Watt a disappointment for Knight
By TMX Archives on 15th Mar 07
REIGNING Enduro 3 world champion David Knight recorded both good and bad results at the opening two rounds of the US GNCC series placing as runner-up at the season opener in Florida before struggling to 20th position at round two in Georgia due to a hand injury.
Now, with just two weeks before the third round ofthe series in North Carolina and already 17 points behind thelittle-known series leader Garrett Edmisten, Knight knows that movinghimself to the front of the GNCC championship standings isn't going tobe easy.
Britain's David Knight has a real battle on hishands in 2007. Taking to the start of the opening round of the US GNCCseries still feeling the effects of a hand injury he picked up whilepracticing before the Le Touquet beach race, Knighter produced a strongperformance to finish second behind former WEC and GNCC champion ShaneWatts. Just five days later and Knighter placed a disappointing 20th atround two.
At the season opener all eyes were on Knight KTM's number one team rider and the man that was replacing '05 and '06champion Juha Salminen. Wanting to get his championship campaign off tothe best start possible Knight was simply hoping for a top five finish,aware that the notoriously rough Florida terrain would be made all theharder due to his injured hand.
One of the last riders to take to the start due tonot being a seeded rider, Knighter rounded the first corner just insidethe top 10 before steadily making his way forward. With his hand notgiving him too many problems during the early stages of the race Knightand the rest of the Pro class riders battled extremely dusty conditionswhile Australian Shane Watts checked out and disappeared at the frontof the XC1 class.
US GNCC Series Standings after two of 13 rounds
1 Garrett Edmiston (Kawasaki) 46 points, 2 ShaneWatts (KTM) 42, 3 Charles Mullins (Yamaha) 34, 4 Kurt Caselli (KTM) 34,5 Paul Whibley (Honda) 30, 6 Jimmy Jarrett 29, 7 DAVID KNIGHT (KTM) 25,8 Robbie Jenks (KTM) 21, 9 Jesse Robinson (Kawasaki) 21, 10 GlennKearney (Suzuki) 21, 11 Rodney Smith (Suzuki) 15, 12 Simo Kirssi(Kawasaki) 14.
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, March 16, 2007.