JULY 2, 2005
--press release--
It wasn’t just the sun raising the temperature in Saskatchewan last Sunday as the western leg of the CMRC Canadian Motocross Championships wrapped up at Regina Moto Valley. Team ALDO KTM Royal fired up the competition with some scorching performances, the fledgling squad posting its best results of the year with Jimmy Nelson and Kris Keefer campaigning the new KTM SXF250/FMF/Pirelli in MX2 West while Marco Dubé and teenage-charger Michael Willard ripped it up in MX1.
Saturday’s qualifying sessions saw all four KTM riders pumped and ready to rock Regina with solid top-ten finishes scored in both classes. Jimmy Nelson led the KTM charge in MX2, taking fourth in his qualifier with Kris Keefer securing an encouraging seventh place finish in his session. Marco Dubé mirrored Nelson’s fourth place in the first MX1 qualifier, as did Michael Willard in the second session, the 18-year-old from Ohio enjoying the lead for a couple of laps having bagged the holeshot.
Sunday’s competition was bathed in brilliant sunshine and the track conditions found favor with Nelson in the first MX2 moto. With his Pirelli’s helping him rip round the Regina track, Jimmy darted off the line to snatch the holeshot and assume the lead as he had done a week earlier at Wild Rose. He put in an awesome performance on the #884 bike and was looking good for the glory until a wild slide handed the lead to MX2 rival Dusty Klatt.
Disappointed to lose out, Jimmy’s third place podium finish was still the best of the season and showcased the potential in both bike and rider. Nelson’s team-mate, Kris Keefer backed up KTM’s credentials with his first top-ten finish in MX2 West.
Nelson then nailed the holeshot in the second MX2 moto and despite leading early in the race his hard charging style cost him some track position as the laps at Moto Valley reeled off. Eventually finding his rhythm Jimmy took the checkered in seventh place to round off the weekend’s activities an impressive fourth overall (3-7) in MX2. Keefer just missed out on a second successive top-ten finish coming home 11th in the second moto but his overall weekend-long consistency was rewarded with ninth in class (8-11) exiting Regina.
In MX1 Michael Willard showed up to get some extra Nationals practice as the Columbus-native looks set to challenge in the second half of the season. The reigning 250 Quebec Arenacross Champion rode well on his return to Canadian soil, his record over the two motos of 11-14 placing him 12th overall in the points on Sunday.
Marco Dubé followed up his 2005 Nationals debut at Wild Rose with a mixed performance at Moto Valley. The established rider, on the #8 SX450 2005, was just beaten to the holeshot in the first MX1 moto by Keith Johnson. Despite losing out he held station in the top-five for most of the race before his fuel valve was hit by a rock. The subsequent damage and leaking of fuel forced Dubé to retire from the race posting a disappoint DNF after such a promising start. The second moto saw him back in the thick of the action but a careless slide cost him track position and he dropped back to finish in 12th spot.
Delighted with Team ALDO KTM Royal’s overall performances, team manager Andy White commented:
“I’m very happy with the way the weekend turned out. I wish we had a little more testing with the new SXF250 before the Nationals started but we’re making solid progress and Jimmy’s performances again demonstrate the potential in the package. I’m thrilled both Jimmy and Kris came away with top-ten finishes and Michael and Marco enjoyed some competitive running. I think with what we’ve learned so-far we’ll have a successful east coast series when we return to action in mid-July.”
Round 5 of the CMRC Canadian Motocross Championship heads to Gopher Dunes in Courtland, Ontario, Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th July.
Team ALDO KTM Royal hits the track this season thanks to support from the following partners; ALDO, Royal Distributing, Axo, FMF, Protech Suspension, M2R, Pirelli, Polisport, Regina Chain, Renthal, Twin Air, Motorex, TAG Metals, Ogio, Mechanix Wear, NelsonMX.com, TriStar, SDG, SFB Racing, Universal, Arnette, DRD, One Industries, LRP, Furios, Hinson Clutch Components, E-Line, Cycra, Excel, Works Connection, Atpac, Aussie/Sport, Jagg448, Sponsorhouse.com and SBS Brakes.
