KAMLOOPS, BC – The KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team kicked off the 2022 Triple Crown Series in Kamloops with a pair of steady podium finishes in the 450 Pro and 250 Pro classes, thanks to hard-fought performances from teammates Jess Pettis and Jacob Piccolo in their respective divisions. Additionally, team rider Sebastien Racine had a strong debut in the 250 Pro class with an impressive third-place podium finish in his first moto.
Making its return to the west coast for the first time since 2019, the first round was a much-anticipated event for fans all across the country. Coming into the weekend with a weeks-old wrist injury wasn’t the ideal start for Jess Pettis and his bid for a first premier class title but he made the most of it with a podium finish at Round 1. He was a bit slow off the start of moto one but he fell into a rhythm as the race went on, finishing a solid fourth. Looking for redemption the second time around, Pettis came back swinging with a stronger start in moto two, positioning himself inside the podium battle right away. With 14 solid laps of racing, Pettis’ third-place finish was enough to secure third overall with combined 4-3 moto scores on the day.
Jess Pettis, KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team 450 Rider: “The first round of the nationals is done and I’m pretty happy with the day. The first moto, I struggled to find a flow but I ended up P4. I wasn’t too happy about that but we made some changes and rebounded for the second moto. I got off to a good start and found a good flow, rode some good laps and ended up third in the second moto. Overall, I want to be at the top and try to win but considering my circumstance – I’ve been having a couple weeks with a broken wrist and no time on the bike – it’s not too bad. It’s a good start to the season and something to build from.”
250 Pro
In his official national debut with the KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team, reigning 250 MX Champion Jacob Piccolo came out to a strong title defense at Round 1. Capturing the holeshot and early lead in moto one, Piccolo raced to a dominant wire-to-wire victory at Kamloops. In the second moto, a first-turn crash set him back to dead last on the opening lap but he put his head down and charged through the field to end up with an incredible come-from-behind podium finish. With 1-3 moto scores, he came away with second overall at the season opener.
Jacob Piccolo, KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team 250 Rider: “Moto one was good, I got off to a pretty good sized holeshot and led every lap for the win, so I’m pretty stoked on that. Second moto, I crashed in the first turn and went from dead last to third. I felt pretty solid that moto and I pushed pretty hard. Second overall on the day, I’m pretty stoked.”
Teammate Sebastien Racine made the jump into the 250 Pro class on Sunday, racing at the national level for the first time with the KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team. The rookie had a great entry into the class, scoring a career-first podium with third-place in moto one. His second moto didn’t go quite as smoothly, as he battled through multiple crashes throughout the race. Salvaging ninth in moto two, Racine went 3-9 for sixth overall in his 250 Pro debut.
Sebastien Racine, KTM Canada – Red Bull – THOR Race Team 250 Rider: “Round 1 is done now and I was able to get my first podium in moto one, so I felt good on that. I got a fifth-place start in moto two and was battling with the guys and then tipped over. It took me a while to get up and I was about sixth or seventh, then I crashed two other times in the corner, so I had a pretty bad moto but we’ll get it together. I’m pretty happy with sixth overall but we’ll work on it and get better next weekend.”
Next Race: Round 2 – Drumheller, AB – June 12, 2022
450 Pro Results – Kamloops
1. Dylan Wright, Honda (1-1)
2. Tyler Medaglia, GASGAS (2-2)
3. Jess Pettis, KTM (4-3)
OTHER KTM
7. Parker Eales, KTM
250 Pro Results – Kamloops
1. Ryder McNabb, Honda (2-1)
2. Jacob Piccolo, KTM (1-3)
3. Mitchell Harrison, GASGAS (6-2)
OTHER KTM
6. Sebastien Racine, KTM (3-9)
10. Zach Ufimzeff, KTM
Photos provided by James Lissimore
Si vous souhaitez obtenir une copie de ce communiqué de presse en français, veuillez envoyer un courriel électronique à marketingcanada@ktm.com