Name: David Knight

Birthday: 31 May 1978

Debut Worldchampionship:2001

Bike 2006: KTM 525 EXC

Hobbies:

Profession: Enduro rider

Goals: To be Worldchampion

Sponsors: Team Farioli, see below.

Residence: Ballaugh, Island of Man                                       (Great Britian)

Worldchampionship Enduro

www.knighter.net

Enduro 3 world champion David Knight has finished in fourth position at round 12 of the US Grand National Cross Country Series, the Power Line Park GNCC held at St. Clairsville, Ohio. Competing in the event as part of his  preparations for a full-time assault on the GNCC series in 2007.  Knight started well and lead the race during lap one before his bike stalled, which dropped him  down the Pro class leader board. Then soaking his gloves passing a rider while  exiting a water hole Knight was forced to pit for dry gloves before attempting to catch and re-pass the race leaders. Dropping as low as 10^th position the reigning world champion then got taken out by a slower rider before  working his way back up to fourth, despite still suffering with an engine that  had taken in water. Exiting the  first turn in the wheel tracks of Kawasaki rider Fred Andrews who took the holeshot Knight needed just half a lap to hit the front as he placed his 450cc KTM at the front of the Pro class. But before he had time to try and pull away from the chasing pack his bike stalled and refused to start. Working hard to make up lost ground David got a little too close to a rider he was passing as he exited a water hole and was forced to pit at the end of the second lap for dry gloves. Dropping over one-minute as he struggled to change gloves Knight had dropped to 10^th and lost sight of the leaders. Pitting for  fuel on the third lap along with all other Pro class riders David settled into a  strong pace during the second half of the race but with the fast and slippery  track resulting in their being little difference in speed between most of the  top Pro class riders he frustratingly found himself behind slower riders and  unable to pass them. Getting wiped out and taken off his bike by a lapped rider simply made things harder for David as did getting hit in the face by a rock, which cut his lip. Making up over one-minute during the fourth lap on the sixth  and final lap his bike again stalled and refused to start for some time. Having been close behind eventual third place finisher Charlie Mullins at the time  Knight was almost passed by ‘06 US GNCC champion Juha Salminen but was able to  hold on and finish ahead of him KTM mounted team-mate and in fourth  position. Despite  having hoped for a wining result Knight was positive about his result after the race having learned more than he could have hoped to during the three-hour event.

David Knight: I certainly learned a  lot from the race, which is what I wanted to do. Obviously I would have liked to  have won but I’m happy that my speed and fitness was good. After a great start a  load of silly little things spoiled my result, but that’s racing. I think I was second or third out  of the first turn and then I moved into the lead about half way around the first  lap. I hadn’t been in the lead for long when my bike just popped and stalled. It  just wouldn’t start and I lost a load of time. Because the course was really  fast and one-lined it was really hard to pass.  Everyone was going pretty much  the same speed.

On the second lap I passed a rider coming out of the mud hole and my gloves got soaked. Holding onto the handlebars from that point on was like trying to hold two bars of soap so I had to stop to change them. It seemed to take forever to get the dry gloves on with wet hands and I lost over one-minute.

I was down in about 10^th at that point, which meant I had a lot of work to do to try and catch the leaders on a course that was hard to make up time on. I followed Nate Kanney for  a while so I didn’t make up as much ground as I would have liked after stopping.  My fuel stop went well but I was still struggling to pass riders.

I had a pretty good lap on lap four, although I got stuck behind a few slower riders. In the tighter woods  everyone seemed to be going the same speed and passing was difficult. On the last lap I made up some good time but my bike stalled for about the third or fourth time and I couldn’t get it started with the button, or by kicking it, for a long time. I think it must have taken in some mud or water. I was close to  Mullins at the time and when my bike stopped I thought Juha was going to pass me.

It was a hard race for me but I’m  honestly quite glad that it worked out the way it did. I came to learn and try  racing a four-stroke and I certainly learned a lot. I got a good start, had a few problems with the bike stalling, learned loads about how I need to change my  suspension set-up, got taken out by a lapped rider, got a rock in the face, put in some good laps, and made one-stop more than the rest of the Pro riders. It was eventful but I really enjoyed it.