It’s a testing time for Ryan Dungey as he continues to lose valuable championship points to Eli Tomac, attempting to claim his fourth Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in the premier 450SX class.

The Red Bull KTM rider will aim to respond to Tomac’s recent four-race winning streak as his points lead shrinks down to just seven with five rounds remaining on the 2017 schedule.

“We’re losing too many each round that’s for sure, it’s a little frustrating and disappointing,” said Dungey. “The last few races just right off the start I haven’t been there, and if anything I like a good fight to the end, even with Eli I like to be there to push him.

“Being up front and putting ourselves in a better position, we’ll try to work on that and just take each and every race as itself. I give it my best and I fumbled in the first turn, that’s the way it goes and I guess that’s how it works.”

Logging main event wins and putting a stop to the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider’s hot streak will be a priority for the defending champion as the season rolls and the championship battle tightens.

“These are testing times for sure for me, absolutely,” he added. “I’ve been in this position before, but it’s definitely testing, I don’t like to lose as many points as we have been consistently in racing, but some wins here will definitely help us for sure.”

Dungey last stood atop the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship 450SX podium at round eight of the series inside Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on 25 February.