Ryan Dungey has recently announced his retirement at the relatively young age of 27, bringing an end to a short but ferocious career that saw him battle and conquer some of the biggest names in motocross and supercross.
Dungey is the athlete you want your kids to look up to: clean cut, professional, respectful, well spoken and dedicated to his sport. These attributes have led many to cheer for his more flamboyant rivals. I can admit I have; it’s easy when you look at his competition, some of the most popular names in motocross. Names such as Chad Reed, James Stewart, Kevin Windham, Jason Lawrence, Ryan Villopoto and, most recently, Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac come to mind.
Against these more outlandish riders, Dungey kept focused and tenacious, earning an…