Three Races left in Dungey's Career: Tomac vs Dungey

[Chris Cooksey]

Three rounds left in Dungey's Supercross career: Tomac vs. Dungey 

All the recent talk in Monster Energy AMA Supercross has been centered on Dungey and his mental state, but what about Eli?  Doesn’t anyone remember Eli floundering in 2013 in Salt Lake City?  How about Las Vegas in 2011?  This season, other than the first few rounds, Eli has been pressure free with his only task to go out and win.  Now with the points tied (Tomac owns the tie breaker) the pressure falls directly on his shoulders.  With two weeks before SLC, how is he dealing with the pressure?  Has he matured from his 2013 and 2011 chokes or is he doomed to repeat the same mistakes he is prone too, (Colorado 2015 huge crash, Dallas 2017 smashed front brake and Seattle 2017 endo in Main)?  Eli is in for a stressful month and Dungey is the underdog that can ride with nothing to lose.  Let's not forget Eli struggled with arm pump early in the season and two things that contribute to arm pump are stress and high altitude, SLC will have both. Dungey also has quite a bit of helpers available if needed.  Baggett, Millsaps and Musquin are racing Dungey as if he signs their paychecks.  I am not saying team orders have been given, but who really wants to be the guy who costs KTM a Championship without having a contract for next season?  Millsaps didn't fight Dungey very hard for 4th place in Seattle, in fact it looked like he moved out of the way. With three races left in Dungey's career (assuming he is retiring this year) I look for him to pressure Eli into a mistake taking his 4th SX title and riding off into the sunset as the champion.

In the 250 class Arron Plessinger looked like a world beater!  He was the only rider, other than Tomac in the 450 class, to go 3/3/3 in the rhythm section.  Plessinger is a bit of an enigma, sometimes he looks like the fastest rider on earth but only in bursts.  If he could harness his speed he could be a superstar, maybe a move to the 450 class is what he needs.  We all know he is good on deteriorating tracks, if he could translate this speed to a regular track he could be a contender on a 450.  If I were him I would be talking to RCH, Kawasaki and KTM about a 450 ride in 2018.  Justin Hill did exactly what a guy with a 21 point lead and three rounds left should do, ride to a safe 2nd place.  Hill is another guy that should be shopping for a 450 ride but not because it suits him better but once he wins he has earned enough points out of the 250 class.  If I were Kawasaki I would politely tell Josh Grant his services won't be needed in 2018 and put Hill there.  

With three rounds left in the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series it is shaping up to be one for the ages.  If this is Dungey’s swan song, win or lose, what a way to go out.  With a week off before SLC some guys will be testing outdoors but don't look for Eli or Dungey to be riding anything but Supercross during their Easter break.  I will be in SLC for the race and yes the post-race press conference.  This is my first press conference since the infamous Glendale “no crown incident.”  Let me know the questions you want asked.

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[wielywilly-g]

Maybe just ask some safe feel-good questions this time around.  You are awesome..how hard is it to be so awesome?

Still, you have a reputation, may as well go for the throat!   This question is for Marvin Musquin: Why are you such a &%$#@! in the sand?

[Chris Cooksey]

Who is everyone picking for the 450 title and why?  

[DesertCR]

Tomac, hes HUNGRY!

[M1Garand]

1 hour ago, Chris Cooksey said:

Who is everyone picking for the 450 title and why?  

Tomac FTW

1. Tomac doesn't need a hole shot to win, RD does.

2. Tomac can put down fast laps and not always be in the main line. 

3. RD will race a safe race, he will not go balls out Tomac speed. 

4. RD was waiting for a Tomac mistake, it may have been Seattle and it didn't help him, another one is unlikely. 

 

 

[Chris Cooksey]

40 minutes ago, M1Garand said:

Tomac FTW

1. Tomac doesn't need a hole shot to win, RD does.

2. Tomac can put down fast laps and not always be in the main line. 

3. RD will race a safe race, he will not go balls out Tomac speed. 

4. RD was waiting for a Tomac mistake, it may have been Seattle and it didn't help him, another one is unlikely. 

 

 

Let's see how Eli handles the pressure...  The red plate can be heavy.

 

[M1Garand]

Let's see how Eli handles the pressure...  The red plate can be heavy.
 

I agree,
Previously Tomac had nothing to lose, now he's expected to win.
However this is a matured ET, he's not going to throw it away.
You need to look no further than his remarks about his battle with Cooper. He knew where he was at and didn't push the issue.
You put both riders up head to head right now Tomac wins, hands down.

[mog]

He nearly threw the championship away last week with an unforced error, he is more mature but he's not there yet

[slowgs2001]

Who is everyone picking for the 450 title and why?  

Tomac because he is a straight badass this year and no one can come close to his dominance

[CORider63]

Mature or not, anything can happen to any of the riders.

[redrider144]

11 hours ago, mog said:

He nearly threw the championship away last week with an unforced error, he is more mature but he's not there yet

You stop that right now!!!  I NEED Tomac to win it all!!!!

[GBowman]

14 hours ago, Chris Cooksey said:

Who is everyone picking for the 450 title and why?  

Tomac. The two are relatively close in speed,  one is willing to step over the edge a little bit to gain that extra inch while the other is content with his pace. 

[Kev_XR]

Tomac.  He is willing to go for the extra distance in jumping.  I think that is where he lowers his lap time.

Dungey killed the starts last year with his inside line.  Lately he has been jammed on the inside. He might want to change his gate pick and first turn strategy.  I do think we will see a more aggressive Dungey, like when he and KR were fighting for the MX championship.

The gap on Musquin could eliminate him from contention in 1 or 2 races. Then it becomes second place is the worst RD or ET can do. Go big.  

[Kev_XR]

1 hour ago, redrider144 said:

You stop that right now!!!  I NEED Tomac to win it all!!!!

I want to see the two top riders fight for the title.

I don't need to see "game over" because of a pile up or lapper.

I expect Tomac to win.  I want Dungey to win so I can watch the Dungey haters implode.  LOL

Edited April 11, 2017 by Kev_XR

[jcm3]

I'm going with Dungey...just because no one else did and I can rub it in all of your faces when he wins the championship. 

[CORider63]

I think Reed is going to make a late-season charge and the AMA will award him enough points to win the championship.

 

 

 

?

[jz125]

On 4/10/2017 at 10:14 AM, Chris Cooksey said:

Three rounds left in Dungey's Supercross career: Tomac vs. Dungey 

All the recent talk in Monster Energy AMA Supercross has been centered on Dungey and his mental state, but what about Eli?  Doesn’t anyone remember Eli floundering in 2013 in Salt Lake City?  How about Las Vegas in 2011?  This season, other than the first few rounds, Eli has been pressure free with his only task to go out and win.  Now with the points tied (Tomac owns the tie breaker) the pressure falls directly on his shoulders.  With two weeks before SLC, how is he dealing with the pressure?  Has he matured from his 2013 and 2011 chokes or is he doomed to repeat the same mistakes he is prone too, (Colorado 2015 huge crash, Dallas 2017 smashed front brake and Seattle 2017 endo in Main)?  Eli is in for a stressful month and Dungey is the underdog that can ride with nothing to lose.  Let's not forget Eli struggled with arm pump early in the season and two things that contribute to arm pump are stress and high altitude, SLC will have both. Dungey also has quite a bit of helpers available if needed.  Baggett, Millsaps and Musquin are racing Dungey as if he signs their paychecks.  I am not saying team orders have been given, but who really wants to be the guy who costs KTM a Championship without having a contract for next season?  Millsaps didn't fight Dungey very hard for 4th place in Seattle, in fact it looked like he moved out of the way. With three races left in Dungey's career (assuming he is retiring this year) I look for him to pressure Eli into a mistake taking his 4th SX title and riding off into the sunset as the champion.

In the 250 class Arron Plessinger looked like a world beater!  He was the only rider, other than Tomac in the 450 class, to go 3/3/3 in the rhythm section.  Plessinger is a bit of an enigma, sometimes he looks like the fastest rider on earth but only in bursts.  If he could harness his speed he could be a superstar, maybe a move to the 450 class is what he needs.  We all know he is good on deteriorating tracks, if he could translate this speed to a regular track he could be a contender on a 450.  If I were him I would be talking to RCH, Kawasaki and KTM about a 450 ride in 2018.  Justin Hill did exactly what a guy with a 21 point lead and three rounds left should do, ride to a safe 2nd place.  Hill is another guy that should be shopping for a 450 ride but not because it suits him better but once he wins he has earned enough points out of the 250 class.  If I were Kawasaki I would politely tell Josh Grant his services won't be needed in 2018 and put Hill there.  

With three rounds left in the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series it is shaping up to be one for the ages.  If this is Dungey’s swan song, win or lose, what a way to go out.  With a week off before SLC some guys will be testing outdoors but don't look for Eli or Dungey to be riding anything but Supercross during their Easter break.  I will be in SLC for the race and yes the post-race press conference.  This is my first press conference since the infamous Glendale “no crown incident.”  Let me know the questions you want asked.

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Hey Chris

Bowmann eluded to Dungey bowing out after this season, where are you hearing this and how reliable is it?

[slowgs2001]

I want to see the two top riders fight for the title.
I don't need to see "game over" because of a pile up or lapper.
I expect Tomac to win.  I want Dungey to win so I can watch the Dungey haters implode.  LOL

Sorry, dungey won't win.. he hasn't won in how many weeks now?? Hell, I already forgot what it looks like with dungey in 1st hahhaa.. all I see is a big ol #3

[phantom451]

Mr nice guy might not be there in a few weeks. Ryan's whole life long career stats are on the line, Ready to be set in stone. I'm sure a 4th title in sx would be something on his bucket list. Legitimize his career of being one of "the ryans". His sx wins is 11 behind rv and 1 title short in sx. The pressure for his life to feel complete with no regrets is what's really on the line. Does he want to wake up a retired sx champion, that threw away the last chance to get a title he had in the bag? I'm positive those thoughts go further in his head than mine. His livelihood is on the line. The pressure is his. Tomac just signed a deal. His pressure ended when the pen top went back on.

[M1Garand]

Even with all the free passes RD will get from the KTM riders, I honestly do not see Ryan winning this Championship, Eli has been smoking him all year and to have him suddenly beat Tomac 2 out of 3 races doesn't seem realistic. The huge get off everyone was expecting was in Seattle and It did nothing for RD. Ryan is on life support and he needs outside help.