Manx Ripper!
Published: 14th November 2007
Author: Jonty Edmunds
Now that David Knight has won the US GNCC championship he can well and truly class himself as one of the world’s off-road elite
Finally, after what has been one of the most hard-fought championships of his professional career, David Knight has been crowned ’07 US Grand National Cross Country champion.
Like all great champions Knighter never believed he’d do anything other than win the ’07 US GNCC series. Confident that he had what it took to follow in Juha Salminen’s footsteps and beat the Americans at their own game, DK overcame injury and disappointment as well as having to adjust to a new team and race series to prove himself in no uncertain terms this season.
Starting America’s largest off-road racing series with a hand injury that severely disrupted his pre-season training, David took to the start of the GNCC championship under-prepared and nowhere near as race ready as he needed to be. Miraculously though at the opening event, which many riders consider the toughest of the series, he came through with flying colours finishing second to former champ Shane Watts. Things were looking good for the new boy.
From that event on DK’s season rollercoasted from good to bad and everything in between. Just five days after his podium result at round one he failed to finish round two. All of a sudden things weren’t looking quite so rosy for the Manxman. Then David decided to revert back to a four-stroke, the bike he felt most comfortable on and the bike that in hindsight he probably ought to have started the championship on.
Round three should have seen David claim his first win of the season but instead it was the starting point of what would become a frustrating year in which he would repeatedly take one step backwards no sooner than he took two steps forward. While leading the race his fuel tank vent hose jammed which resulted in David finishing fifth instead of first.
Finally at round four David claimed the first of what would be seven wins. Repeating his podium topping result at round five, DK looked to be on his way. But at round six the two forward steps he’d taken were followed by a fourth place result, another backwards step. Just like at round three another ‘stupid’ mechanical problem stopped him from winning. Six rounds into the championship and David had suffered mechanical glitches in one third of the events held so far.
Rounds seven and eight saw David move to the top of the points standings and with the championship’s two-month summer break just around the corner delivered his mid-season knock-out blow. Arguably one of the most important events of the championship, David claimed the series’ biggest ever winning margin. Finishing 10 minutes ahead of his nearest rival David showed that he was ready to wrap up his first GNCC title just as soon as he could.
But once again things didn’t go smoothly for David as the championship reconvened at the start of September. Again leading a race Knight saw victory go begging as a split radiator hose resulted in his bike seizing which forced him to push it across the finish line. With just four races remaining the pressure was on as time was fast running out for David to take control of the championship.
Round 10 went well but sure enough good was once again followed by bad as round 11 saw him finish eighth having slept just one hour before the race after competing in - and winning - an indoor Endurocross event the night before the GNCC. With the end of the championship in sight - and with several of his rivals believing that they had the two-time Enduro 3 world champion on the ropes - David remained calm, won the penultimate round of the series and in following it up with victory at the 13th and final race of the season to claim his first ever US GNCC championship.
In winning the ’07 US GNCC championship David proved a number of things. Firstly, he showed that he is truly one of the world’s elite off-road performers and joins Australia’s Shane Watts and Finland’s Juha Salminen as one of just three riders to claim the WEC, ISDE and GNCC championship winning hat-trick. Secondly, he proved that when it comes to woods racing European riders are, without a doubt, the best in the world. Thirdly and most importantly he showed that despite numerous set-backs, disappointments and problems he wanted the ’07 US GNCC title more than any of his championship rivals. And that is what makes Knighter one of the world’s off-road elite.