CAR X-BOW BATTLE DAYS ©
CAR X-BOW BATTLE DAYS © Photos: Joel Kernasenko ARE YOU READY TO RACE? THE X-BOW BATTLE! In 2010 KTM came up with a special idea for customer racing: The aim of the “X-BOW BATTLE“ was to offer affordable yet attractive motor racing for all owners of a KTM X-BOW. The concept behind it was to have several classes so as to allow all the different versions of the KTM X-BOW to enter a racing series. Nobody was to be excluded and nobody was to be forced to spend unreasonable amounts of money on their car to meet regulation requirements. With the support of KTM, Georg Silbermayr took on the task of establishing the series, which kicked off at the end of April 2010 with 16 starters at the Salzburgring in Austria. Over the years the “X-BOW BATTLE“ concept has turned out to be a resounding success: Starter fields have constantly increased in size and some drivers have even switched over from other series to drive the Austrian racing car. At the end of 2010, the efforts of all those involved eventually led to an invitation on the part of ITR to put in a guest appearance at the DTM on the Adria Raceway: Thirty drivers put in an impressive showing, which in turn resulted in a direct invitation to a further guest appearance in 2011. Here again – this time at the Eurospeedway Lausitz – there was edge-of-your-seat racing action to add that special “orange touch“. The crowning glory finally came in 2012 when the “X-BOW BATTLE“ was held as part of the DTM at the Red Bull Ring – right on the doorstep, so to speak, since the supersports car on which the racers are based is built less than 50 kilometres away from Spielberg in Graz, Styria! As the appearance in front of a home audience went down so well, the “BATTLE“ was included in the programme once again in 2013 and 2014. By the time it came to its fifth year, however, the series had undergone radical change. Not in terms of excitement and action - the race-track drama was more captivating and spectacular than ever before, with the field of up to 40 starters moving ever more tightly together in terms of performance. It was the regulations that had been consistently revised as time went on, ultimately turning the various X-BOW versions into uniform brand cup cars. Initially there was a reduction from three classes to two, and then the decision was taken to create a single set of regulations and one class only. Finally the move was made to Michelin slick tyres in 2013, and MOTOREX joined as the lubricant partner at the start of the 2014 season. A comparison of the brand cup racing cars – known as KTM X-BOW RR – with the cars of other racing series clearly illustrates the enormous increase in performance: The times 24
CAR achieved in the “BATTLE“ are now in the range of the GT3 race cars in the ADAC GT Masters or Porsche Carrera Cup cars – with the difference that the KTM X-BOW is not fitted with any aids such as ABS, traction control or sequential transmission to make the driver‘s job easier. So the KTM X-BOW RR is one of the very few automobiles to offer pure, unfiltered motor racing! But the “X-BOW BATTLE“ organizers are not content to rest on their laurels, so the next new development is due for the 2015 season: For the first time the “BATTLE“ will take place together with the “X-BOW ROOKIES CHALLENGE“. A racing series for motor racing newcomers, up-and-coming drivers or amateurs from other racing series who would like to get a taste of the Austrian supersports car on the race track or prepare for the “X-BOW BATTLE“. You can join for a season from a sensational price of just EUR 19,500 (not including VAT) with a program of six events consisting of two races each. The cars are directly supported by KTM and drivers do not have to fear hidden costs. The price includes vehicle hire, tyres, fuel, wear-and-tear parts and maintenance of the 270-hp “newcomer cars“ – also fitted with Michelin slicks – so participants only have to take care of personal equipment such as helmets and overalls. And equal opportunity is ensured of course: The cars are allocated by means of a draw before the start of the racing weekend and changes to the set-up stipulated by factory driver Reini Kofler are not permitted. If this has aroused your interest and you fancy taking the wheel yourself, visit www.ktm. com/xbow for full details! THE X-BOW BATTLE & X-BOW ROOKIES CHALLENGE 2014 DATES: 16 - 19 APRIL 2015: BARCELONA / SPAIN 08 - 09 MAY 2015: PANNONIARING / HUNGARY (+ ROOKIES) 29 - 30 MAY 2015: RED BULL RING / AUSTRIA (+ ROOKIES) 26 - 28 JUNE 2015: NÜRBURGRING / GERMANY (TRUCK GP + ROOKIES) 24 - 25 JULY 2015: SLOVAKIARING / SLOVAKIA (+ ROOKIES) 11 - 12 SEPTEMBER 2015: RIJEKA / CROATIA (+ ROOKIES) 09 - 10 OCTOBER 2015: BRNO / CZECH REPUBLIC (+ ROOKIES) 25
