Source: Supplied.

Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey has taken one of the most important wins of his career in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to regain the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross red plate.

Defending champion Dungey will carry a vital nine-point advantage into Las Vegas’ final round next weekend after edging by teammate Marvin Musquin for the victory tonight.

While Dungey and Musquin did battle out front, resulting in Dungey making his way by – appearing to be under team orders – for win number three of the season on the final lap, disaster struck previous red plate-holder Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki).

He went down on lap three and dropped to 15th, stalled again soon after and eventually regathered for P8. It was exactly what he didn’t need at the penultimate stop of the season, now putting Dungey in the box seat for a fourth-career premier class supercross crown.

Meanwhile, Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) finished third on the podium for the three-straight round in succession. Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM teammates Davi Millsaps and Blake Baggett completed the top five, as Chad Reed rode his factory Yamaha to 12th.

In the Eastern Regional 250SX final it was Zach Osborne (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) who fourth win of the year, topping Dylan Ferrandis (Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha) and Jordon Smith (TLD/Red Bull/KTM).

Previous points leader Joey Savatgy (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) crossed the line third and was later penalised for the way he rejoined the track after crashing, bumped back to P8, meaning Smith now has the red plates with a single-point advantage over Savatgy and Osborne heading to Las Vegas.

The final round of the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season will take place at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, next Saturday, 6 May.