Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey is, once again, the Dave
Coombs Sr. Lites East/West Shootout winner after, once again, coming up just
short in his title chase. However, in winning the shootout, Dungey also
prevented Ryan Villopoto from ever having the chance to win it, and extended
the streak of non-champions winning the event. The last time a coastal champ
won the shootout was in 2004, when James Stewart pulled off the feat. Before
that, it was last century.
Racer X: Once again, you lose the title, but come out and win the
battle of raw speed. Tell me about it.
Ryan Dungey: Obviously, we lost again this year, but I know when we went wrong,
and we’ll get ‘er next year. I mean, tonight, to end the season with the win
here at the East/West Shootout, with all of the guys coming together, it feels
good – not only because the class is stacked with the East/West thing, but also
because we all meet. To do it two years in a row feels good, and I couldn’t
have done it without my team, my family, and all of the people who got me here.
It was a good night, and I felt like I rode a patient, smart race and made some
good decisions, and laid some wood. It felt good.
Take me through the emotions of your last couple of laps in catching and
passing Ryan Villopoto.
I came up on him, and I’m like, shoot, I’m just going to take my time and be
patient, and I had to wait for my time to come where, if he makes mistakes, I
could capitalize on it, and if not, it just wasn’t meant to be. I think I just
tried to stay patient and calm, and it ended up working out for me. I know a
lapper got in the way, and I came around the outside and went by him. It’s just
fun. When racing’s like that, there’s no greater feeling, and for the fans, too
– you hear them screaming, and you feel on top of the world. I’m just pumped.
It feels good.
Also, last year, Villopoto bounced out of the race with a
mechanical, so a lot of people may have thought that you got lucky to win it
then...
I mean, last year, Villopoto was definitely going stronger than me. I have to
admit that. But he’s got a year on me, and with this year of experience, I was
able to get closer and closer, step by step, taking it one year, one month, one
day at a time.
So, will you give me your Toyota Tundra? You already have one...
I can find something to do with the truck! [Laughs]
It’s kind of a neat bonus, to get a truck, isn’t it?
Yeah, it is. A free truck’s a free truck. Everybody knows how important a
vehicle is, but maybe I’ll have to put it away with the gas prices getting to
where they are.
Maybe you can trade down to a Tacoma or something...
Yeah, or maybe a Carolla and get 20 or 30 miles to the gallon...
Or a Prius.
Yeah, a Prius!
Historically, you’ve been a little stronger indoors than outdoors,
so now that you just beat Villopoto out there, and he’s the defending champ
outdoors, does this do anything for your confidence heading into the Nationals?
Yeah, it’s good for the mind, to take this and run with it and carry it into
the outdoors. Villopoto’s a strong rider outdoors, and he’s won it two years in
a row, so I’m going to do everything in my power, but I know what I’m up
against. I also know what went wrong in supercross, so I know what I’ve got to
do. I’m going to give it my all, and if at the end of the year it happens, it
happens. The better man will win. We’ll see how it goes. If I’m not beating
him, I want to at least put up a fight.
Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Dungey Wins Las Vegas SX Lites Shootout
5/5/2008
Round 17 – AMA Supercross Series
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sam Boyd Stadium
May 3, 2008
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ryan Dungey capped
off the 2008 AMA Supercross Lites season by not only winning the Dave Coombs
Sr. East/West Shootout for the second year in a row, but by also being honored
with the Rising Star Award as well. In the Las Vegas season finale event, Dungey
finished second in his heat race and then came from behind to take the win in
the 15-lap SX Lites main. Later in the weekend, he was honored with the new
Rising Star award at the Live Nation awards banquet.
Ryan Dungey:
“To win this race two years in a row is huge for me. It was a very
special win for me because I came from behind and rode smart on my Rockstar
Makita Suzuki RM-Z250. I lost some time in the beginning of the race, but I was
able to find my groove as the race progressed. We’re getting ready to start
testing for AMA Motocross now and I’m glad to take the momentum from this win
into the upcoming race season.”
Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki
Factory Racing RM-Z250, #28
1st Place – Las Vegas Supercross Lites East/West Shootout
AMA Supercross Lites Top 10 Finishers:
1. Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
Round 16 – AMA Supercross Series Seattle, Washington QWest Field April 26, 2008
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ryan Dungey finished off
the AMA Supercross LItes West Coast series with a victory at QWest Field in
Seattle, Washington, on Saturday night. Young Dungey won his heat race and then
the 15-lap main event to finish the season off in second-place overall. This
season saw Dungey win three SX Lites races aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki
RM-Z250. During the West Coast series’ two-month hiatus, however, he
raced select Supercross-class events aboard the RM-Z450 and picked up a podium
finish as well as a fourth-place result.
Ryan Dungey:
“This weekend was good, I felt great in practice and I really felt good
overall. I feel like after my last race on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki
RM-Z250 in Houston, that having the chance to race the RM-Z450 a few times
helped get me back on track. It helped me see where I was making some mistakes
and it helped me come into this race much more calm. I felt mentally
strong coming into this race, and I felt really good on the track – really
fluid and solid. I don’t like to see the championship go, but I’m just
glad I’m healthy and going into the Outdoors strong. There are many more
championships out there, so I’ll keep pushing and go for that next one.
The road we’ve been down this season, I learned a lot, not just about myself
but also how to handle different situations. I’m young and it would have
been nice to pull it off but there’s plenty of time to win more championships.”
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at the final round of AMA
Supercross at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on May 3, 2008.
Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z250, #28 1st Place – Seattle Supercross Lites 2nd Place -- Overall Championship Points Standings
AMA Supercross Lites Top 10 Finishers: 1. Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki
Factory Racing
