Ryan Dungey won in his home state of Minnesota last week, and he hopes to keep that momentum this week on a course he owns.
No, he is not the owner of the Washougal Motocross Park. He just owns it, if you will.
Dungey is the defending champion of the Peterson CAT Washougal National. And he has done a lot of defending in Clark County.
Dungey picked up his first motocross overall victory at Washougal in 2008 and since then has won six of the past seven years on the summer season’s lone stop in the Pacific Northwest.
He will try to make it seven wins in eight years as the Washougal National roars into Clark County for the 450 and 250 classes Saturday. Dungey also is in prime position to take the season championship in the 450s, leading Ken Roczen by 56 points with four rounds to go in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Four riders have won overalls through the first eight rounds of the 450 series. Eli Tomac won the first five motos of the season, but he went down with a season-ending injury. Since then, Dungey, Roczen and Justin Barcia have won overalls.
Meanwhile, Cooper Webb of North Carolina is feeling fine after winning the 250 class last week in Millville, Minn., just ahead of Jeremy Martin. Webb missed four rounds of the series this summer and is not in title contention, but Martin has a 19-point lead over Marvin Musquin.
Martin has won four overalls. Musquin has won the other three. Musquin in the defending 250 Washougal champion.
All this parity is good for most race fans, who prefer unpredictable finishes.
The park is ready to host more than 20,000 fans for Saturday’s event, plus thousands show up Thursday and Friday for amateur racing. Most camp at the site, creating a motor sports haven. There are close to 1,100 riders registered to race.
“The improvements continue every year,” said Brian Barnes, the track spokesman. “The trails around here have improved. There are great concessions for food and beverages all around the park. New parking and campings areas. We try to improve every year.”
That would be a lot of years, too.
Washougal has hosted a national 35 times. The first was in 1980. The track took one year off in 1987, but the national has been back every year since 1988.
Barnes thanked Petersen CAT and the other sponsors for their involvement.
“It costs a lot of money to run a national event,” he said.
