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David Knight Results Service
Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team
US GNCC - Rnd 11, The Unadilla GNCC, New Berlin, NY, 28.9.2008

Knighter wins '08 US GNCC championship, tops Unadilla GNCC

David Knight is the '08 US Grand National Cross Country champion. Winning the prestigious title for the second year running Knighter secured the GNCC crown in style by winning the 11th round of the championship - The Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, NY. Bringing his total number of wins this season to seven, David now joins Finn Juha Salminen as a consecutive two-time winner of the US GNCC series.

Although aware that he stood a mathematical chance of winning the title at The Unadilla GNCC Knight was focused on just one thing come the start of the XC1 Pro class race - surviving the horrendously muddy conditions. With a torrential downpour one-hour prior to the start of the race the Unadilla track soon turned into a muddy mess. Making a mid-pack start Knight spent the first lap working his way towards the front of the XC1 Pro class but was forced to pit for fresh gloves and goggles at the end of the first lap. Soon back out front the two-time World Enduro Champion and now two-time US GNCC champion steadily started to open up a gap between himself and his nearest rivals.

Winning the race wasn't going to be enough for Knight to secure the '08 title, but when on lap five New Zealand's Paul Whibley - David's closest championship rival, ran out of fuel the title was secured. Claiming an eventual four-and-a-half minute winning margin Knight topped the podium ahead of his team-mate Nate Kanney with Suzuki's Jimmy Jarrett in third.

David Knight: “It's a great feeling to have won my second US GNCC title. I have to thank my mechanic Scotty, all my sponsors, and the entire KTM Off Road Team for their support and hard work this year. We've had some great races, some disappointing races, but to finally win the title is amazing. I feel bad for Paul Whibley though. He's ridden really well all year so to see him run out of fuel here, which handed me the championship, isn't how I hoped things would end. I've also had some disappointing races this year, but despite the horrible conditions here everything went really well.

“The conditions really were bad. It was so wet and muddy that following another rider was almost impossible. I really wanted to win the race and I pushed hard to work my way to the front. I had a few riders to pass and managed to get into the lead just before the end of the lap. I had to pit to change my gloves so I had to re-pass Nate. Once I got out front I just tried to enjoy myself and not make too many mistakes. I was pulling away little by little, but when Whibs ran out of fuel I guess I had a comfortable lead.

“I knew that I could win the championship here, but I wasn't expecting to. This makes all the hard work during the summer break worthwhile. I can relax a little bit now and enjoy the last few rounds of the series.”Â

Results - US GNCC '08 Rnd 11, XC1 Pro class

1.David Knight (Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team) 2.47:37
2.Nate Kanney (KTM) 2.52:06
3.Jimmy Jarrett (Suzuki) 2.53:12

www.knighter.net