Monday Conversation: Ryan Dungey
Monday, August 13, 2012 | 1:25 PM
Alpinestars has been delivering performance of the highest level on the motocross tracks of the world for almost 50 years. Racing on Sunday and developing on Monday is a way of life at Alpinestars. Welcome to the Racer X Monday Conversation.
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PrintAt Southwick, Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey won his seventh-straight race in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. But it wasn't nearly as simple as it sounds, because he crashed leading moto two, knocked off his gas cap, lost a bunch of fuel, and even had to make a pit stop during the race! He came out of the pits in second place and made a run on moto leader Tyla Rattray, but came up short. His 1-2 scores were plenty enough for the overall win, though. RD5 talked about it in the post-race press conference.
Racer X: What happened with the crash and the gas cap?
Ryan Dungey: Well, second moto we made some bike changes and they made things better. All day, I felt like I was in my groove, but there were some ruts at the bottom of the drop offs, and they were pretty nasty. I came off of the jump, and the rear kind of stepped to the right a little bit, and it hooked the jump sideways a little bit, and that caught it and hooked it back the other way. So I landed pretty cross rutted in the bottom, and that made it even harder. I tried to save it, but it just took me right down. After I fell, I realized I might have kicked the gas cap off. I looked and I saw it pouring out, so I was like 'Man, this is not good.' I got up, regrouped, and I got back into the lead, but all I could think about was if I was going to be able to make it [on gas]. I tried to conserve a little bit, I wasn't riding very hard, trying to save some gas if I could. Thanks to the guys at NBC Sports for getting us the footage so we could see the gas pouring out. We know we lost a lot of gas, and we measured the gas, we would not have made it another lap if we didn't pull in. So credit to the team, we had some of the KTM off-road guys over there helping, like Anthony, he is Kurt Caselli's mechanic, and my mechanic Carlos, they did a great job with the pit stop. It worked out. We didn't win the moto, but we were right there. I'm bummed I made the mistake.
It was another bizaree day at Southwick for Dugey, who had to stop and re-fuel after losing gas in the second moto after an early crash.
Carl Stone photo
Well, you weren't hurt, you still got the overall, and now you'll know if something like this ever happens again, what to do.
Yeah, I didn't know. I didn't know if you could pull in and get fuel or what--I didn't know if that's considered outside assistance or what. It's just a good example of how fast things can happen out there. You've got to stay focused.
Obviously you got refueled, you got back out there. But Tyla Rattray has won here before on 250s, he's a great sand rider. How hard were you going for it to try to catch him?
Oh I was definitely going for it. On that last lap I really pushed it and I got right behind him, and I could tell he really pushed it, too. He's a great sand rider. I think we were both feeling it at the end, but, like I said, for how everything went, to get the overall with a crash and a pit stop, very fortunate.
You have a strange history here now, with what happened last year and this year. Do you think about that?
I don't know, I try to approach every race the same. Last year was last year, and you just try to take those though times and make yourself a better person from it. This year we won the first moto, like we did last year, and the second moto, that was my fault. I crashed on my own and that's what led to the problems.
Since you ended up winning the overall anyway, did you guys almost laugh about having to take a pit stop, and how crazy everything must have been? What was the atmosphere after the race?
I was pretty disappointed that I made that mistake. At the same time I was happy--for the way everything went, it couldn't have gone more perfect. We wouldn't have made it to the end on gas. I knew I had enough gap where I could come out in second or third after pitting. Roger said, "You can't be bummed on that one." And we learned stuff, too, maybe we'll learn a way to make sure that thing doesn't come off again.
You have been selected to to the Motocross of Nations team again. Talk about that.
It's always an honor to be selected. It's going to be tough over there in Belgium, a lot of sand over there, so we're going to go over early and get ready for it. [Justin] Barcia, I saw him ride a 450 last year so I know he's a great 450 rider, and a great sand rider. I have no doubt he'll do a good job, and of course Baggett, who has a lot of speed. It's a great team, we have great people behind us, but it's not going to be easy.
Well, also, that race being so sandy, you'll probably learn a lot about your bike.
Yeah, and today was good. We rode some sand tracks for a few days to test for this one. I had never been in sand on this bike, and today was good, we learned a lot, but it's really going to help getting over there early and work on motor stuff, suspension stuff, whatever it is. It will be good to get over there early. Those guys over there really ride sand well, and they know how to conserve energy.
A lot of riders were saying this was as rough as they have ever seen Southwick. What are your thoughts?
Yeah, I think it was awesome. Some years before, they have flattened it, and in sand it can become a highway, you'll get little stutter bumps, but nothing crazy. Today, they left it, and they've done it with a lot of the tracks this year. It gets rough, and it really comes down to fitness, bringing out the rider and how much time you put in. Today was Southwick, they did a good job of leaving the rough stuff and fixing the bad stuff. That's the way it should be--I thought it was great,
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Wonder what the rule is on outside interference and pit stops? He did stay focused, that may be one of his strongest attributes. Ever since the JLaw incident, while on the 250's, Ryan seems to be able to block out all the nonsense and focus on what counts!
Glad to hear the team is going over early to get some sand testing in, that will really help us retain the Nations trophy...Go team USA!!!
That's a good picture of him and Roger. Two of the nicest guys this sport has ever known.
Lucky he did not get hurt!!! He crashed in practic also, VERY undungy like day!! LOL
Yes BD25 this year there is an extra week before the MXD so there is time to get there and do some riding.
Excellent teamwork from KTM. I can envision Mike Webb running to the Suzuki truck to get a gas can.
No one ran to the truck I don't believe you can leave the pit aira once the race starts, I am sure thay all bring gas with them besides what they top off with after the site lap.
@ Pitbull. I wish they would leave Unadilla grassy and natural like back in the day. I remember reading an article where Stanton said at the beginning of the first practice the grass was 12 inches high and you could hardly see the track markers. Real motocross.
@billc, I dont know if it is true or not, but RacerX reported on twitter that they sent someone back to the truck.?.?
Time for a bigger war wagon. We're not quite there yet but, we will follow the NASCAR lead eventually. I have experience moving the pit carts (war wagon) around road courses (auto racing) and that's bad enough. I can't imagine how tough it would be to move one of those babies around an unimproved moto course. Probably going to have to add a AWD UTV or heavy AWD ATV to the semi to tow it with.
BillC Wish the red headed Kawasaki Firecracker was ready to explode his unbridled speed up on the unsuspecting sands of Lomell!
Having him to go along with the every steady Locomotive and the newly discovered sand-master, Tomac the Terrible would be my dream team!!!
I am sure we are in good hands with Blazing Blake, Justin Stache and the Dunginator, and will be cheering them on!
@ Saddelback, too funny. Mike is probably wearing so many hats over at Suzuki right now, he radios out "WE NEED A FUEL CAN"............after a moments thought.........."Oh yeah, that's my job too"....... PC has a dozen guys standing around the track to spot / pick up a bike / radio updates / etc, and Suzuki has Mike Webb. Sad and funny, but mostly sad.
of course all the excitment happens in the second moto which i wont be able to watch till tomorrow, kinda blows
We actually taked about pit stops on the way to southwick, but more in regards of getting fresh goggles when you're tear offs are long gone and you have to rip off your goggles. We were expecting downpours and with the sand it happens all the time. Why not pull in with a mechanic ready with a fresh pair? How long could it take? Six seconds? What would it be worth in lap times as you either drop back or move forward? I've never seen a guy with no goggles pass anybody..
BD 25......I like Chad Reeds tweet yesterday.....he's calling for a team Puerto Rico of ,
JS, Tomac and Alessi ! That would make things really interesting wouldn't it?
Good head on his shoulders. He knows what's pertinent about the bike / team......getting sand R&D done. While Red Bull KTM (euro) probably has a ton of data for those tracks, I don't think they have the numbers for the 450SXF-FE (Dungey replica). I don't think anyone is racing it over there. Carioli has the 350 and De Decker is on ????
Ripdown.. That team would be a contender for sure! You never know, might be some deep pockets out there who would like to make that happen..Can you imagine Tony and Big James trying to run the show!!! That would be great stuff!!
@ Ripdown, Imagine if that happened. There would be so many pissed off euro teams. I know of France fielding a second team: "Team Andorra" before but, I don't think it's fair to the other teams.
The flipside to that coin is, more top riders on the course. If this is about draw, ticket sales and money then, good idea. If it's about the "motorcycle olympics", it underminds the spirit of the event...........so it will probably happen.
I might be wrong but pretty sure the puerto rico team has been chosen, Zach Osborne is one, another american (i forget who) and a puerto rican. ??
I'm pretty sure Zach Osbourne and Top Jimmy (Albertson) are locked into team Puerto Rico.
If Zach would of not been injured this year, he could of easily been on team USA.
His bike can be serviced by who ever in the Pits only, they can come and go as they see fit, but the only help can come there. What I do believe is that a rider can only have 1 mechanic in the pits, but there is no rule where another riders mechanic can't help him.
So, I runner can come back and forth and hand stuff to the mechinic, but not help. I may be completely off, but thats my memory from the last time i read the rules.
Thanks Not4show
I vote Alessi for Team Puerto Rico.
@Karlsbad. Ken De Dyker is on the 450, as is Max Nagl. Both of them practice Lommel every week as they both live out there during the season, so there will be no shortage of data for team USA to draw from. Hopefully KTM will give them the correct stuff so they don´t end up looking like chumps.LOL.
Chad Reed won't enter the Des Nations, too bad, he was also supposed to enter the Lierop race. He wants to concentrate on his team.
Any American who rides the Des Nations for any other country loses all of my respect. You want to ride for the Des Nations, then get better and get picked. Never represent another countries flag in battle or competetion against the USA..