Before a throng of moto press, his team and his family members at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, announced his retirement from the sport of professional motocross and supercross racing today at the age of 27.
“After a lot of thinking and praying over the last several months, today I announce my retirement from racing professional Supercross and Motocross,” Dungey said in the press conference, which was live streamed around the globe. “This decision has not been an easy one. I’ve achieved more than I ever could have imagined or dreamed of and for all of this I am incredibly humbled and honored. I’ve gone as hard as I can for as long as I can but the reality is that our sport is tough, the seasons are long and it takes a huge amount of sacrifice, hard work and discipline to stay on top. Physically I feel that I’m in the best shape of my life, race craft-wise I’m in the best shape of my life and I have the equipment to win, there’s no doubt about that. However, this year I have struggled mentally.”
Dungey said that he has always raced for the love of the sport, but the wake-up call of suffering a potentially career-ending neck injury while competing in the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, along with the struggles he faced in winning his fourth career and third consecutive Monster Energy AMA 450cc Supercross title at the season finale Las Vegas Supercross this month, were enough reason to call it a career.
“Getting my head into the game each week just wasn’t the same, and lining up and being able to focus like I always had in the past was just different,” Dungey said. “I never thought I would get to a place where I had to talk myself into starting a race but that’s how it was for me. And the truth is that bothers me a lot. I could easily take the paycheck and just race to finish, but that’s not who I am and not how I want to race, nor be remembered. I said on the podium in Las Vegas a week and a half ago that this championship win meant the most out of all my Supercross titles because the truth is, I had to fight the hardest for this one. Not necessarily because of the battles on the track but because I had to mentally push myself like never before to get it done. And to come out on top and hold onto the championship title for the third year in a row is an unbelievable blessing that I’m incredibly proud of.”
Dungey leaves behind a sport in which he acheived some amazing accomplishments in a rather short 10 years. Including his four AMA Supercross titles, he also holds five AMA National Motocross titles–one in the 250cc class and four in the 450cc class, including both 450cc supercross/motocross titles as a rookie in 2010. He won the AMA 250SX Western Regional Supercross title in 2009. He was also part of three Motocross of Nations-winning American teams (2009, 2010 and 2011). After leaving the factory Suzuki team for KTM in 2012, he also made history by becoming the first rider to ever give KTM a 450cc supercross main event win and also the first ever to give the brand an AMA Supercross title. His 80 career AMA wins include 12 in the 250cc Supercross class, 34 in the 450 Supercross class, 7 in the 250cc Motocross class and 39 in the 450cc Motocross class, ranking him third in all-time motocross wins. He never finished worse than third in any series in which he has competed.
Dungey has been decorated ousides of the sports as well, winning ESPN ESPY awards for Best Male Action Athlete in 2015 and 2016, and becoming the first motocross rider ever to appear on a Wheaties Cereal Box.
“I say this humbly, but I’ve achieved more than I ever could have imagined, or dreamed of,” Dungey said. “The idea that people could think of me as one of the greats is truly amazing to me. For all of this I am incredibly humbled and honored, but by no means did I do this by myself. This has been a team effort from my family supporting and guiding me, to Roger [DeCoster] giving me that once-in-a-lifetime chance when I was just a kid to my wife who goes above and beyond to support me every day, I love you.”
Dungey also thanked the sport’s fans.
“Without you,” he said, “the racing wouldn’t be what it is today. I’ve truly enjoyed meeting so many of you who have supported me throughout my career. Lastly and most importantly I want to thank God for guiding us and supporting us.”
Dungey now has plans to relax for a while, although he has hinted at returning to the sport in the future, possibly as a team manager or a mentor to young riders within the KTM family. For now, though, the rest is well-earned.
“It’s a bittersweet day for me,” Red Bull KTM Team Manager Roger DeCoster told DirtBikes.com. “On the one hand, it is no surprise, but on the other hand, I have worked with the guy for 10 years, and he has always delivered.”
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