Only Aaron Plessinger will contest the whole series for KTM, while there is no room for Max Anstie. The Brit is without a ride after his privateer KTM team folded. Amstie was linked with a ride on the factory Kawasaki team but this hasn’t happened and it’s thought Joey Savatgy will get that berth.

KTM’s info says: The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team is ready to take on the 50^th Anniversary of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship with the much-anticipated return of team riders Aaron Plessinger and Max Vohland for the summer. The 12-round series kicks off later this month in Pala, California, where multi-time World MX Champion Tony Cairoli and nine-time AMA Supercross and Motocross Champion, Ryan Dungey, are slated to race alongside the Red Bull KTM teammates at the opening rounds. 

Hungry for outdoor success after missing the last half of the supercross series with a broken arm, Plessinger is healed up and ready to contest this year’s 450MX Championship. Equipped with the new KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, in which he claimed a runner-up finish at this year’s Oakland SX, Plessinger is focused on returning to the line with a bang as he looks to add to the 250MX title he won back in 2018. 

Also returning to the lineup following a series-ending injury in supercross, Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland will enter his second full season in the 250MX class aboard the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Finishing inside the top-10 during his rookie year in 2021, Vohland will set out for progression this season as he aims to battle up front at all 12 rounds.  

Red Bull KTM has confirmed that team rider Cooper Webb will not be lining up for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2022. The two-time 450SX Champion will shift focus toward welcoming a new addition to his family this summer, before getting back to work in preparation for a third-career title fight in the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship.

I was fortunate to have one of these incredibly impactful relationships as well during my career, and I am grateful to say that it still exists to this day.

When I signed with KTM prior to the start of the 2012 season it was not a brand with which people carried much expectation. They had some success in the 125cc class, collecting about 20 wins in supercross and motocross, but with a history that dates back to 1976 they had never won a single race in the premier division despite hundreds of attempts. Over the course of six seasons, from 2012 to 2017, together we turned KTM into a powerhouse brand with an array of race wins and five championships.

My partnership with KTM became the defining relationship of my career and our connection remains as strong as ever, now with even more purpose. Here are 5 reasons why KTM has had such a huge impact on my career, both on and off the track.

1. A Commitment to Succeed:

When KTM approached me to be a part of their journey it was with a renewed commitment to succeed. They had a competitive program, as evidenced by years of contending in the smaller displacement, but realized they needed more if they were to break through with 450cc success. With president Jon Erik Burleson leading the way, they were willing to pull out all the stops, make the necessary investments, and do whatever it took to become a winning brand. However, what I found even more appealing was that it didn’t stop at just racing. They wanted to be elite in every category and foster a new generation for the brand built on success. I had an opportunity to become a cornerstone of that evolution and was excited to become a part of it.

2. Roger DeCoster & Ian Harrison: 

If they were going to be successful, KTM knew they had to start by getting the best in the business to oversee their racing efforts, so they hired Roger DeCoster and Ian Harrison the season before my arrival. Roger and Ian were integral in helping Suzuki’s ascension to the top with Ricky Carmichael, and Roger was the one who made my racing dreams a reality by signing me to a developmental contract. Roger, Ian and I had already achieved a lot of success together and I knew they had the kind of leadership necessary to get KTM headed in the right direction. With the right people in place, with a proven track record, there was no doubt in my mind that KTM was going to make the kind of progress they desired.

3. A Cohesive Effort:

On paper, KTM had everything they needed to finally win in the premier class. However, in order for that to translate into success on the racetrack everyone had to buy into the new culture and commitment. From the moment I first swung my leg over the bike I could feel that cohesive energy. Everyone was equally motivated to turn the fortunes of the brand around and it permeated through every facet of the organization. We hit the ground running and were competitive from the moment of our first gate drop together. That kind of preparedness and strong foundation to build from doesn’t happen without a top-to-bottom commitment to the goal. We emerged triumphant in just our second race together and used that as fuel to continually get better.

4. Never Settling:

It wasn’t easy getting to where we all knew KTM could go. While our success in motocross came quickly, it took four long, hard years to finally win that elusive supercross title. Throughout that time the brand’s resiliency was put to the test and we continued to persevere through any adversity. No one gave up. We all kept our eye on the prize, knowing that one day it would pay off. Once we finally took home KTM’s first supercross title in 2015, the remainder of my career was a testament to everyone’s desire to never settle. The wins and championships were great, but our goals were bigger than that. We set out to make KTM a marquee brand. We wanted to be the best manufacturer in motorcycling and create change within the industry. Given the elite status that KTM enjoys today, I’d say we were successful in doing so.

5. A More Meaningful Partnership:

Since I hung up my helmet in 2017, my relationship with KTM has endured. What I’ve learned over the past few years is that the value they hold in our relationship extends beyond the track. I’ve always known this, but I am humbled by how deep their loyalty has extended. Even for the brief period in which we went our separate ways, we always maintained the utmost respect for one another. That mutual admiration allows us to overcome anything, as evidenced many times throughout my racing career, and is the reason why our bond has grown deeper through their commitment to help mebetter the lives of others through the Ryan Dungey Foundation. Now, we’re working together for the greater good and for the betterment of the industry. It’s an exciting new chapter in our relationship and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish next.

After quitting KTM as Supercross champ in 2017, he became an ambassador for the brand then this year worked with Geico Honda. He then quit to start his own coffee company, but after riding a Honda at a charity day recently has confirmed he is looking for a factory ride in 2021.

“I have been looking at some options, knocking on some doors to see what’s available, kind of getting that fire back. If the right opportunity comes along and things look good then we will see it out but as of right now we are pretty calm, there is not a lot of options out there,” he said.

Dungey will be 31 in December.

“After months spent with the Factory Connection Racing team and discussions with the teams owners, it’s tough to say we will be discontinuing our relationship. I found this is to be a larger commitment than I can give it at this stage in my life. It’s not in my style to do a job half way, nor is it fair to the team to not get the full efforts that they deserve. My overall impression of the team is very high. I’m grateful for the time they gave me and how much Jeff Majkrzak and Rick Zielfelder helped me in my life journey. I hope for continued success for the team and the Honda organisation,” said Dungey.

“After I stopped racing, there were a couple years of waiting for the right thing that made the most sense for me and my family,” Dungey explained. “This came along, and it’s a huge opportunity that checks all the right boxes. Factory Connection Racing is a premier team that has had a lot of success and has a great lineup of talented riders. I’ll be able to apply my experience and knowledge to the next generation and future generations of riders and, because I’m a part owner, it’s something long-term that I can help to build and grow for the future. Between all that and being involved with the Honda organization, there are a lot of positives, and I’m excited to get to work.”

“We’re so pleased to have a champion of Ryan’s stature join our organization,” said Factory Connection Racing owner Richard “Ziggy” Zielfelder. “His racing record speaks for itself, but he has also always been known as a professional off the track as well. We’re very confident that his involvement with the team will help us to continue growing and improving, and we look forward to a successful future together.”

Here’s the full release from KTM:

MURRIETA, Calif.—On the heels of a big announcement released earlier today, KTM North America, Inc. would like to congratulate nine-time AMA Supercross and Motocross Champion Ryan Dungey on a brand-new career endeavor as he makes the transition to the GEICO Honda Racing Team.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager, Ian Harrison: “Ryan is a standup guy both on and off the racetrack – a true professional in every sense of the word – and we are confident that he will be successful in anything he chooses to take on. He has done so much for the KTM brand and when he handed the torch off in 2017, we feel that the program has only gotten stronger as we continue to achieve milestones with our athletes and development of the motorcycle. We wish Ryan the best as he heads into the next chapter of his post-racing career in the industry.” 

In addition to his decorated racing career, Dungey made an undeniable impact on the KTM brand with the early success of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing effort in the U.S. and the development of the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION motorcycle. In 2010, KTM made the decision to attack U.S. Supercross and Motocross in a big way, bringing on two of the sports’ most distinguished leaders in Roger De Coster and Ian Harrison. With the commitment of Roger and Ian came rising star Ryan Dungey, who joined the team in 2012 and he worked closely alongside KTM’s R&D department to develop what would become the multi-time championship-proven KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. 

During his illustrious six-year career as a Red Bull KTM Factory racer, Dungey achieved so many milestones – both personally and for the KTM brand – by way of race wins, championship titles and national media recognition. All of those achievements have aided in the overall success of KTM and since Ryan’s retirement in 2017, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team has continued to thrive with the success of Cooper Webb and his 2019 AMA 450SX Championship in his first year with the brand, as well as KTM veteran Marvin Musquin’s multiple race wins and overall championship contention in both Supercross and Motocross.

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