What has been known for a while is finally official: Ryan Dungey will rejoin mentor Roger DeCoster after signing a two-year contract with the Red Bull/KTM factory team for the 2012-2013 AMA Supercross and National Motocross Championships.
Dungey will make his debut with the team at Angel Stadium for the Anaheim Supercross series opener on January 7.
“I’m looking forward to riding for the new Red Bull/KTM team and working again with Roger,” the 21-year-old Dungey said in a team release issued today. “I am excited to start something new and am ready for the challenge. I like the way that KTM has backed Roger since he made the switch last year and I appreciate KTM’s goal of working hard to develop their race team to earn championships. I am making this switch to win races and work toward getting that championship for KTM.”
DeCoster was also pleased to have the 2010 AMA Supercross and AMA 450 National Motocross Champion in the fold. The two won those titles together on the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team where DeCoster was team manager before moving to KTM this season.
“I am really happy to have Ryan Dungey join our team,” DeCoster said. “He and I have worked together for several years so we know each other well. Our past should help us get the best out of each other and put us in position to be legit championship contenders in the big bike class. Everyone at the factory and here on the U.S. side is very excited to start working with Ryan and see where the future will take us.”
Dungey’s career took off in 2009 when he won the AMA Supercross Lites Western Regional Title. He followed that up the same year with the AMA Pro Motocross Championship 250cc class crown and was also a member of the winning U.S. team in the Motocross of Nations. Last year he became the first rider in history to win both the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championship in his rookie year and again went on to lead the U.S. team to victory in the Motocross of Nations. This year he finished second in the outdoor championship and again was a member of the victorious U.S. team in the MXdN.
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG’s Head of Motorsports, Pit Beirer, is excited to have a rider of Dungey’s talent on the team.
“I am extremely proud that we have brought a great rider to the KTM team,” Bierer said. “Three years ago we started to rebuild our Supercross and Motocross efforts based on a dream to bring KTM to the top of the sport. A small number of people trusted in my idea and stayed with me. Soon after Roger [DeCoster], Ian [Harrison] and the entire U.S. Red Bull/KTM Team came onboard and began helping us get closer to our goal. We now have Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin, two MX2 World Champions, on our team and with Ryan coming to our side the dream team is a reality and we are truly ready to race.”
