5-6 for Red Bull KTM Factory Riders at New Jersey Supercross
OutdoorHub 04.28.14
Red Bull KTM Factory Team riders Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey finished 5-6 respectively at round 16 of the Monster Energy Supercross Series held at Metlife Stadium, the penultimate round if the 2014 series. Going into the final round, Dungey is second in the points and Roczen is at fourth in his rookie season in the senior 450-class competition. Both ride the KTM 450 SX-F.
Overnight rain caused practices to reduced from three to two and rain in the second practice made for slower times. Roczen’ fastest lap time in the opening session remained fastest of the practices. Dungey qualified seventh fastest.
With both riders in heat two, Dungey got a good start and was among the frontrunners rounding the opening turn before moving into second, which he maintained until the race end. Roczen started mid-pack after spinning on the start line but was in ninth after the opening lap and was in sixth with two laps to go. Roczen went on a tear and got by both Josh Grant and Andrew Short to finish fourth and pick up the final transfer spot.
The rain returned for the main event making the track conditions very challenging and both Dungey and Roczen were buried mid-pack with Dungey in tenth and Roczen twelfth behind Justin Barcia. A three-way battle between the trio ensued for most of the race but Dungey rallied his way into fifth by lap six. He held onto this spot until lap 15 until Barcia slipped by. Then passed Dungey and they went on to finish with the team’s German teenager in fifth and Dungey recovering from several small mistakes had to settle for sixth overall.
“I didn’t get a great start but I feel I rode a pretty good race considering I was coming from a fair way back after a terrible start,” said Roczen. “The leaders just got too big a lead for me to catch up with the track conditions. It was a pretty tough track and it got very rutted but I think I rode a solid race considering”.
“The track was technical and I fought it quite a bit tonight,” explained Dungey. “I didn’t ride anywhere near as good as I should have. I got a terrible start and was buried mid-pack early in the opening lap. Both Ken and I had to come from quite a ways back. I had moments where I started to get it together but mistakes here and there really cost me. I’m not happy with sixth place but unfortunately I have to take it.”
Final round: Las Vegas SX – May 4, 2014
KTM Results – US SX Rd. 16 (of 17), East Rutherford NJ
Results 450 Class
1, Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki 25
2, Eli Tomac, Honda, 22
3, Joshua Hill, Suzuki 20
4, Justin Barcia, Honda 18
5, Ken Roczen, KTM 16
6, Ryan Dungey, KTM, 15
Other KTM
8, Andrew Short, KTM 13
Championship points after penultimate round
1, Villopoto 343
2, Dungey 282
3, Stewart, 271
4, Roczen, 265
5, Barcia 222
Manufacturers points after Rd. 16 of 17
1, Kawasaki 359
2, KTM 333
3, Suzuki
