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| 17.02.2010 |
| Jagermeister/KTM Mechanic Profile – Kelly Lumgair |
| Wrench for Mike Alessi |
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Every once in a while KTM likes to catch up with its Factory mechanics and fill you in on the people working behind the scenes. This week we will introduce Factory mechanic Kelly Lumgair for Jagermeister/KTM rider Mike Alessi.
Lumgair was born in Durban, South Africa where he grew up racing motocross. “I was always more interested in working on my own bikes to make them better and faster than I was in actually racing them,” remarked Lumgair. Shortly after his 21st birthday, Lumgair got an offer to sign on as the mechanic for a young South African rider, Tyla Rattray. “I jumped at the opportunity as it had always been a dream of mine to be a mechanic on the world circuit.”
He started working with Rattray on the Vangani/KTM Team where they finished 7th in the World Championship. From there he moved with Rattray to Bru Force/KTM where they spent the next year and finished 8th in the World Championship and 1st in the Dutch Championship. When Rattray moved to Champ/KTM, Lumgair, got his first experience working for a world class racing team with support directly from the KTM Factory. “Working on a factory supported team was amazing. Immediately, Tyla’s results improved and we finished 2nd in the championship.”
The next few years, Lumgair’s principal rider would suffer from injury keeping them out of the title chase. Nevertheless, Lumgair supported a number of riders through the European World Championships over the course of eight years, earning numerous podium finishes. During this time, Lumgair got the chance to work with Mike Alessi while he was testing KTM’s as a member of the U.S. based Red Bull/KTM Team. “Mike and I got along very well while he was in Europe and we continued to stay in touch after he returned to the states.”
In 2009, Alessi re-signed with KTM and was overjoyed to hear that he would once again have the chance to work with world-class Lumgair who he had a solid working relationship from their time spent on the European circuit in 2006 and whose support assures Alessi a ride to the top. Lumgair, currently with KTM in Austria, is slated to join KTM in the US to support the race team in time for the 2010 AMA series.
“I am excited to be working [with KTM] on a premier team with a solid rider. I have spent many years working for KTM and I feel it is where I belong. It feels like family working here and I plan to win many championships with them,” stated Lumgair.
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