The BTOSports.com KTM team have encountered their fair share of misfortune this year, as a robbery in January saw the team lose hundreds of thousands worth of equipment. Then, on Friday evening at Unadilla, a fire broke out in their semi and rendered it (and a majority of the things inside) useless.
Everyone from Red Bull KTM, Troy Lee Designs KTM and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna pitched in overnight to ensure that the team’s three riders would be able to race on Saturday. Their bikes were put together using spares from those teams and then Red Bull KTM housed Benny Bloss, Andrew Short and Justin Brayton on race day.
There were actually some bright spots for the squad at round ten, as Bloss went on to record a career-best fourth in the 450MX place thanks to a seventh and fourth in the two motos. Bloss, who was drafted into the team towards the end of the supercross season, also inched closer to a top five ranking in the series standings. Justin Brayton and Andrew Short were unfortunate to miss out on top ten finishes.
What caused the fire exactly? Forrest Butler, the team manager, breaks it all down in this interview from the television broadcast.
Words: Lewis Phillips | Image: KTM/Simon Cudby
