INTERVIEW
2015 SUPERCROSS AND 450 MOTOCROSS CHAMPION RYAN DUNGEY
P58
ing it. There were multiple times
where I just would get frustrated.
That was the old me I couldn't
let show. But basically I have to
trust the team when it comes
down to it. Those guys do an
awesome job. We only had two
weeks going into the outdoors
and it caught us off-guard. I
think if you watch the first race
and watch our bike now, es-
pecially on this track we just
raced, we're hands-down better
than we were. It was a new bike
[this year]. In Supercross, we
had settings, but outdoors is a
whole different ballgame. We
just didn't have enough time to
prepare. And it's no excuse, but
I'm really glad things worked
out in the end. We actually
learned stuff we can apply to
Supercross now. So one year
under our belts, next year we're
going to be more prepared. We
caught maybe a good break with
Eli [Tomac]. He definitely was
strong and there's no telling, but
I don't ever want to get caught
in that position again. It wasn't
a matter of physical [training] or
speed, it was just I was fighting
my bike a lot. That guy's a con-
tender and I want to be able to
battle with him for wins. He kind
of just left us. So [it's important]
not to let that happen again."
>>HELP ARRIVES
Aldon Baker became well-known
working with Ricky Carmichael
starting 15 years ago. Carmi-
chael was already a winner,
but with Baker in his corner,
Carmichael was unstoppable,
recording two unprecedented
undefeated outdoor seasons (in
2002 and 2004). To date, Baker
is undefeated as a trainer. The
only championships Baker's rac-
ers have lost are championships
they didn't finish due to injury.
Heck, for that matter, while work-
ing with Baker, Villopoto won the
2012 AMA Supercross Champi-
onship even though he blew out
a knee in Seattle near the end
of the series and dropped out of
the championship.
After Carmichael, Baker
moved on to work with James
Stewart, who also recorded an
undefeated outdoor season in
2008. Many don't realize this,
but all three undefeated MX
seasons happened with the help
of Aldon Baker.
After Stewart, Baker worked
with Ryan Villopoto and Ken Roc-
zen, and now with Ryan Dungey.
Sure, Baker has worked with
racers who were already suc-
cessful, but the point here is that
they became demonstrably more
successful with his guidance.
"With Aldon, I was able to
start with him—there was that
mix-up with Ken [Roczen], and
he left him, so myself becom-
ing priority, that allowed me to
