AUGUST 18, 2005
--press release--
Team ALDO KTM Royal capped an outstanding first season in the CMRC Canadian National Motocross Championship on Sunday, 14th August, by clinching the MX2 East Championship at Ste-Julie, Quebec thanks to the sublime riding skills of Michael Willard.
The 19-year-old from Columbus, Ohio simply destroyed the opposition as he made his final push for the championship on the #749 KTM 250 SX-F. Saturday’s qualifier victory handed him five more crucial points before going on to score 50 more with back-to-back moto wins on Sunday, Willard eventually taking MX2 East honors from title-favorite Kyle Chisholm by a single point, 176-175.
Team ALDO KTM Royal had cause for a double celebration at Ste-Julie as Matt Barnes picked up his first podium finish of the campaign, taking third overall on the day (4-4) in MX2 while scoring the team’s eighth straight Royal Distributing holeshot award in the second moto. Barnes’ efforts rewarded KTM Canada with a second rider in the top-five of the MX2 East Championship, the Ohio-native finishing fifth on 102 points.
The weekend started well for the boys in orange. Competing just a handful of kilometers from KTM Canada’s headquarters in St-Bruno, Michael Willard cruised to an easy win in the first of Saturday’s MX2 qualifiers with Matt Barnes taking fourth in the second. In MX1 qualifying Marco Dubé powered his KTM SX-450 to a win while Pierce Chamberlain switched from MX2 to take fifth in his session.
Willard proved to be the class of the field as Sunday’s MX2 East title decider kicked off with Moto1. Having nailed the perfect holeshot Michael simply cruised off into the distance, his performance a master class in making winning look easy! Behind him Matt Barnes held second before Kyle Chisholm broke up the KTM 1-2.
Michael’s subsequent victory and Chisholm’s runner-up spot ensured a grandstand showdown for the title later that afternoon. When the time came it was Matt Barnes who led the charge off the line with Willard and Chisholm in dogged pursuit.
The title rivals quickly demoted Barnes to third as Chisholm took command of Moto2. Try as he might though the Kawasaki rider couldn’t shake off the constant attentions of a determined Willard and at the halfway marker the Ohio rider executed his championship winning pass.
Safely in the lead, Willard left his rivals trailing in his wake as another faultless performance on the KTM 250 SX-F was rewarded with a second straight moto win (1-1) and more importantly the MX2 East Championship – the first Nationals title for both rider and manufacturer in their first season of Canadian competition.
In MX1 competition Marco Dubé endured mixed fortunes, the Quebec rider finishing the day with a 5-DNF record while Pierce Chamberlain finished 11-18.
Soaked in champagne Team Manager Andy White commented:
“Heading into our first year I really didn’t anticipate that we’d win a championship! Winning the MX2 East Championship with Michael Willard is an awesome pay-off for the hard work from everyone in the team and at KTM North America and KTM Canada. It’s super sweet to win races and championships and I don’t care whether we win by one point or ten, it’s our guy at the top of the championship table. I’m hoping for an even better year next season carrying the #1 plate!”
Michael Willard will lead the Team ALDO KTM Royal attack at the Walton TransCan MX2 East/West shootout this Sunday, 21st August.
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, Furious, Hinson Clutch Components, E-Line, Cycra, Excel, Works Connection, Atpac, Aussie/Sport, Jagg448, Sponsorhouse.com and SBS Brakes.
