Within reach: Dungey looks to wrap up Supercross title in Houston
After compiling arguably the most statistically dominant season in Monster Energy Supercross history since the championship extended to 17 races, Red Bull KTM rider Ryan Dungey enters this weekend’s race at Houston’s NRG Stadium with a chance to wrap up his second career world title with three races still remaining on the schedule.
Dungey carries an 80-point lead into the Lone Star State over GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac and - while Tomac has been very strong the last two races - it has done little to change what looks to be the inevitable outcome of the 2015 season. By virtue of his comfortable margin, Dungey simply needs to finish third or better on Saturday night in order to clinch the championship. In a season in which he has finished off the podium just once (at the opening round) and last finished as far back as third eight races ago in San Diego, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Dungey will keep his podium streak intact in Houston and take home the coveted number one plate.
While the pressure rests on Tomac to go out and win for the third time this season, Dungey did avoid an added challenge to his task of finishing on the podium with the announcement Thursday that Ken Roczen will not return to action in Houston, as initially expected when he bowed out of action in Daytona with an ankle injury. Combine that with the continued absence of Trey Canard, who is out for the season with a broken arm, and there are just three riders in the 450SX Class field that have achieved what has become a coveted distinction in 2015 – finish ahead of Dungey. Tomac has done so on two occasions, each by winning. Chad Reed did it once when he took the win in Atlanta, while Jason Anderson is the only one to do so without winning, finishing second at the opener in Anaheim when Dungey missed the podium in fourth.
All that boils down to a daunting task for the field to keep this championship going for another week. While the return of Justin Barcia for the first time since Anaheim 3 adds another possible challenger, in all likelihood Dungey simply needs to continue doing what he’s done throughout the season and the title will be his. Starts have been one of Dungey’s biggest strengths in 2015 and, with the title on the line Saturday night, you can bet he’ll be more focused than he’s been all season when that gate drops for the main event. Barring a major mistake from Dungey, it’s hard to imagine his freight train of consistency coming to an end. He’s just been too solid this season and, while he very well may not seal his second career title with another win, odds are Dungey will finally give KTM the elusive supercross title he and the manufacturer set out to achieve back in 2012.