Royal Distributing Fox Racing KTM Team race recap

On a very unpredictable day in Regina, Saskatchewan, where Mother Nature gave riders just about everything they could handle, Royal Distributing Fox Racing KTM riders Cole Thompson and Kaven Benoit had to fight extremely hard to score maximum points in the final Western round of the 2015 CMRC Pro Motocross Nationals.

Going into Round 4, Thompson was riding a wave of confidence as in recent weeks he had made multiple trips to the podium. However, for the fourth weekend in a row, he was racing on a track he’d never seen before.

In both MX1 motos, Thompson rode fast and smooth on the slippery Regina circuit to once again bring home two consistent finishes.

“I thought today was pretty good, considering the conditions we were faced with,” said Thompson. “In Moto 1, I went with a hard-packed front tire, and then it started raining and that tire didn’t work very well. In Moto 2, I had a great battle with Facciotti and ended up fourth overall. I had a good time in the West and now I’m looking forward to the East Coast tracks.”

Fourth overall for Kaven Benoit

At times in the MX2 class, Benoit has been nothing short of amazing on his KTM 250SX two-stroke. During Round 2 in Nanaimo, B.C., and again in Round 3 in Calgary, Alberta, fans witnessed Benoit completely dominate the field and build on his points lead as the series headed to the flatlands of Saskatchewan.

In Moto 1, Benoit proved why he is the holder of the coveted red plate as he grabbed the early lead and never looked back.

Cole Thompson charging down a motocross track.

Cole Thompson’s 4-4 moto score gave him fourth overall for the day, and in the process put him in a great position as the series moves East to the hot and humid province of Ontario for rounds five and six. — James Lissimore photo

In Moto 2, Benoit was the victim of a little adversity as an early race crash left him in 17th position. However, Benoit remounted and began picking riders off one by one to finish sixth in Moto 2 and fourth overall for the day.

Benoit is looking forward to the remaining six rounds in the East as he will be back in familiar surroundings and racing on a few of his favourite tracks.

“My day in Regina was OK,” said Benoit. “I had an awesome holeshot and won in the first moto and I was hoping for the same in Moto 2. However, I fell on the second lap and remounted in 17th place. I rode very hard to try and catch up and I was able to charge back to sixth. Although the result was fourth overall on the day, I’m still carrying the red plate as we head East. All in all, I was very happy with my results in the West, and I’d like to thank the fans and my team for all their support. See you at Gopher Dunes!”

The series heads to Eastern Canada

The 2015 series will take a three-week break before resuming on July 12 at Gopher Dunes Raceway in Courtland, Ontario. Both Thompson and Benoit will spend the next few weeks training hard to prepare for the gruelling conditions that the second half of the series will no doubt bring.

With six races remaining, the Royal Distributing Fox Racing KTM Team is looking forward to making a push towards both the MX2 and MX1 championships this summer.