KTM Announces 2008 Factory Off-Road Teams
Amherst, OH - KTM Motorsports is pleased to announce the RedBull KTM Off-Road Team members covering all off-road racing disciplines for the 2008 season including: GNCC, National Enduro, WORCS, Hare and Hound and EnduroCross.
Beginning with the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, KTM will continue to support current XC1 Champion David Knight. Knight has decided to race full-time for one more year in the U.S. KTM would like to welcome his new teammate Nathan Kanney for the XC1 class. Kanney raced in Europe last season and is eager to return to the States to compete in the GNCC Series where he has two career race wins thus far. Justin Williamson will return to the GNCC Team to defend his title in the XC2 class before moving up to the XC1 class for 2009.
In the National Enduro Series KTM will support Mike Lafferty and Russell Bobbitt. Lafferty is the defending National Enduro Champion. With eight National Enduro Championships under his belt (tied with racing legend Dick Burleson) he will be aiming for the record breaking ninth championship in 2008. Lafferty’s toughest competitor will be his teammate and the 2006 National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt. Bobbitt finished second in the 2007 series in a close points chase behind Lafferty.
In the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) KTM will support ISDE Team Captain, Kurt Caselli and Justin Soulè. Caselli won his first WORCS Championship in 2007 and is looking forward to defending that title in 2008. Kurt was recently named AMA Sportsman of the Year and is the first U.S. rider to ever win a class at the ISDE. Soulè had a strong rookie year in the WORCS series finishing on the podium three times and placing sixth overall for the season. His determination and growing experience will no doubt make him a strong podium competitor in 2008.
In the Hare & Hound (H&H) Series KTM will support David Pearson, Quinn Cody and David Kamo. Pearson, the 2007 H&H champion, has signed a contract for three more years with KTM. The momentum from his victorious 2007 season along with his incredible riding talent and ability promise to bring him much success for the coming year. Cody has already shown his strength and determination as a member of the four-man KTM Baja Team which placed third overall in the Baja 1000. Kamo was a strong runner aboard his KTM machine in 2007 earning fourth overall in the H&H Series proving to be a valuable member to this year’s team.
KTM will also continue their efforts in the EnduroCross Series. Mike Lafferty has been announced as the feature rider in that series. Polish rider,Taddy Blazusiak, winner of Erzberg Extreme and the Las Vegas EnduroCross will also compete in the entire series next year. Blazusiak has also committed to racing the RedBull Last Man Standing. EnduroCross Series Champion, David Knight, will race select EnduroCross events that are not in conflict with his other racing commitments.
KTM’s roots have always been in the off-road motorcycle segment. KTM riders dominated the 2007 off-road racing circuit by showing up “Ready-to-Race” week-in and week-out. With the announcement of the impressive line-up for 2008 KTM is looking forward, once again, to running at the front of the pack.
