ktmtwins.com blog

April 27th, 2008

Press Release: Central Europe Rally - Top 10 finish for Jonah Street and Team Top 1 Oil / Rally Pan Am Balatonfured, Hungary.

After 7 days competing against the best cross-country rally racers in the world, Jonah Street has emerged in 9^th position overall. In this tight and technical rally, the team is very happy with this result. Jonah finished special test sections three times on the podium, and often in the top 5. He also finished in third position in the Marathon class. Still relatively new to this type of competition, the team gauges its progress against more established teams. Rally Pan Am knows that Jonah can compete alongside, and often ahead of, the best in the world.

Jonah Street, “This was a very good test for us, with some good stages. In my first race on the 690, I think I handled it well. Hopefully we will get a chance to show what we can do in a real desert rally soon.”

Rally Pan Am’s goal is to win the Dakar Rally. Crew Chief Des McDonald, “We fine tuned our skills at this rally, certainly a very valuable experience.” Team Manager Charlie Rauseo, “We are exactly where we need to be. Each time we compete at this level, we learn and get better at it. Jonah and the crew are significantly closer to winning one of these events. With a little more help from sponsors, we hope to compete in the Sertoes Rally in Brazil, and possibly others, before going for the win in the Dakar next January.”

Team Top 1 Oil / Rally Pan Am is the only American motorcycle team now competing in rallies, and is backed by Top Oil Company, Klim gear, Scuderia West, Rally Management Services, Gore-Tex, APL, Motion Pro, Baja Designs, Transfer Flow, Ready Racing, Scott Goggles, Renazco Racing, MX1West, ICW, DP Brakes, Megla Designs, Aladdin Freight, KTMTwins.com, JJE Constructors, Michelin, Linkfinity, Iridium, JoeHauler, SPS Suspension, and Harry’s Custom Paint.

Baia Mare, Romania. After the first two days of the Central Europe Rally, the team is in Transylvania, preparing for five more days of intense rally competition. This event is the first of the Dakar Series, attracting most of the world?s best cross-country rally talent. Jonah Street finished the first three stages in 8th, 3rd, and 9th positions, and now stands in 5th position overall, about 2 minutes out of 2nd place. The wet, muddy and rocky conditions can be very dangerous for large and powerful rally bikes, so Jonah is riding fast but conservatively.

Team manager Charlie Rauseo thinks that things are going according to plan, “Although shorter than the desert rallies we know so well, this event is long enough that Jonah can use a strategy of taking as few risks as possible, especially in the early stages, but keeping within striking distance of the podium.”

The Central Europe Rally is the first of the new Dakar Series, with US Television coverage on Direct TV Channel 101. Following success in this event, Rally PanAm hopes to compete in the entire series, including the 2009 Dakar Rally in South America. Team Top Rally PanAm Is the only American motorcycle team now competing in rallies, and is backed by Top Oil Company, Klim gear, Scuderia West, Gore-Tex, APL, Motion Pro, Baja Designs, Transfer Flow, Ready Racing, Scott Goggles, Renazco Racing, MX1West, ICW, DP Brakes, Megla Designs, Aladdin Freight, KTMTwins.com, JJE Constructors, Michelin, Linkfinity, Iridium, JoeHauler, SPS Suspension, and Harry’s Custom Paint.