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Vangani Report:
After Ben Townley scored victories in the Swedish GP and the Dutch Championships on successive weekends, the orange phone (KTM hotline) rang constantly. The decisionmakers in the corridors of power in Mattighofen decided that the time is ripe for the New Zealand sensation to display his talents in the ‘States again. The injury-plagued US team has rarely been on full strength during the season, and the presence of the hottest property on the European scene would certainly bolster the KTM effort Stateside.
For the second time this year, Ben and team manager Glen Dempsey boarded a flight and headed west, this time in the direction of Unadilla, the scene of the eighth round of the US championship series. Ben had to go through the normal rigours of qualifying for the race, but on his current form, this was a mere formality. In his prequalifying race, he converted a mediocre start into an imperious display of riding talent, scorching through the field for an easy win.
With his line-up for Sunday assured, Ben was intent on providing his sponsors and supporters with good value for money. These ambitions came close to being thwarted by a bad start, and the Drop Bear had to launch his assault from the very back of the field. He did so in grand style, and the pundits sat up and took notice as he picked off one rider after the other. When the chequered flag droped, Ben had moved up to 9th spot, for his third top 10 finish in a US national in three heats.
The start fairy again deserted Ben in the second heat, and yet again he could be seen plying his trade from the back of the pack. This time he rode with even more determination and halfway through the race, he had moved up to within striking distance of a top 10 position. A huge crash undid all his good work and since Ben had crashed on the blindside of a jump, he had to wait for the entire pack to pass before he could get to his bike. Thus started an all-too-familiar situation for him – making positions from the back of the pack.
In the remaining time, Ben pulled out all the stops, but this time around he could only get up to 13th position. This, combined with his first heat result, was good enough to ensure him of 10th position for the day, and first KTM rider home. Although he has only participated in two of the eight US rounds, Ben has managed to work his way up to 25th in the US championship series and his two strong results hint strongly that the Drop Bear would be a serious candidate once he decides to pitch his tent Stateside.
