Press Release | September 17, 2017
The KTM RC Cup Championship went down to the final laps of the final race.
This is a press release from KTM…
Leeds, AL (September 17, 2017) – The final round of the 2017 KTM RC Cup Championship, held in conjunction with the 2017 AMA MotoAmerica/FIM North American Road Racing Championship, visited Barber Motorsports Park just east of Birmingham for the final, championship-deciding races. After an intense two-race battle over the weekend, the championship went down to the final laps of the final race in RC Cup style.
Coming to Alabama, the battle for the championship couldn’t have been any tighter with the top spot locked in a tie between Cory Ventura (CSVMoto) and Benjamin Smith (Quarterly Racing/On Track Development). Sitting one point behind them was four-in-a-row winner Alex Dumas from the JP43 Junior Team.
Race one went off with pole sitter Ventura pulling the early lead after a great start. Nearly immediately, however, a pack formed up front with him including Smith, Savage Racing’s Sean Ungvarsky, Toby Khamsouk, Pure Attitude Racing’s Trevor Standish, Draik Beauchamp and Gavin Anthony. Smith, who started from the third row on the grid, put a big charge in on the first lap, moving all the way into third by the beginning of lap two.
Soon, it was Ventura, Smith and Ungvarsky battling up front, swapping positions from first-to-third the entire race. Khamsouk, who ran fast all weekend, was pressuring Smith for third before crashing out on the second lap of the race. Jackson Blackmon, starting from the last row on the grid, quickly made his way through the field, actually catching the lead group by lap six, only to crash out after almost running into his Quarterly Racing teammate Beauchamp.
Meanwhile, the hottest rider coming into the event was mired in the pack after a bad start. Dumas had his work cut out for him as he pushed to the front. Soon, he was there with the other two points leaders battling for the win. Ungvarsky hung tight with the top three as well, looking to push for his first win. The top three traded first position multiple times before Dumas went down with only four laps to go. He would suffer a DNF on the race and see his hopes of a championship diminish.
On the last lap, Ungvarsky looked to have his win in the bag. Then Ventura caught his draft and edged him out at the photo finish for the lead.
With the win (his fourth of the season), Ventura took a nine-point lead heading into the final round on Sunday. Smith finished a close third, .190 seconds behind.
In what was arguably the best race of the entire season, race two started with another Ventura holeshot from the pole position—a great start for his championship run in the final laps of 2017.
To elevate the drama unfolding, the entire pack of RC Cup racers stayed tighter than ever for the better part of the race with championship contenders Smith and Ventura working their way to the front to trade for the top spot multiple times. Aces High Racing’s Dylan Deutschlander and Anthony Racing’s Gavin Anthony looked to be spoilers by fighting with the top two, with both actually taking the lead on occasion. Meanwhile, Dumas was buried deep in the field, but still in contact with the lead group.
Just as it looked as if Smith and Ventura would pull a way, Deutschlander and Anthony would reel them back in making for an exciting wildcard scenario for the race teams and fans anxiously waiting to see who made it to the line first.
As it has happened so many times this season, the final lap would decide it all when Smith and Ventura were shuffled back to fourth and fifth position with Anthony, Deutschlander and Ungvarsky setting themselves up for the win. Suddenly, Smith put a massive move in the middle of the last lap and tucked in behind Anthony.
Likewise, Ventura made a big push into the final corner, but lost the front end, collecting Khamsouk and Standish in a crash that put an end to the championship drama.
Smith, drafting perfectly behind Anthony, used the extra speed to shoot to the line in first, taking the race win, his fifth of the season and the 2017 KTM RC Cup Championship title.
Benjamin Smith:
“Five wins this season is awesome but this one was really special. It was a hard-fought battle, everybody up front was riding amazingly. I had to do everything I could on the last lap to try and get that win and I’m really glad I pulled it off and got the championship. I really hope Toby and Cory are alright as they all rode so well today. Overall, it was a fantastic season and I”ve learned so much over the course of the year. Huge shout out to KTM for putting this series on. I really can’t thank them enough for that and for sending us over to Spain will be a really, really great time.”
The top RC Cup points earners for the 2017 season received invites to the RC Cup World Finals in Jerez, Spain on October 19-22.
KTM RC Cup Race 1 Results
1. Cory Venture
2. Sean Ungvarsky
3. Benjamin Smith
4. Draik Beauchamp
5. Gavin Anthony
KTM RC Cup Race 2 Results
1. Benjamin Smith
2. Gavin Anthony
3. Sean Ungvarsky
4. Dylan Deutschlander
5. Draik Beauchamp
KTM RC Cup Championship Point Standings
1. Benjamin Smith (265)
2. Cory Ventura (249)
3. Alex Dumas (233)
4. Jackson Blackmon (192)
5. Draik Beauchamp (189)