Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey earns his third career Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, and his first back-to-back titles.
RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki’s Ken Roczen ran off and hid to claim his fifth Monster Energy AMA Supercross win of the year at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, last night, but it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.
Because when the checkered flag fell on the 25-lap main event, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey accomplished all he had set out to do from the beginning of the season, successfully defending his Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
Coming into the night, the 26-year-old Dungey couldn’t have had less pressure on him if he’d been racing on the moon.
All he had to do was make the main event and finish 14th or better should Roczen take the win. Dungey did better than that. Although he did see his amazing run of consecutive podium finishes come to an end at 31 races—a streak that dates all the way back to the 2014 Phoenix Supercross—Dungey’s fourth-place finish tonight capped off career first back-to-back AMA National titles, and he is now tied with supercross legends Bob “Hurricane” Hannah and Jeff Stanton as a three-time AMA Supercross Champion; fourth best all-time, behind seven-time champion Jeremy McGrath, five-time champion Ricky Carmichael and four-time champion Ryan Villopoto.
But although he clinched the title one round early, Dungey said that defending it was much harder than earning it the other two times during what is certainly going to be a Hall of Fame career.
“In my whole career I’ve been able to win a title, but it was the repetitive back-to-back, the challenge, was the tough part,” Dungey said afterward. “Not that we put more pressure on ourselves. We went to town. We weren’t going to be afraid to fail. We were going to go for it, and here we are. It was tough, you know? All the competitors were there, giving it a hard-fought [effort] week in and week out, so we had to rise to the occasion multiple times. That championship battle starts to wear on you, but we got it here tonight. There are so many things running through my head right now.”
Roczen did all that he could do in the main event, pulling the holeshot in the 20-lap main event while Dungey got through the first turn in sixth place but quickly moved to fifth place, behind Team Honda HRC’s Cole Seely, BTO Sports KTM’s Justin Brayton and Monster Energy/360fly/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Chad Reed. Dungey advanced to fourth with a pass on Reed through the first rhythm section on lap three, while Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac moved up into sixth place, right on Reed’s tail. Dungey would catch and pass Brayton through the rhythm section just before the over-under jump to take over third place on lap nine.
Roczen was on a tear up front, moving 4.5 seconds ahead of Seely in the first five laps. That margin was up to 8.3 seconds by the halfway point of the race.
Tomac had gotten rid of Reed and began to challenge Brayton for fourth place on lap 12, making an easy pass to take over the position, and he continued to charge toward the front, latching onto Dungey just about the time that Dungey closed up on Seely to challenge the Honda rider for second place. Dungey tried to put Seely away, but he couldn’t find a place to pass him, and when Tomac got a good run through the whoops on lap 16, Dungey suddenly found himself back in fourth place. Tomac then attacked Seely and completed an easy pass for second place on the outside line in one of the rutted right-hand corners.
That set the podium, leaving Dungey fourth. The last time that happened in a 450cc main event was at the Anaheim season opener in 2014. The difference was that fourth place in New Jersey meant that Dungey was the 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion.
“These things, you know, all the blood, sweat and tears that go into them… It’s hard work, but we all get to celebrate this occasion. It’s an amazing accomplishment for everybody [on the team]. Without the team behind me, my beautiful wife, my family, the support system… There are so many people that go into this moment right here, right now, and it’s a dream come true every time. It’s the height of our sport, and I want to use it to the fullest and make the most of it. There’s a lot left I feel in my career that I’d like to accomplish, and our better days are still ahead. I believe that.”
Roczen went on to win the race by a whopping 19.68 seconds over Tomac, with Seely third.
“There’s not much to say about tonight’s race,” Roczen said. “I grabbed the holeshot, and the track was in really good condition, and I raced 20 laps. That’s what I wanted to do, and I’m super happy to grab another win.”
And Roczen said he is also thinking past next weekend and looking toward the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, where everyone starts over again with zero points.
“I’m definitely pushing for another win, but I’m getting ready already for the outdoor season,” Roczen said. “Obviously this one [title] is wrapped up. Congrats to Ryan [Dungey] and Red Bull KTM. They’ve done a phenomenal job. My job lately has been making it harder for Ryan. We’ve done a good job so far. Like I said. We’re pushing for another win next weekend, but I’m going to keep practicing for the [Lucas Oil Pro] Motocross Championship.”
For Tomac, the MetLife round marked his first back-to-back podium finishes of the year, and he feels his performances on his Kawasaki are getting better.
“We’re coming around a lot,” Tomac said. “We’re at least fighting for these spots up here on the podium. I did myself in in the heat race. I didn’t a good qualifier, had to go the semi and didn’t even win that, and I was stuck outside in the first turn. I’ve got to fix that next time. We’ll try to get the last won in Vegas next week, try to get that win.”
For Seely, a third-place finish was a significant improvement over last weekend’s seventh.
“It’s great,” Seely said. “Four week ago I was sitting on the couch, wishing I was racing. I had a broken vertebra in my neck, which is pretty gnarly. It feels good to get back out here. I didn’t want to miss too many races.”
The 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series wraps up next weekend with round 17 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Results: April 30, 2016 (Round 16 of 17)
450 Main
1. Ken Roczen-Suz
2. Eli Tomac-Kaw
3. Cole Seely-Hon
4. Ryan Dungey-KTM
5. Justin Brayton-KTM
6. Jason Anderson-Hus
7. Marvin Musquin-KTM
8. Trey Canard-Hon
9. Chad Reed-Yam
10. Justin Bogle-Hon
11. Weston Peick-Yam
12. Blake Baggett-Suz
13. Broc Tickle-Suz
14. Mike Alessi-Hon
15. Justin Barcia-Yam
16. Josh Grant-Kaw
17. Jake Weimer-Suz
18. Vince Friese-Hon
19. Benny Bloss-KTM
20. Nick Wey-Kaw
21. Nicholas Schmidt-Suz
22. AJ Catanzaro-Kaw
2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Points Standings (after 16 of 17 rounds)
1. Ryan Dungey-348/8 wins*
2. Ken Roczen-305/5 wins
3. Jason Anderson-278/2 winsch
4. Eli Tomac-248/1 win
5. Chad Reed-220
6. Marvin Musquin-199
7. Cole Seely-187
8. Justin Brayton-170
9. Trey Canard-170
10. Jake Weimer-115
*Clinched series championship
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