Monday Kickstart – Red Bud

It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Last season, Mark Valcore (left) was Ryan Dungey’s mechanic, but this time around he is wrenching for Australian newby, Matt Moss on Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki. So far Matt has had a tough time in the premier class, but that is understandable. Considering he is returning from both a wrist and back injury, and he had never raced 450s outdoors until this season, 14th overall isn’t terrible.

Chad Reed front set up is different than Wey’s. The upper stanchion diameter is a bit smaller than NYK’s set up, possibly to increase fork flex. To go along with the different forks are, surprisingly, stock triple clamps. Finding anything stock on a factory bike is rare, but at the same time it is also a testament to the quality of their products.

The difference between factory support and the privateers. While it may not seem like much to the casual observer or fans new to the sport, having full sets of spare wheels, complete with tires, sprockets, and rotors can be the difference between finishing a moto or not earning points.

So far this year, Ryan Dungey has been the man to beat. While Millville is really his home track, plenty of fans still came out to watch the Mid-Westerner go 1-1. He may not be the flashiest rider out there, but Ryan has certainly been the strongest and most consistent this year and it is paying off. Ryan is now more than 60 points ahead of Chad Reed in the standings as the series heads into the second half.