Dungey's Three-Race Winning Streak Puts Championship In Sight as Monster Energy Supercross Makes Debut at Gillette Stadium

Courtesy of Feld Motorsports

Race 15 Airs Live on FOX Broadcast Channel at 4 p.m. ET

ELLENTON, Fla. (April 18, 2016) - Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, will make its highly anticipated return to New England this Saturday, April 23, with the debut at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, for the 15th race of the season. The championship's first race in the region since 1990 will be highlighted by the second of back-to-back live telecasts on FOX Broadcast Channel.

 

Following his third straight 450SX Class victory this past weekend in St. Louis, defending champion and points leader Ryan Dungey enters Foxborough with a chance to clinch his second consecutive title. The Red Bull KTM rider will also be chasing a personal-best nine wins in a season after equaling the career-best mark he set just last season. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship, the battle for the points lead is closer than it's been all season, with just one point separating GEICO Honda's Malcolm Stewart and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Aaron Plessinger.

 

Saturday afternoon's race will air LIVE on FOX and the FOX Sports Go app

at 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT.

 

The 30 minute pre-show on FOX will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT

 

On Saturday, April 1623 fans can log on to www.SupercrossLive.com to watch Race Day Live with Jim Holley and Andy Bowyer starting at 10:00 a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT.

 

Some facts and insights to watch heading into this Saturday's race include:

 

• With his 30th career 450SX Class win, Ryan Dungey became the sixth rider in Monster Energy Supercross history to reach the 30-win mark, joining Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath, Chad Reed, James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto.           
  
  
• The win extended Dungey's record podium streak to 30 races. He also has 32 straight top-five finishes, 43 consecutive top-10 results and has started 68 straight races.      
  
  
• Dungey is one podium away from tying Ricky Carmichael for third on the all-time list at 87. He will also equal Carmichael's all-time career starts this weekend at 115.  
  
  
• Dungey's eighth win of the season equals the career-best mark he set last season. He has won at least one race in each of his seven seasons of 450SX Class competition.
  
  
• Another victory would mark the first time in his career that Dungey has won four consecutive races. He has two separate three-race streaks this season alone.   
  
  
• The 450SX Class podium has produced the exact same finishing order for three straight weeks - Dungey in first, Ken Rocen in second, and Jason Anderson in third. 
  
  
• Chad Reed became just the third rider in history to make 200 starts last weekend. Another longtime veteran, Nick Wey, will look to make his 190th career start this weekend. He currently sits tied with Jeff Ward for fourth all time.           
  
  
• Jeremy Martin's 250SX Class win ended a 14-year gap between St. Louis wins for Yamaha. He also became the first repeat winner in the Eastern Regional Championship this season.           
  
  
• Aaron Plessinger finished second behind Martin, giving Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha its first ever 1-2 finish.    
  
  
• Gannon Audette has just two top-five finishes in 27 career 250SX Class starts, both of which have come in back-to-back weeks riding as a substitute for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki.
  
  

Dungey celebrated his 30th career win and third consecutive victory at The Dome.

Photo Credit: Jeff Kardas

Last Saturday afternoon in St. Louis, Dungey was significantly tested by RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John's/Suzuki Factory Racing's Ken Roczen for the second straight race. Dungey ultimately led all 20 laps of the Main Event, but not without heavy pressure from Roczen that included a brief exchange for the lead and came to an end after the German went down after losing his front end. As a result, Roczen will essentially have to finish ahead of Dungey at Gillette Stadium as he faces a 48-point deficit in the championship standings. With eight wins and a podium result in all 14 races this season, a ninth victory would clinch the third career title for Dungey, as he needs to gain just two points on Roczen in order to successfully defend his title.

 

"[Roczen and I] were really pushing for the third week in a row. I needed to eliminate the mistakes and put the hammer down," said Dungey after his latest win. "[Roczen] came up on the inside and got by me, but then made a little mistake in the next corner that allowed me to slip under and get back by. After that I found some new lines and that helped a lot."

 

Although Dungey has finished on top of the podium each of the last three races, Roczen has kept pace with runner-up finishes in each of those Main Events, which included an impressive last-lap pass for second in St. Louis. He has minimized the damage from each Dungey victory and despite missing out on a win, has also ridden exceptionally well. Another similar effort could lead to the win he needs to ensure Dungey's title hopes are put on hold in Foxborough.

 

"[Dungey and I] are both riding really good. That's the fun part," said Roczen in St. Louis. "I really wanted the win, but I tucked the front end. Hats off to Ryan. He's riding great right now and got the win today."

 

While Dungey and Roczen have finished 1-2 for three straight races, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Jason Anderson has also solidified his spot as the third-best rider in the 450SX Class. The sophomore rider and two-time winner this season is in the midst of a four-race podium streak. He'll look to keep the streak going in what has been a breakout season for Anderson.

Martin became the first Eastern Regional 250SX repeat winner this season in St. Louis. 

Photo Credit: Jeff Kardas

For the first time this season, the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship welcomed a repeat winner in St. Louis. Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Jeremy Martin rebounded from a DNF at the previous race with a dominant effort, grabbing his first SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award and carrying it through to his second win of the season. Behind him, the battle atop the championship standings intensified after points leader Stewart crashed on three separate occasions in the 15-lap Main Event to record his worst finish of the season. Taking advantage of that misfortune was Plessinger, who followed up his win two races ago with a runner-up finish that moved him to within a single point of Stewart. The competition in the Eastern Regional Championship has been exciting and unpredictable all season, and now that the title fight is closer than ever there's no reason to expect that trend won't continue.

 

With so much intrigue in each class, Monster Energy Supercross' return to New England could not be more anticipated. At the championship's last visit to old Foxboro Stadium 26 years ago French legend Jean-Michel Bayle took the win in the 450SX Class, while Denny Stephenson took the 250SX Class victory. Foxborough hosted the championship for three seasons between 1983 and 1990.

 

Previous Race Results:

The Dome at America's Center - St. Louis

April 16, 2016

 

450SX Class Results

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

2.      Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki

3.      Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna

4.      Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda

5.      Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda

6.      Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha

7.      Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki

8.      Josh Grant, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki

9.      Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM

10.    Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Fla., Honda

 

450SX Class Championship Standings

1.     Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM - 328

2.     Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki - 280

3.     Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna - 260

4.     Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki - 226

5.     Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha - 208

6.     Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM - 188

7.     Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda - 173

8.     Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM - 161

9.     Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda - 154

10.  Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki - 114

 

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results

1.      Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha

2.      Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha

3.      Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM

4.      RJ Hampshire, Brooksville, Fla., Honda

5.      Gannon Audette, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki

6.      Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Kawasaki

7.      Alexander Frye, Huntingtown, Md., KTM

8.      Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda

9.      Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki

10.    Paul Coates, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda  

 

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1.      Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda - 115

2.      Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha - 114

3.      Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha - 99

4.      Martin Davalos, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna - 83

5.      Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki - 78

6.      Gannon Audette, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki - 77

7.      RJ Hampshire, Brooksville, Fla., Honda - 77

8.      Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM - 73

9.      Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM - 63

10.    Matt Bisceglia, Weatherford, Texas, Suzuki - 58

 

The entire 2016 Monster Energy Supercross Championship will air live on FOX Sports, including two races on the FOX broadcast channel. In addition, the authenticated FOX Sports Go app will live stream each race.

 

As a precursor to the live television, don't forget to catch all of the pre-race coverage with Supercross Race Day Live presented by AMSOIL, which will stream on SupercrossLive.com each Saturday during the season. Practice, qualifying, behind the scenes features, and key rider interviews will all be highlighted on the Supercross Race Day Live presented by AMSOIL webcast.

 

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossLive.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, log on to www.facebook.com/supercrossLivewww.Twitter.com/supercrossliveand www.instagram.com/supercrosslive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/supercrosslive. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short at brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

 

About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 75 countries and on six continents to date and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^®, Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt, Disney Live! Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information about Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

 

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join

  Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.