Multiple Australian Enduro Champion Glenn Kearney has stepped into the shoes vacated by Ben Grabham to take over the reins of KTM Australia's incredibly successful off-road racing squad, incorporating both enduro racing and desert racing teams.
The team was without doubt the dominant outfit in Australian desert and off-road racing in 2016, and Kearney, who has spent the last three years juggling racing and Team Management roles with sister brand Husqvarna, promises to leave no stone unturned as he attempts to duplicate that success.
Thirty-five-year-old Kearney officially retired from professional off-road racing at the conclusion of last month's A4DE, deciding instead to devote all of his energies to the role of the management in 2017.
"I feel privileged to get offered the chance to try and replicate what Grabbo and KTM have done. They've been the number one off-road team in the country so to be asked to take the reins here is a bit of an honour," Kearney said.
"I was coming on to 10 years with Husqvarna from when I started in the States to PFG and now here with these guys and especially building the team with Christian over the last three years and Lachy, so it hasn't been easy to leave.
"I feel we have built it up to a pretty strong level, and in three years we‰Ûªve won a major championship every year, whether it be four-day titles, AORC class stuff, the Enduro-X titles with Brownie, or the four-day outright last month with Mathias.
"It was a bit of a shock when Jeff made the offer to me originally, but it shows he must have some respect for what I‰Ûªve done with Husky to be confident enough for me to continue and try to keep KTM at the front.
"Rider-wise, I've ridden and raced against all the guys that I will be hiring or working with and get along with them all that way.
There's definitely differences in the bike models and stuff but the fact that I‰Ûªm not racing at the same time it won‰Ûªt be such an issue for me. So it should be a relatively smooth transition between the two companies, since I'm working with the same people. Jeff and Rob T and Johnny D all still involved, so that side of the transition should be pretty smooth.‰Û
