Dungey Gets First National MX Win Of Year

Cycle News Staff | June 25, 2011

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett emerged victorious today in the 450 and 250 classes, respectively, at the fifth round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Thunder Valley Raceway in Lakewood, Colorado. For Dungey, it was his first overall win outdoors since the last National of 2010 at Pala Raceway, while Baggett was celebrating for the third time out of the five rounds held this year.

Dungey, who earlier this year had an overall win taken away when his bike ran out of gas while leading on the last lap, seemed determined to not let this one slip away. He battled past Troy Lee Design/Lucas Oil/Honda’s Christian Craig and TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray/Honda’s Chad Reed on his way to second place in the first moto, finishing eight seconds behind Ryan Villopoto on the Monster Energy Kawasaki and nearly 30 seconds ahead of Reed.

The second moto saw him make short work of Reed with Villopoto in tow. The two Ryan’s laid wood to the field, gapping the series point leader, Reed, by a full minute at the end. Dungey took the overall win over Villopoto by virtue of his second-moto win. Fan favorite, Kevin Windham, on the GEICO Powersports Honda, went 4-4 for fourth overall and local hero, Andrew Short, on the factory KTM, was fifth.

Baggett, meanwhile, ran away with both motos in the 250 class, easily beating Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate Dean Wilson both motos. Colorado-native Eli Tomac went 3-3 for third overall on his GEICO Powersports/Factory Connection Honda, with Darryn Durham, on the Volcom/FMF-backed Honda, fourth in points for the day.

The biggest surprise was series point leader and two-time winner Tyla Rattray who was only able to muster 5-5 finishes for fifth overall and losing the points lead to Wilson, as the series heads to Red Bud, Michigan, next weekend.

 

RESULTS

 

450: 1. Ryan Dungey (Suz) 2-1; 2. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw) 1-2; 3. Chad Reed (Hon) 3-3; 4. Kevin Windham (Hon) 4-4; 5. Andrew Short (KTM) 7-8; 6. Tommy Hahn (Yam) 11-5; 7. Brett Metcalfe (Suz) 9-7; 8. Christian Craig (Hon) 6-15; 9. Jake Canada (Kaw) 10-13; 10. Justin Brayton (Yam) 14-10; 11. Nick Wey (Yam) 13-11; 12. Jimmy Albertson (Hon) 12-12; 13. Ricky Dietrich (Yam) 8-17; 14. Mike Alessi (KTM) 5-37; 15. Davi Millsaps (Yam) 24-6; 16. Ben LeMay (Yam); 15-14; 17. Michael Byrne (Suz) 22-9; 18. Jacob Weimer (Kaw) 19-16; 19. Travis Sewell (Yam) 17-20; 20. Tye Hames (Hon) 16-31.

 

250: 1. Blake Baggett (Kaw) 1-1; 2. Dean Wilson (Kaw) 2-2; 3. Eli Tomac (Hon); 3-3; 4. Darryn Durham (Hon) 4-6; 5. Tyla Rattray (5-5; 6. Ryan Sipes (Yam); 15-4; 7. Malcolm Stewart (Suz) 13-7; 8. Travis Baker (Hon) 10-10; 9. Justin Barcia (Hon) 9-12; 10. Alex Martin (Hon) 11-13; 11. Nick Paluzzi (Suz) 14-11; 12. Cole Seely (Hon) 8-17; 13. Nico Izzi (Hon) 12-15; 14. Gareth Swanepoel (Yam) 6-21; 15. Broc Tickle (Kaw) 7-35; 16. Kyle Cunningham (Yam) 40-8; 17. Martin Davalos (Suz) 36-9; 18. Mathew Lemoine (Kaw); 17-14; 19. Scott Champion (Hon) 19-16; 20. Gannon Audette (Yam) 16-33.

Steve Bauer