Ryan Dungey clinched the 2015 450-class title at Utah. He sewed it up with back-to-back wins. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Coming into the penultimate round of the 2015 Lucas Oil/AMA Pro Motocross Championships, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey carried a 79-point lead over AutoTrader.com/JGR/Toyota Yamaha’s Justin Barcia. So, Dungey could clinch the title after the first moto if he just didn’t lose more than four points to Barcia.
Dungey had other plans: He wanted to win.
RCH Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took the early lead in both 450cc motos and soon had to deal with Dungey, and both times out, Dungey bided his time, waited for an opportunity, and then struck late in the race and pulled away for the win.
Dungey clinched the 2015 450cc MX Championship after the first moto, but he still went out and won moto two in similar fashion.
Roczen ended up with a 2-2 score for second overall, while Barcia ended up third overall on the day.
This is the 25-year-old’s seventh professional championship.
“This is absolutely a dream come true, to be a champion. This is what you work so hard for but more than anything it takes a strong group around you, with the team, family, trainer and everything,” said Dungey. “This championship feels more special than the others because I feel like we put more into winning it this time around. We had a new bike and I had a new [training] program, and everything worked out to the best it could be. As much as I wanted to clinch the title today, I knew I had two motos ahead of me and didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I came here with every intention of winning both motos, no matter what the scenario was. I could have settled, sure, but I wanted to race to win and make sure I wrapped [the championship] up today.”
The race for the second place in the 450-class championship is still very much up for grabs. Barica leads Roczen by just five points with one round left to go.
Baggett has all but locked up fourth in the championship. He leads Christophe Pourcel by 42 points, but Broc Tickle trails Pourcel by just four points.
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (1-1)
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki (2-2)
3. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (5-3)
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki (4-4)
5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (3-7)
6. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (7-6)
7. Dean Wilson, Scotland, KTM (10-5)
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki (8-8)
9. Christophe Pourcel, Dade City, Fla., Husqvarna (9-9)
10. Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha (12-10)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 500
2. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha, 407
3. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 402
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 333
5. Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna, 291
6. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 287
7. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna, 283
8. Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha, 229
9. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha, 223
10. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda, 206
