PRESS RELEASE

David Knight Results Service
Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team

US GNCC ”“ Rnd 10, The Snowshoe GNCC, Snowshoe mountain resort, W. Va, 14.9.2008

Knight edges closer to second US GNCC title, wins round 10

Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team rider David Knight took an important and decisive step towards claiming the ’08 US Grand National Cross Country series title with a hard fought win at the 10^th round of the championship - the Snowshoe GNCC, staged in West Virginia. The first event of the ’08 series after the long summer break, The Snowshoe GNCC was a race Knighter was expected to win having dominated the event in ’07, claiming a massive 10-minute winning margin. Although making it two wins from two starts things ran far from smoothly for David as he was forced to work is way to the front of the XC1 Pro class after a disappointing start.

Stalling his bike in the first turn Knighter set off 15^th and with a great deal of work to do at the start of the six-lap race. Feeling ill during much of the opening two laps David worked his way forwards despite one or two scary high-speed moments and hit the front on lap two. Dropping back to second on lap three David returned to the front on lap four and maintained his position at the head of the XC1 Pro class.

Winning what was anything but an easy race Knight extends his lead at the top of the XC1 Pro class and now has a mathematical chance of winning his second consecutive US GNCC title at the next round of the series ”“ The Unadilla GNCC, NY.

David Knight: “Things didn’t exactly go to plan but I won the race, which is the most important thing as far as the championship is concerned. Right from the start things didn’t go my way. I stalled my bike in the first turn and about three rows of riders past me before I got going. I was in 15^th, which wasn’t what I needed. Once I got going I felt terrible. I’m not sure if it was something I ate in the morning but I felt better once I’d thrown up.

“This year’s course was completely different to last year. Last year it was great ”“ technical, challenging and demanding, this year most of the hard bits were on the down hills and there was a lot of fast forest tracks. Early in the race I hit a rock on one of the fast tracks and completely lost control for a moment. I was absolutely flat out so I must have been doing at least 80 miles per hour. I missed hitting a tree by, well, by nothing. It scarred the hell out of me and it took a while before I was completely settled after that.

“Despite having a few other problems things got better towards the end of the race. I worked my way to the front and was just glad when the race was over.”Â

Results ”“ US GNCC ’08 Rnd 10, XC1 Pro class

1. David Knight (Red Bull KTM Off Road Team) 3.08:27.3

2. Paul Whibley (Suzuki) 3.09:25.7

3. Nate Kanney (KTM) 3.18:04.8

4. Jesse Robinson (Kawasaki) 3.19:16.7

5. Barry Hawk (Yamaha) 3.19:57.7

6. Josh Strang (Suzuki) 3.29:40.4

www.knighter.net