CMRC Round 5 - Regina

Courtesy Mark Fries

Round 5 of the CMRC series saw Team Royal Distributing KTM finish with the best results to date. Marco Dube is finally getting some of the luck that has dodged him so far this year. Iain Hayden is riding with confidence and competing well in the very tough premier MX1 class. Micheal Sleeter is staying in the hunt for a top 3 in the very tightly contested MX2 West title.

Qualifying on Saturday took place under sunny but windy conditions. MX2 rider Michael Sleeter got a great start on his 250 SX-F and battled the competition to the checkered flag qualifying easily for the next day's race.

In the MX1 class the #24 of Marco Dube and fellow 450 SX rider Iain Hayden both qualified directly from their respective qualifiers into Sunday's main event.

After early morning Sunday practise sessions the Royal Distributing team riders were excited and ready to battle the competition on their professionally prepped KTM machines.

Royal Distributing rider Michael Sleeter was first to the gate as the first MX2 moto got under way. The #181 rounded the first corner in the top five and rode the leaders pace for most of the moto. Around mid race Shift sponsored Sleeter found trouble in a turn and went down. He got up quickly and pushed back through the pack to finish in 6th place.

The first MX1 moto of the day saw teammates Marco Dube and Iain Hayden lined up with the rest of the premier class. When the gate dropped it was both riders rounding the first corner in the top 7. Hayden has found new confidence, more speed and rode a very strong and consistent race finishing in 12th position in the tough MX1 class. Marco Dube had a great start and put his head down and rode hard battling and passing the competition to a well deserved 5th position at the end of the long 40 minute moto.

The 2nd MX2 Moto saw Michael Sleeter get a fantastic start getting a huge Royal Distributing holeshot. We've had to gladly pay out quite a few holeshot cheques to our own riders and the riders of the Royal Distributing affiliated KTM factory team this year. Proof positive of the strength and power of the KTM bikes. Bad luck struck again when he tangled with another rider going down and losing his position. Sleeter was able to remount his KTM 250SX-F to finish in 8th place which gave the Royal Distributing team a 7th place overall finish in the highly competitive MX2 class.

After the successful first MX1 moto the Royal Distributing KTM riders were looking for more great results and when the gate dropped on the 2nd MX1 moto Marco Dube and Iain Hayden didn't disapoint.

Again the teamates were in the top 8 riders around the first corner. Dube made some fast passes by choosing smart and creative lines and using his racing skills finished in 5th place giving him and his Royal Distributing team a 4th overall for the day. This is their best results so far in the 2006 season.

The #62 of Iain Hayden also had a season best result in the MX1 class finishing his 2nd moto with a strong 13th place landing him a 12th overall for the day.

Thanks to KTM, DRD exhaust, Answer, Shift, FXR, Scott USA, Ignition Racing, Motul and Pirrelli.