Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey picked up his first win of 2012 in Colorado. Image: Simon Cudby.

Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey won his first Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship round of the season at Thunder Valley in Colorado on Sunday.

Following back-to-back runner-up finishes to start the season, Dungey emerged victorious, capturing a 1-1 moto sweep to give the Austrian brand its first overall victory in the 450 Class.

In the opening moto of the 450 Class, James Stewart worked his way from a third-place start to take over the lead on lap two.

However, just two laps later, the Team Yoshimura Suzuki rider went down as he looked to open a gap on the field, failing to finish the moto and appearing to favour his hand.

With Stewart out of action, Dungey took over the lead on Lap 4 and went on to take an easy moto win, his first of the season, and put himself in position for the overall.

The effects of his first moto crash forced Stewart to sit out Moto 2 as well, losing the points lead with no points recorded. As the gate dropped, Dungey grabbed the holeshot, quickly pulled away, and dominated en route to securing the overall victory.

“I hate to win like that,” said Dungey, who has won three consecutive races at Thunder Valley. “James and I have pushed each other to new levels and although he won the first four motos, it’s been good.

“Hopefully he heals up and comes back. My game plan is always the same, to take it one race at a time. You can’t focus on the end result and we saw that today. I just do my own thing, put my best foot forward, and never underestimate anyone.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, of Rupert recorded a career-best second place finish (2-4), while Colorado native Andrew Short, of Colorado Springs, gave Team Chaparral Honda its first podium finish in third (7-2).

Stewart dropped from first to third in the championship standings and his status for the remainder of the season is uncertain. He entered the weekend with an undefeated record, winning all four motos through the first two rounds.

“It’s not what we wanted, but that’s racing,” Stewart said. “It wasn’t worth risking anything in the second moto. I’m going to go through next week and test out how my hand feels and hopefully we’re ready to go at High Point.”

Dungey currently holds a 35-point lead over Weimer in the championship standings.

Stewart’s Australian teammate Brett Metcalfe was fifth with 3-10 results, while Michael Byrne was a season-best eighth for BTO Sports Suzuki with 12-7 finishes.

In the 250 Class, GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia ended a 27-race winless streak to capture his second career win.

Barcia started his day off strong by winning the first moto. Barcia took the lead from the start and ultimately stayed out front for all 16 laps, fending off the pressure of Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Germany.

In Moto Two, Barcia asserted himself out front again, looking for the moto sweep. The Honda rider led the first six laps, but was passed by points leader Blake Baggett aboard his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki.

While Baggett pulled away, Barcia once again engaged in battle with Roczen, this time for second. Roczen eventually worked his way past Barcia, putting Baggett in position to claim his second overall victory of the season.

However, on the final lap, Roczen and Barcia battled again for second, ending with Roczen falling to the ground and allowing Barcia to retake the position and ultimately the overall win.

“Last weekend was tough on me, but today was awesome,” said Barcia, who last won as a rookie during the 2009 season. “The first moto couldn’t have gone any better and the second moto was good too.

“I knew what I had to do (in the second moto). I rode my own race a little bit, but then I put on a hard charge at the end. Ken and I may have touched a little bit, but I just kept going.”

With his second moto win, Baggett secured the runner-up spot for the second week in a row (3-1), while Roczen rebounded to round out the overall podium for the third consecutive round (2-4). Baggett holds a 16-point lead over Barcia in the championship standings.

In the Women’s Motocross Championship, Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Jessica Patterson swept the day’s motos to claim her second overall win of the season and extend her points lead.

Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Tarah Gieger finished second (3-2), while Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Ashley Fiolek overcame a fall in the second moto to finish third (2-6).

The 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues next week, with round four from High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Round Three – Thunder Valley MX Park

450 Class (Moto Finish):
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (1-1)
2. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (2-4)
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (7-2)
4. Nico Izzi, Rochester, Mich., Yamaha (5-5)
5. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (3-10)
6. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (4-9)
7. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda (9-6)
8. Michael Byrne, Rockhampton, Australia, Suzuki (12-7)
9. Billy Laninovich, Temecula, Calif., Honda (11-8)
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki (10-11)

450 Class Championship Standings:
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 136
2. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 101
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 100
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 100
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 97
6. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki, 84
7. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki, 73
8. Nico Izzi, Rochester, Mich., Yamaha, 71
9. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki, 63
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki, 50

250 Class (Moto Finish):
1. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (1-2)
2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (3-1)
3. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (2-4)
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (4-3)
5. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (5-5)
6. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM (8-6)
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki (6-9)
8. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (10-7)
9. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Yamaha (9-10)
10. Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda (7-14)

250 Class Championship Standings:
1. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 139
2. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 123
3. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 120
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 117
5. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 84
6. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 82
7. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 71
8. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Yamaha, 65
9. Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda, 62
10. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 61

WMX Class (Moto Finish):
1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki (1-1)
2. Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda (3-2)
3. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (2-6)
4. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Osaka, Japan, Honda (7-3)
5. Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM (4-5)
6. Mariana Balbi, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Honda (6-4)
7. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM (5-7)
8. Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-11)
9. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda (12-9)
10. Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda (11-10)

WMX Class Standings:
1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 141
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 125
3. Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda, 114
4. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Osaka, Japan, Honda, 99
5. Mariana Balbi, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Honda, 88
6. Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM, 82
7. Meghan Rutledge, New South Wales, Australia, Kawasaki, 78
8. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM, 76
9. Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda, 75
10. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda, 52