Ryan Dungey discusses Motocross championship battle with Ken Roczen (VIDEO) - MotorSportsTalk

Ryan Dungey entered the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship as the title favorite in the 450 Class, but his Red Bull KTM teammate Ken Roczen has come out swinging in his first season in the premier division, currently leading Dungey by 26 points in the championship standings.

Dungey may be ready to turn a corner and catch Roczen though. Dungey – the 450MX champion in 2010 and 2012 – earned the overall victory a week ago at Budds Creek and is returning to his home state of Minnesota for this weekend’s Spring Creek National, a race in which he earned the 450 Class overall win in three of the last four years.

Watch the video above to hear Dungey’s thoughts on his championship battle with Roczen and what he needs to do over the final five rounds in order to overtake his teammate.

“It’s hard to make up time, usually we’re pretty even in a lot circumstances – or I have a little edge, or he’s a litle edge,” Dungey says in part. “So it takes 100% of your effort and them some to be able to pull off the [moto] victories and the overall [wins]. It’s those moments you gotta dig deep.”

Coverage of the Spring Creek National begins Saturday at 11:30 AM E.T. with the second practice session streaming live on ProMotocross.com and NBC Sports Live Extra, followed by the pre-show at 1:15 PM E.T. First and second motos in both classes stream live beginning at 2:00 PM E.T.

NBCSN will also air same-day coverage of second motos for both classes at 6:00 PM E.T. on Saturday.

Benny Bloss will race for the factory Beta Motorcycles team in 2024 as that manufacturer joins SuperMotocross as the ninth brand to compete in the series. Beta Motorcycles will make their debut in the Monster Energy Supercross opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California in January.

*Benny Bloss finished among the top 10 twice in Pro Motocross, in 2016 and 2018. – Beta Motorcycles*

“The wait is over and we can finally share everything we have been working towards,” said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager in a press release. “It has been a great experience being a part of this development and seeing the progression. The only missing part was finding a rider that would mesh well with our Beta Family.

“After a one phone call with Benny, we knew it would be a good fit for him, and for us. We are happy to have him on board for the next two years and can’t wait to see everyone at Anaheim in January.”

Bloss debuted in the 450 class in 2015 with a 15th-place finish overall at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Bloss has a pair of top-10 rankings in the division with a sixth-place finish in the Pro Motocross Championship in 2016 and a seventh in 2018. His best Supercross season ended 15th in the standings in 2018.

“I’m extremely excited to join the Beta Factory Racing team,” Bloss said. “It’s cool to see a brand with such a rich history in off-road racing to come into the US Supercross and Motocross space. I know this team will be capable of great things as we build and go racing in 2024.”

Bloss is currently 22nd in the SuperMotocross rankings and has not raced in the first two rounds of the Motocross season.

Testing for Beta Motorcycles is scheduled to begin in August and the team expects to announce a second rider at that time.

The family-owned brand adds to the international flare of the sport. The company was founded in Florence, Italy in 1905 as Società Giuseppe Bianchi as they built handmade bicycles, The transition to motorcycle production in the late 1940s.

Beta Motorcycles competed and won in motocross competition in the late 1970s and early 1980s with Jim Pomeroy and other riders.

Beta will join Triumph Motorcycles as a second historic brand to join the sport in 2024. First established in 1902, Triumph has won in nearly every division they have competed in, dating back to their first victory in the 1908 Isle of Man TT. Triumph will debut in the 250 class in 2024 and plans to expand into 450s in 2025.

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