Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/634995
VOL. 53 ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 2, 2016 P111 guys with new teams, new fast guys… It was hard to know what to expect going into the first race of the season. With just a few races into a challenging season, Dungey has again proven to be the front-run- ner. After two dominating back- to-back wins, the other guys are scratching their heads. "He's just strong," Reed said about Dungey. "Whether it's setup, whether it's his style—I think it's a combination of them all. The good guys know how to get to the front in the main event when they hand out 25 points. And that's what Ryan's doing really well." It's not like he was a slouch before (Dungey was nicknamed Diesel for a reason). You could depend on the fact that he was in for the long haul. For sure there were guys with more flash on- and off-track, but Dungey quietly went about his way with solid results. Even then, there were those that criticized his results with the absence of those flashier guys— Stewart, Reed, Villopoto and Eli Tomac, who was lightening fast at the start of the outdoor sea- son before he get hurt and was sidelined the rest of the series. But as the old adage says: to fin- ish first, first you must finish. Dungey has done that time and again. He also has some- thing those other guys don't have: at least 115 consecutive starts. A statistic that has always stood out to me as nothing short of amazing in a sport with a minimum of 30 race weekends a year (17 supercross, 12 moto- cross, and at least one exhibi- tion race like Monster Cup and Red Bull Straight Rhythm, not to mention the MXoN). On top of all that racing, these athletes are also riding at least three days a week. It's a tough sport. And injuries are plentiful. Like a diesel engine, he's gone the distance, and picking up speed when others have more or less flamed out. The 26-year-old has thus far managed to consistently start and amass a staggering num- ber of wins. And this year he looks flawless. Still, people are more interested in Reed's latest resurgence with his return to the Yamaha Factory squad. It's not new. There have been plenty of talented racers in his- tory that earn championships but are overshadowed by those with more fame. If you need an example you don't have to go far back in the history books—2015 MotoGP Champion Jorge Lo- renzo comes to mind. The Spaniard won the close battle for the title with teammate Valentino Rossi at the final round in Valencia, Spain. Lorenzo was brilliant, consistently throwing down fast laps in his signature metronome fashion. Does anyone remember that Lorenzo won? Not really. Lorenzo's brilliant performance was far overshadowed by controversy and the very public rift between Rossi and Marc Marquez. You can win brilliantly. You can't always win public favor. That's not to say the guy isn't liked. Dungey has his loyal fol- lowing. His efforts have earned him a spot on a Wheaties box, a huge deal for our sport. He also won an Espy. Maybe it's time that he earned a little more fuss. Fuss or no fuss, there's a new Dungey in town. Same reliable Dungey, but on a whole new level. If you've been paying at- tention, you can spot the differ- ence on and off the track. He's more confident. And whether it's widely recognized or not, with ruthless precision Dungey is annihilating the competition. He suddenly seems to have the IT factor. Even Dungey recognizes that he's raised his level, albeit hum- bly: "Well, that's the goal. Com- ing off of last year, it was a good season; it was a good year. You try to build on that, from your pro- gram, to your intensity, the team, the bike, the people around you... At this point in my career the gains aren't huge, trying to find little bits along the way." It's early days yet in the sea- son, but I don't need a crystal ball to see that we might have another Ryan dynasty on our hands. CN