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Not only is KTM fielding two four-rider teams this weekend and sponsoring the KTM Unlimited Supermoto class, but the brand did itself proud Saturday with a podium sweep on the inaugural AMA KTM Unlimited Supermoto Championship race July 12 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. KTM-sponsored dirt-tracker Joe Kopp took the holeshot and battled with former world motocross competitor Kurt Nicoll through most of the race until Nicoll passed Kopp for the lead on lap 14 of the 24-lap final. From there the two battled through lapped traffic before finishing in this position with and 16-year-old Chris Fillmore taking third.

It was clear from the start that of the race's 28 riders, the front four on the grid were the class of the field. Kopp led the charge taking the holeshot and the early lead, followed by Fillmore, Nicoll and supermoto specialist Steve Drew. That order did not change until lap eight when Fillmore lost the front end of his KTM 660 in the slippery flat track section in the back half of the race track. "I just lost the front end, it was so slippery in that section," said Fillmore of the tricky flat track corner that was giving most the field fits, save for Kopp who was gapping folks in the section. "I kept the thing running, and kept my cool and focused on finishing the race."

While Fillmore was picking up the big KTM, Nicoll passed him for second behind Kopp. Fillmore remounted to take third place, with Drew still running comfortably in fourth.

Nicoll used his supermoto experience to his advantage as he worked his way through lapped traffic and slowly closed the gap on Kopp. Laps 12-14 saw Nicoll hounding Kopp, waiting for the right place to pass. "I didn't rush things," said Nicoll. "But I did have to be a bit more forceful than I wanted." Fortunately for Nicoll, lapped traffic helped him this time out. On lap 14 Nicoll made his move splitting a lapper to take the lead from Kopp. "I could hear him coming as every corner he was yelling 'hey, hey' at me to try to break my concentration," laughed Kopp.

Nicoll then gapped Kopp a bit right after the pass, leaving Kopp to fight his way back through traffic. "I felt I could hang with him after he passed me," said Kopp, who was very happy to be on the podium.

Today's racing action includes the Honda Red Riders KTM Junior Supermoto Challenge race at 1:15 followed by the highly anticipated Red Bull Supermoto race set for 2:20.

Race Notes:

• Micky Dymond certainly got his kicks Saturday. He stalled his KTM at the start of the warm-up lap and had to be bump-started to make the race start.
  
  

• Joe Kopp was surprised to get the holeshot. Look for him to run any supermoto races that don't conflict with his AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship duties. Kopp's been a man on a mission lately, winning the last two out of four events and pulling within 18 points of series leader Chris Carr, who is racing the Red Bull Supermoto final today.
  
  

• Third-place finisher Chris Fillmore has been racing motocross since he was 11 up in Michigan. After the event, he and his dad talked with AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Manager Bruce Bober about trying out a few TT and Short Track events.
  
  

• Kurt Nicoll probably had the best motor out there Saturday. Nicoll is the head of KTM's racing department in Austria and joked that he gets the best parts. When a few reporters laughed along with him, he quickly followed it up with, "No, I'm not kidding you."
  
  

• Nicoll is a former world motocross competitor. He raced the 500 and 250 classes in the late 80s and early 90s. While he had much success, he finished second four times in the 500 championship in 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992!