Dungey now sits only seven points out of first place in the overall points championship
Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey showed off his determination, consistency and the power of his Makita tools tuned Suzuki RM-Z450 while claiming a third-place podium finish at the 13th round of the 2011 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. It was a thrilling night of racing, with a packed crowd of 51,509 fans there to witness another wild 20-lap main event. Dungey’s teammate Brett Metcalfe did not race as he continues to recover but is expected to return to action in St. Louis.
Dungey was strong all day on the tough and technical Arlington track, scoring the fourth best time in the afternoon qualifying and grabbing a second-place finish in his heat race. In the main event, Dungey’s Suzuki powered him off the line to another great start and put him tight with the lead group in fourth. He rode hard but consistent and was able to work his way into second by lap nine before a tangle with a lapped rider on lap 11 put him back to third. Dungey pushed hard for the remaining nine laps and was able to catch back up to the second-place rider but fell just short of making the pass. Dungey sits third in the championship points, one point out of second and seven points from first.
"All in all, it was a good day,” said Dungey. “My whole Rockstar Makita Suzuki team and I worked really good together and they did a great job with my Suzuki tonight. The track was tough; especially the whoop sections were really big and technical. I got off to a good start in the main and was able to work my way up to second in like the tenth lap, but then a couple laps later I came up on a lapper and just misjudged what he was gonna do and went down. I got back up in third and made a hard charge for second and got close but just came up a little short. All in all, I felt great and my bike felt great too. I’m looking forward to St. Louis. It’s always a tough track; tacky and technical. We got a win there last year so it would be good to go back there and get another win."
The 2011 Rockstar Makita Suzuki team’s next event is Saturday, April 9th, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO.
Arlington Supercross Class Results:
1. Trey Canard
2. Ryan Villopoto
3. Ryan Dungey
4. James Stewart
5. Kevin Windham
6. Andrew Short
7. Tommy Hahn
8. Chad Reed
9. Austin Stroupe
10. Mike Alessi
2011 Supercross Class Standings:
1. Ryan Villopoto – 255
2. Chad Reed – 249
3. Ryan Dungey – 248
4. Trey Canard – 239
5. James Stewart – 234
6. Andrew Short – 174
7. Kevin Windham – 150
8. Justin Brayton – 141
9. David Millsaps – 128
10. Ivan Tedesco – 114