KTM’s Ryan Dungey has done it again.

For the second consecutive week, Dungey went 1-1 to claim the overall victory in the United States Motocross Championship series, his latest win coming at round four of the series at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania at the weekend.

This puts him now 42 points clear of Suzuki’s Mike Alessi in the championship chase after early series leader, Suzuki’s James Stewart, crashed at round three in Colorado last week and was unable to perform at his best at High Point.

All the same, Stewart managed to post the fastest time in morning qualifying at High Point.

However, it was Suzuki’s Mike Alessi with the lead when the gate dropped on moto one, followed by Honda rider Andrew Short and Dungey. Meanwhile, Stewart ran 10th after getting squeezed out at the start.

On lap three, Dungey moved around Short to take over the runner-up position, but it was another four laps before he could catch and pass Alessi for the lead.

Once in the lead, Dungey stepped up the pace and finished the 16-lap race with nearly a 20 second gap over Alessi at the finish.

Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer rounded out the podium, coming from behind to edge Short for the spot. Stewart rounded out the top five, but was almost passed at the finish by Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle.

Stewart failed to line up for moto two, stating that his hand became numb during the first moto and he was having problems holding onto the bars.

Dungey jumped into the lead at the start of moto two, only to be passed by Alessi midway through the opening lap.

Alessi held the lead until lap seven, when Dungey took the lead and once again pulled away to a large gap over the Suzuki rider. Weimer once again ran in third.

Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps turned in a good ride in the second moto, working his way up from a poor start and then passing Yoshimura Suzuki’s Brett Metcalfe on the final lap to take fourth.

Australian rider Metcalfe held on for fifth, with Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes taking sixth.

Alessi ended the day in second overall behind Dungey with a 2-2 tally, while Weimer went 3-3 four third overall. Short was fourth overall with a 4-8 score, and Millsaps was fifth overall with a 9-4.

In the 250 class, Honda’s Eli Tomac came from behind in moto two to take a well deserved win. However, it was Tomac’s team-mate Justin Barcia who took control of the opening moto, grabbing the lead early and leading all 16 laps to take the moto win ahead of Tomac and Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett.

In moto two, KTM’s Ken Roczen jumped into the early lead, while Baggett battled Barcia for second.

Barcia and Baggett battled for most of the moto, until Baggett finally made a pass stick to take over second. Baggett, however, slid out a short time later, allowing Tomac to move into the picture, the Colorado rider eventually working his way past Barcia in the closing moments. Roczen fell on the final lap, which allowed Tomac to close in enough to make a pass for the lead, giving him the moto win and the overall win, via 2-1 moto scores.

Barcia finished second (1-3), while Roczen brought home his fourth straight finish of third overall (5-2).

“That second moto was a lot of work,” said Tomac. “I never really gave in and kept fighting. Kenny (Roczen) had that mistake, so I ended up getting a chance for the win and I capitalised on it. I really think it was one of the best rides I’ve ever had because I had to come from so far behind. I think I was about sixth or seventh out of the gate.”

Baggett, who finished fourth overall (3-5), still maintains the points lead, holding a seven-point advantage over Barcia.

 

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (1-1)

2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (2-2)

3. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (3-3)

4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (4-8)

5. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha (9-4)

6. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (7-5)

7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (6-9)

8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha (12-6)

9. Nico Izzi, Rochester, Mich., Yamaha (8-10)

10. Michael Byrne, Rockhampton, Australia, Suzuki (13-7)

 

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 186

2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 144

3. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 141

4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 128

5. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 116

6. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki, 114

7. Nico Izzi, Rochester, Mich., Yamaha, 95

8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki, 90

9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki, 84

10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki, 66

 

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (2-1)

2. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (1-3)

3. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (5-2)

4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (3-5)

5. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (6-4)

6. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (4-9)

7. Ivan Tedesco, Albuquerque, N.M., Kawasaki (7-10)

8. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki (13-6)

9. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Yamaha (14-7)

10. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda (10-11)

 

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 175

2. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 168

3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 164

4. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 158

5. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 117

6. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 101

7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 87

8. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 86

9. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Yamaha, 86

10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 77

 

Photo by Joe Bonnello