, unable to finish the race.
Byrne paced the field for the next seven laps and opened a multi-second advantage, only to experience misfortune of his own and suffer an injury that ultimately forced him out of the moto. In Byrne’s absence, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle, of Holly, Mich., took over the lead with Dungey, who also fell in the early stages of the moto, assuming second.
Tickle fended off Dungey for four laps, but the KTM rider made his move with two laps remaining to take a hard-fought moto win, battling his way forward from 10th place. Dungey’s closest championship rival, MotoConcepts Suzuki’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., also suffered from misfortune in the moto, completing only four laps before pulling off with a DNF, which put Dungey is position to claim the title.
In Moto 2, Dungey capitalized on a good start, slotting himself into third place early behind Team Chaparral Honda’s Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, and Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX’s Davi Millsaps, of Cairo, Ga. Dungey wasted little time in moving forward, passing both of his competitors to move into the lead by the third lap. Once out front, Dungey never looked back and brought home his 22nd career premier class win, tying him with Ricky Johnson for third on the all-time wins list.
“It was a pretty amazing day,” said Dungey. “To be honest, I knew we could wrap (the championship) up today, but my focus was putting on a solid performance and moving forward. Mike (Alessi) has been riding well, but unfortunately there was a DNF. In the second moto, I just wanted to put in a solid ride and wrap up this championship. It’s amazing to see everything that’s gone in to making this moment happen. It’s pretty special.”
Dungey’s championship is a historic one for KTM, marking the Austrian brand’s first title in the 450 Class.
“I knew we had the right people behind us and if anyone could do it, (Team Manager Roger DeCoster) and this team could,” added Dungey. “We struggled at times, but as a team we worked it out and were able to overcome it. It took a lot of effort from everyone here and overseas. We had a god opening round and just kept making progress. I committed everything and winning a championship is paying that due. I hope this is the first of many more.”
Tickle posted a career-best runner-up finish (2-4), while Short rounded out the podium in third (4-3).
In the 250 Class, GEICO Honda’s Zach Bell, of Cairo, Ga., positioned himself at the front of the field of the opening moto and led the first two laps before giving way to Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Germany. Once out front, Roczen pulled away from the field and claimed his first moto win since moving to the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship this season.
In Moto 2, GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, of Monroe, N.Y., took advantage of the holeshot to open an early lead and rebound from a seventh-place finish in the first moto. Behind him, fellow GEICO Honda rider Eli Tomac, of Cortez, Colo., and Musquin began to assert themselves at the front of the field.
Tomac eventually closed in on Barcia and passed his teammate on Lap 8, pulling away for the moto win. Musquin solidified himself in third through the remainder of the moto and the consistency was enough to award the former two-time World Motocross Champion the overall win.
“This is my best result here,” said Musquin. “I was finding good lines, and this track is really about technique. I (also) got two good starts. In the first moto, I was happy to follow Kenny (Roczen) and in the second moto I was determined to get a good start because I haven’t been doing that this year. I kept thinking about the overall, because I knew Tomac and Barcia had trouble (in Moto 1). With Kenny and Ryan (Dungey) winning as well, it was a good day for KTM. ”
Tomac (6-1) and Roczen (1-6) finished with identical moto results, tying for second overall, but Tomac claimed the spot by virtue of the second-moto tiebreaker.
Points leader Blake Baggett, of Grand Terrace, Calif., finished fifth overall aboard his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki but still maintains possession of the 250 Class lead, 24 points over Barcia.
After a break in the action next weekend, the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will return with the 11th of 12 rounds this season in Pennsylvania. The Steel City National from Delmont’s Steel City Raceway will host the world’s best riders on Saturday, September 1, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Red Bull Unadilla National
Unadilla – New Berlin, N.Y.
450 Class Championship Standings
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 480
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 367
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 311
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki, 293
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 293
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki, 226
Justin Brayton, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Honda, 202
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki, 182
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 163
Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 150
250 Class Championship Standings
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 436
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 412
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 408
Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 385
Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 336
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 255
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 215
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M, Suzuki, 206
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 189
Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda, 168
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Comments
August 19, 2012 12:56 pm
Ryan Dungey didn’t win the SX title, Ryan Villipoto did. Dungey did win a few overalls in SX though. The caption under the picture is misleading because Dungey didn’t win it all.