Background and career
Ryan Dungey (born December 4, 1989) is an American retired professional motocross and supercross racer. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 2006 to 2017 and again in 2022. He is a four-time 450cc AMA Supercross Champion, a three-time 450cc AMA Motocross Champion, a one-time 250cc AMA Supercross West & 250cc AMA Motocross Champion.
Ryan Dungey was born in 1989 to Troy and Michelle Dungey in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. He has one older brother, Jade and one younger brother, Blake. Dungey's brothers and father were amateur racers as well. Dungey, who attended Guardian Angels Catholic School in Chaska, Minnesota, routinely expresses his Christian faith in interviews. In 2006, at the age of 16, Dungey auditioned for and was signed to a pro contract.
As an amateur, Dungey did not shine in the mini classes. Once on the full-size bikes he started to improve to the point of winning races. Dungey capped his amateur career by winning the 2005 Loretta Lynn's Amateur Championship and was expected to repeat the following year.
Dungey began the year in the amateur 250cc ranks. Despite being a "B" rider and generating mostly tenth-place finishes he attracted the attention of Suzuki team manager, Roger De Coster. Dungey entered his first professional race at his home track of Spring Creek in Millville, Minnesota. Dungey, number 142 on his plate, finished an impressive eighth in Moto 1 and eighth in Moto 2 for a seventh in the overall at one of the muddiest outdoor nationals on record. Dungey would show that this result was no fluke finishing with 13-13 results for 15th in the overall the next week in Broome-Tioga, NY. Dungey struggled the last 4 rounds, only finishing above 20th place two times in the final four motos. He finished with 50 Points total and 28th in the overall 250 MX standings.
Dungey's first full year in the professional ranks started in the AMA Supercross 250 East division. While he won his debut professional Supercross race, he would struggle the rest of the Supercross season, either winning or going down trying. He bounced back at Round 5 with his second career win. He finished third in round 6 and won the final round of the Supercross East series for fifth overall. At the season finale Dave Coombs East–West Shootout in Las Vegas, Dungey won by 4.7 seconds over second-place Jake Weimer. Ryan was named 2007 Supercross rookie of the year. In his first full season of AMA Motocross, Dungey would place 3–3 in Round 1 for his first professional career podium. Showing his consistency, he would place a 4–4 in round 2, 3–3 in round 3 and 5–4 in round 4 and wind up on the podium a total of 4 times. Despite leaving the series due to an injury, he finished fifth for the season.
Dungey was expected to win the 2008 Supercross West title in his second pro season. Throughout the early half, he built a sizeable points lead, but by mid-season his advantage had dwindled and dropped to a two-point deficit behind his rival, Jason Lawrence who took the championship.
