_____Hey everyone well the last couple races I had some trouble getting everything ready to go with my own Yamahas and had some testing to do (cause that my real job) so I missed the first 2 rounds of the CMRC Canadian Nationals. Well with me doing an article blog/article here at Dirt Rider I got a call from my old team manager and friend Andy White at KTM CANADA to race for the factory team up there at Rnd # 3 in Calgary. I flew up Saturday morning to meet Andy at the Airport and to go over my bike before Sunday. I have not ridden a KTM 450 in a long time so this was going to be a new bike to me.
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Saturday is usually a laid back day to get everything together at the track for the teams and riders before Sundays big race. I got to the track and I see my bike sitting there with my racing number 120 on my bike but it was in Electrical tape style Font! My good KIWI friend Mason Phillips decided to take it upon himself to put my numbers on with electrical tape! So sick! I met my mechanic for the weekend Mark Brunet and he had my bike looking so good and he was working so hard to make sure I had everything I need on the bike for the weekend. Everyone at KTM Canada is so nice and laid back but they all work very hard to get the best possible results for the Austrian based company. These people are like my 2nd family I have raced for them in 2005 and 2007 and they all have helped me in so many ways I was hoping to repay them back a little bit on sunday with some good results.
Sunday was here and we had 1 free practice Session and 1 Timed Qualifying session. I could only manage to qualify 13th. I was getting used to the bike and the Calgary track was already starting to get real rutted out from all the rain they had the previous week. I was still confident I could turn things around in my motos. The first moto I got to a decent start around 8th and stayed there for a few laps until I pumped up a little bit and slipped back to 10th. Around the 23 minute mark the race was red flagged as Colton Facciotti had a huge get off in the high speed roller section so the race was called and in the books. I was credited for 11th in moto 1. Not the best 1st moto but I was hoping to get the ball rolling more in the 2nd moto.
2nd moto I got a better jump and was in 4th place for the first 2 laps. I cross rutted coming down a hill and let 2 guys get by me but was feeling decent in 6th. Than around the 12 minute mark I stalled in a corner and went back to 9th. I am so glad I had an electric start KTM 450 at that point because I would of lost a lot more positions than I have had! Around the 15 minute mark I came down the same hill I stalled it and saw a fire hose that one of the course marshalls were watering the track with. it had not been pushed completely off the track and I somehow managed to get that thing picked up in my rear wheel and the bike just stopped! It was so lodged in the rear brake I had to have one of the mechanics cut it out! By that time the race was over! My day was over! Not the way I wanted it to go but I guess sometimes these things happen!
I am hoping to get back up next week for the KTM CANADA team for the 4th round in Morden,Manitoba to take revenge on my lackluster performance from round #3. Wish me luck!
I would like to give a big thanks to the KTM Canada Team, Royal Distributing, THOR PARTS CANADA, SMITH goggles, Asterisk, Renthal, Dragon Race fuels, Alpinestars, my wife and my trainer Seiji Ishi for all the help this year! We will keep plugging away!
**KRIS KEEFER #120 **
