Ryan Dungey was up in the first 450SX heat where he participated in a six-lap, four-way battle for the heat win alongside James Stewart, Josh Grant and Justin Barcia. Dungey had a 3rd place start around the first corner. On the second lap, Stewart missed a triple allowing Grant and Dungey to move around. Shortly after, Dungey took the opposite line down the split section and together he and Stewart got around Grant and moved into the top two spots. The remainder of the race, the top four riders remained a bike length apart as they battled to the checkered flag where Dungey crossed the line in 2nd place to qualify to the main event.
Teammate Ken Roczen was placed in the second heat where he earned a 5th place start. He moved up to 4th place on lap four after leader Ryan Villopoto crashed. Roczen continued to charge forward and was able to pass fellow KTM rider and holeshot winner Andrew Short on the final lap to take 3rd.
At the gate drop of the main event, Roczen leaped out front to a 5th place start around the first corner. On his KTM 450 SX-F he quickly made a pass to improve two positions and move into 3rd before the end of the first lap. Meanwhile, Dungey had a poor jump off the start and was sitting in 18th on the first lap. Shortly into the first lap, Dungey made a mistake and crashed with two other riders. He lost some time recovering from the crash and returned to the track in last position.
Dungey spent the first half of the race moving through the pack turning lap times that were matching the lead riders. By the halfway mark, Dungey had moved into the top ten. He continued to pick off riders in the remaining laps and was able to move up to an impressive 7th place overall by the end of the race.
“Unfortunately, I got a bad start and then came together with another rider on the opening lap which caused me to go down”, stated Dungey. “I did my best to salvage what points I could riding from last to 7th by the end of the race. I’m disappointed how the race turned out but happy that I’m healthy and came away unscathed.”
Roczen was able to maintain his position to the checkered flag. He crossed the line in 3rd place and earned his first podium finish in the past four rounds.
“It feels great to get back on the podium”, stated Roczen. “I never was able to jump the quad that the lead riders were doing so I lost some time to them, but I am happy overall with the way I rode. I’m starting to test a lot more for outdoors coming up and I feel like it is making me stronger and will help me near the end of the season.”
Next Round: April 12, 2014 – Seattle, WA
Results 450SX class Houston
1. Ryan Villopoto (USA), Kawasaki, 16:16.178 min (20 laps)
2. Justin Barcia (USA), Honda, +13.669 sec
3. Ken Roczen (GER), KTM, +23.248
4. Trey Canard (USA), Honda, +32.684
5. James Stewart (USA), Suzuki, +38.482
Other KTM
6. Andrew Short (USA), KTM, +39.721
7. Ryan Dungey (USA), KTM, +46.724
Standings 450SX class after 14 of 17 rounds
1. Villopoto, 293 points
2. Stewart, 248
3. Dungey, 247
4. Roczen, 235
5. Barcia, 198
Other KTM
7. Short, 181
- KTM's Official Press Release
Supercross LIVE interviewed Ken Roczen after the race
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