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04.10.11 Red Bull/KTM Signs Ryan Dungey to Factory SX/MX Team
KTM is pleased to announce the addition of Supercross/Motocross racer Ryan Dungey to the US Red Bull KTM Factory Race Team for the 2012 and 2013 AMA Pro Supercross and Motocross Championship Series, a move that underlines KTMs determination to be a major player in leading US competition in both SX and MX disciplines.
In recent seasons, KTM has made a major investment in resources and effort to be a dominant force in the MX World Championships and has been rewarded with a string of titles, including the prestigious MX1 and MX2 world titles in both 2010 and 2011. The signing of a rider of the caliber of Ryan Dungey to compete on a KTM MX machine made in Austria underlines the importance KTM places on the elite US competitions and the companys determination to achieve similar rates of success in the USA.
The well-decorated riders first official race with the Red Bull/KTM Factory Team will be the opening round of the AMA Pro Supercross Championship Series at Angel Stadium on January 7, 2012 where he will race aboard the KTM 450 SX-F in the premier Supercross class.
KTM first expressed its desire to strengthen its motocross efforts in the USA in 2010 when it released the new generation SX model line of motorcycles and hired the legendary Motocross management personality Roger DeCoster to run the US factory team. KTMs determination to push ahead in the segment has been underlined by the signing of 250cc riders Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin for the US competition. With Dungey, and the two talented and already crowned MX2 World Champions Roczen and Musquin all riding the latest generation of 2012 offroad bikes made in Austria, KTM is Ready to Race with top bikes and top riders in the major US SX and MX competitions.
I am really happy to have Ryan Dungey join our team. He and I have worked together for several years so we know each other well. Our past should help us get the best out of each other and put us in position to be legit championship contenders in the big bike class, commented Red Bull/KTM Team Manager Roger DeCoster. Everyone at the factory and here on the U.S. side is very excited to start working with Ryan and see where the future will take us.
At only 21 years of age, the Minnesota native has already accomplished every goal he has set for himself. In 2009 he won the AMA Supercross Lites Western Regional Title and followed that up with the AMA Pro Motocross Championship 250cc class crown. That same year he competed in the 2009 Motocross des Nations where he was one of three members aboard the winning U.S. Team. In 2010, he became the first rider in history to win both the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championship in his rookie year. He again went on to lead the 2010 Motocross des Nations team to victory on U.S soil in Lakewood , CO . Most recently, in mid-September, he added one more win to his belt as he and the US team captured yet another Motocross des Nations victory in France .
KTM has signed Ryan Dungey to a two-year contract. Ryan expressed his excitement about switching to KTM and working under the guidance of Roger DeCoster, saying: Im looking forward to riding for the new Red Bull/KTM team and working again with Roger. I am excited to start something new and am ready for the challenge. I like the way that KTM has backed Roger since he made the switch last year and I appreciate KTMs goal of working hard to develop their race team to earn championships. I am making this switch to win races and work toward getting that championship for KTM.
KTM Sportmotorcycle AGs Head of Motorsports, Pit Beirer, added a personal note, stating, I am extremely proud that we have brought a great rider to the KTM team. Three years ago we started to rebuild our Supercross and Motocross efforts based on a dream to bring KTM to the top of the sport. A small number of people trusted in my idea and stayed with me. Soon after Roger (DeCoster), Ian ( Harrison ) and the entire U.S. Red Bull/KTM Team came onboard and began helping us get closer to our goal. We now have Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin, two MX2 World Champions, on our team and with Ryan coming to our side the dream team is a reality and we are truly ready to race.
Southland riders who claimed 2011 SI championships are Matt McKenzie (KTM 150SX) under 2-stroke class, Dean Goodwright (Suzuki RMZ450) over 4-stoke, Lyndon Duff (KTM 300SX) over 2-stroke, Ben Turnbull (KTM 200EXC) junior under 2-stroke, Kylie Door (KTM 250EXC) ladies class, and Greg Baynes (KTM 350SX-F) veteran 35-44yrs class.
Other southland riders to take home trophies include Jason Duff (KTM 450SX-F) 3rd over 4-stroke, Ryan McKenzie (KTM 250EXC-F) 2nd under 4-stroke, Jason Nicol (Kawasaki KX450F) 3rd veteran 35-44yrs, Eion McKenzie (KTM 300EXC) 2nd veteran 44yrs+, and Simon McKenzie (Husaberg FX450) 3rd veteran 44yrs+. To top it all off, Goodwright won outright, Baynes was 2nd and Jason Duff was 3rd. Jason Duff, Lyndon Duff and Ryan McKenzie also took out the teams section.
Holy smoke! Out of a possible 10 championships, 8 came to Southland cementing the strength of cross country in our region, is a spin off from the popular MotoSouth Cross Country Series, which has been extremely well supported over the years. Congratulations to all SI Champions and place getters this year, its been an amazing effort by all.
SI Champs: After success at the Canterbury Champs and the King of Canterbury Motocross series, me and Dad went Ikamatua on the West Coast for the South Island Champs. We travelled up on Thursday, and had a rest day on Friday.
The track was natural terrain, with some jumps, it rained on Sunday like only it can on the West Coast turning the track to mud. I fell off in one race on Saturday but went 1st, 3rd, 1st, 1st, 1st, in the five races.
NZ Champs Day 1: The NZ mini Champs were held in Huntly on the 12th and 13th of November. A friend of mine from Christchurch took my bikes, while me Mum and Dad flew.The track was hard pack clay, with a concrete start and a very tight and narrow first corner. We rode part of the senior track which had some really big jumps.
Race 1, I held 3rd for most of the race untill I fell off, Dad picked me up and I climbed back to finish 8th.
Race 2, I got the holeshot and lead untill a tricky up hill negative camber corner where I lost control and fell off, which saw me go from first to last. I climbed back to 6th, fell off again and ended up 9th.
Day 2: Dad and I had a good talk and we decided to focus on staying on the bike and not taking any risks, rather than trying to win. We also got alot of rain in the morning, which made it very slippery. The watering of the track while it was raining didn't help either. My results were better finishing 4th, 2nd, and 3rd in the 3 races for 4th overall.
Jake Meikle 4NZ
