While Alexander Smith is flying Ducati’s colors at the front of the pack, his moto-journalist teammate Steve Kamrad on the second DesertX Rally was DQed after a series of incidents on the first stage.
“After careful review of the recorded data, course official reports and information gathered from witnesses and competitors, NORRA Motorcycle Race Director Jimmy Lewis has found it necessary to disqualify motorcycle competitor #53 from the race. The official reason for disqualification was going against course traffic against the orders of course workers.
“The incident occurred on Day 1 at the finish of Special Stage #1. Penalties were applied earlier based on evidence of unsportsmanlike conduct but were not enough to warrant DQ before the start of day #2. Previous to getting the information necessary to disqualify, and at the 5:30 am briefing of day #2 the course director notified rider #53 of the impending situation. Shortly afterwards #53 withdrew due to his motorcycle becoming inoperable so this notification of disqualification has been delayed for being a lower priority than the safety of riders on course during competition and the difficulties in communication in remote locations in Baja.”
