Karel Benoit Fined and Suspended

CMRC Press Release – August 13, 2014 (Stouffville, ON)

 Upon further investigation of what transpired this past weekend in Ulverton, Karel Benoit of Notre Dame de Bon Conseil, QC has been suspended from the remainder of the 2014 Nationals, plus is to pay a fine of $1,000 for his dangerous and unsportsmanlike actions.

 The reasons for the penalty are as follows:

I    Intentionally endangering the life or limb of another competitor.

I        Intentionally forcing the rider off the track on the hot lap.

3      Attempting three times to make contact with the rider.

4      Verbally threatening a CMRC Official.

 All penalties and fines comply with the CMRC Pro Rulebook.

 Not only did Benoit recklessly run into the rider on the final lap, he then threw his bike back on the rider’s bike when he (Friese) picked Benoit’s bike up to resume racing.

He intentionally started the hot lap in the first moto against instruction and during the introduction of the top five, and pursued the rider he was targeting (Vince Friese) before making contact.

When informed of his disqualification from the second moto, his response to the Head Referee was that no one was going to keep him off the track and “who was going to do it?”, which is considered a threat.

 We have in our possession video footage confirming all of the above. Additionally, Benoit’s lap times on the final laps prove that he waited for the rider to come around so that he could attempt to run him off the track. The video footage confirms a number of attempts prior to the actual contact. It is quite clear that Karel Benoit had no interest competing for position at the event, but instead his main goal was to make contact and physically endanger the rider that he targeted. How Benoit handled the situation was dangerous, unprofessional, unsportsmanlike, and is against the image and betterment of motocross racing in Canada, CMRC and its sponsors.

 Karel Benoit will not be permitted to compete in any CMRC sanctioned events until the fine of $1,000 is paid in full to the CMRC Head Office, PO Box 1466, Stouffville, Ontario L4A 8A3.