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Minnesota’s Tucker Hibbert completes the 1st/1st sweep of the AMSOIL Duluth National ACS series opener
Hibbert is again dominant in the Pro Open class main event, leading all 20 laps for his second-straight victory; Rookie Ryan Springer wins Pro Lite main
DULUTH, Minn. (Nov. 30, 2014) – Professional snocross’ all-time winningest racer, Monster/Arctic Cat/Ram’s Tucker Hibbert, has been racing at Duluth’s Spirit Mountain for 15 years. And today, round two of 2014-’15 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, Hibbert tapped into that vast experience to top the rest of the field in the premier Pro Open class.
“It was rough out there today,” said Hibbert in logging his second main event win of the weekend. “The snow dust made visibility very difficult. I rode a lot on memory.”
And winning the Pro Lite class support race was rookie pro racer Ryan Springer of Carlson Motorsports/Polaris.
Pro Open
With snow dust lingering across the track as the afternoon winds died down atop Spirit Mountain, Hibbert dance through a field of lapped traffic, more or less unable to clearly see what was ahead of him. Enduring the conditions better than anyone on the track, Hibbert managed to still put time on the 2nd and 3rd place racers, Mystic/Loctite/Polaris’ Kyle Pallin and AMSOIL/Scheuring/Ski-Doo’s Lincoln Lemieux.
“I was able to grab the holeshot, but once Tucker got out in front there was no catching him,” said Pallin, who scored his second podium of the weekend with a 2nd place today.
Hibbert would employ a different strategy off the start, one that looked to pay off with a 2nd place run up the hill and into the first corner for the defending Pro Open champ. Using the center pole of the starting structure as a bit of a basketball-like pick on the rider staged to his left, Hibbert avoided being pinched off on the start – like what happened to him on Friday night – and came out of the first turn in 2nd behind Pallin.
One turn later on the oval course Hibbert dove into the inside of Pallin, beat him to the apex, and the pulled Michigan native up back up to the top of the ski hill through the rhythm section. From there Hibbert clicked off fast lap after fast lap, eventually winning by 12.5 seconds. Pallin rode a great race for 2nd, as did Lemieux – scoring his first-ever podium in the Pro Open class (3rd).
Starting out of the back row after suffering mechanical issues earlier in the day (then winning the LCQ) was Hentges/Polaris’ Kody Kamm. Last year’s Pro Open overall point runner-up to Hibbert, Kamm put on a spectacular ride in today’s main event, rocketing from 11th to 5th place by the fifth lap. Then, when Ross Martin (DuPont/Jack Links/Polaris) suffered a mechanical issue in the middle of the rhythm section on lap six, Kamm inherited 4th place – and some important overall points.
Duluth Sunday Pro Open Results
1 – Hibbert Tucker, Pelican Rapids, MN, Arctic Cat
2 – Kyle Pallin, Ironwood, MI, Polaris
3 – Lincoln Lemieux, St. Johnsbury, VT, Ski-Doo
4 – Kody Kamm, Kenosha, WI, Polaris
5 – David Joanis, Cochrane, Ontario, Arctic Cat
6 – Tim Tremblay, Quebec, Ski-Doo
7 – Logan Christian, Fertile, MN, Arctic Cat
8 – Jake Scott, Port Jefferson Station, NJ, Polaris
9 – Adam Rhenheim, Norway, Ski-Doo
10 – Justin Broberg, Mukwonago, WI, Polaris
Overall Pro Open Points (2 of 16 rounds)
1 – Tucker Hibbert, 90
2 – Kyle Pallin, 81
3 – Kody Kamm, 68
4 – Tim Tremblay, 68
5 – Logan Christian, 68
Pro Lite
Sunday’s Pro Lite podium, L to R: Zak Mason (2nd), Ryan Springer (1st), Andrew Carlson (3rd)
All kinds of chaos off the start of Saturday’s Pro Lite main event saw Judnick Motorsport/Polaris’ James Johnstad, who won at the AMSOIL Duluth opener last year, get sideways at the start of the uphill rhythm section and collect at least five sleds. But making it through the carnage and into the early race lead was Carlson Motorsports/Polaris’ Ryan Springer.
The rookie racer out of St. Francis, Minn., would be unstoppable on the day, leading the entire race and winning over teammate Andrew Carlson (3rd).
“Yesterday was a tough day, ended my night in the LCQ,” said Springer, who became the weekend’s second rookie racer to win a Pro Lite main event after Elias Ishoel won on Friday. “So to take the holeshot and the win is a good feeling.”
Springer raced clean and fast, handling everything the Spirit Mountain track could throw at him. His mastery of the rugged course would earn his more than a second-a-lap on his teammate Carlson, along with eventual runner-up Zak Mason (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris).
With Springer checked out in the later laps, Mason made a charge on Carlson. The two would dice a bit heading into lap 11, with Mason eventually getting by Carlson and locking down 2nd place through the checkers. Following Carlson to round out the top five were Pro Lite’s No. 1 qualifier on the day, Trevor Leighton (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) and Canada’s Corey Watkinson (Watkinson Motorsports/Arctic Cat).
Duluth Sunday Pro Lite Results
1 – Ryan Springer, St. Francis, MN, Polaris
2 – Zak Mason, Gaylord, MI, Polaris
3 – Andrew Carlson, Big Lake, MN, Polaris
4 – Trevor Leighton, Eagle, ID, Polaris
5 – Corey Watkinson, Port Carling, ONT, Arctic Cat
6 – Matt Pichner, Owatonna, MN, Arctic Cat
7 – Travis Kern, Palisade, MN, Arctic Cat
8 – Michael George, Pine Planes, NY, Arctic Cat
9 – Elias Ishoel, Norway, Ski-Doo
10 – Jake Dasilva, Moultonboro, NH, Ski-Doo
Overall Pro Lite Points (2 of 16 rounds)
1 – Andrew Carlson, 73
2 – Elias Ishoel, 71
3 – Zak Mason, 68
4 – Trevor Leighton, 68
5 – Travis Kern, 67
AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, returns to action on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13, at ERX Motorsports Park just outside Fargo, N.D.
Round / Date City / State
1 – Nov. 28-30 Duluth, Minnesota
2 – Dec. 12-13 Fargo, North Dakota
3 – Jan. 9-10 Shakopee, Minnesota
4 – Jan. 30-31 Deadwood, South Dakota
5 – Feb. 6-7 Salamanca, New York
6 – Feb. 20-21 Chicago, Illinois
7 – Feb. 27-28 Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
8 – March 13-15 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Beginning with AMSOIL Championship Snocross’ season-opening round in Duluth, Minn. and running through the season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis. CBS Sports Network will air 16 half-hour programs of the ACS races.
Photos courtesy of Lissa Marsolek/ISOC.
NEW SPORT MUFFS FROM ARCTIC CAT
NEW SPORT MUFFS FROM ARCTIC CAT
Stylish and Easy-to-Attach Design Keeps Hands Warm
Thief River Falls, Minn. (Nov. 17, 2014) – Enjoy the added warmth and lightweight design of the new handlebar Sport Muffs from Arctic Cat. Their semi-rigid design holds its shape against the wind, yet flexes enough to use with a full range of windshield styles. They attach securely in seconds with Velcro straps, without the need for additional mounting hardware. They fit on all ProCross and ProClimb models. The MSRP is $49.95 U.S./$57.95 Canada.
Defending AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open champ Tucker Hibbert takes night one @ Duluth!
Defending AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open champ Tucker Hibbert takes night one @ Duluth!
Hibbert sweeps his qualifiers, claims the Pro Open main at the Spirit Mt. AMSOIL Duluth National; 16-year-old Norwegian sensation Elias Ishoel wins Pro Lites
DULUTH, Minn. (Nov. 29, 2014) – Pro snocross’ all-time winningest racer Tucker Hibbert (Monster/Arctic Cat/Ram) picked up right where he left off last season, winning the Saturday night AMSOIL Duluth National season opener of 2014-’15 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, atop Spirt Mountain ski area.
Scheuring Speed Sports’ Tim Tremblay successfully defends his AMSOIL DOMINATOR® title in Duluth, Minn.
Tremblay wins the unique one-on-one bracket race format on Friday at Spirit Mountain, topping Ross Martin (2nd) and Cody Thomsen (3rd) in the main event
Tremblay accepts the AMSOIL DOMINATOR trophy & $10,000 check from AMSOIL’s Jeremy Meyer
Cruising through the DOMINATOR’s bracket-style format with wins over Arctic Cat’s Logan Christian (Rd. 1), Hentges Racing/Polaris’ Kody Kamm (Rd. 2) and Mystic/Loctite/Polaris’ Jake Scott (Rd. 3), Tremblay would tow Cody Thomsen (Arctic Cat) and Ross Martin (Judnick/Polaris) up the start hill in the final race and power home to a convincing win in the three-lap main event.
“This means a lot for me,” said Tremblay, accepting a giant check for $10,000 from AMSOIL Race Program Manager Jeremy Meyer, along with a custom DOMINATOR trophy. “I was hurt last year and I couldn’t wait to get back. So this is a great way to start the season.”
Tremblay on a rail in the DOMINATOR finals!
Making the finals against the Canadian Tremblay were Thomsen, who got by Mike Bauer (Haala Racing/Arctic Cat) in Rd. 1, Corin Todd (Leighton/Polaris) in Rd. 2 and Martin in Rd. 3. Martin would fight his way back through the Last Chance Qualifier with a win over Scott, and started in the second row behind Tremblay and Thomsen in the main event.
Round Three Highlights
• Thomsen pulled a monster holeshot off the start and led Martin up the hill and into the first turn. Charging hard to catch Thomsen, Martin fell off his sled on the last lap and was relegated to the LCQ.
• Tremblay went outside/inside on the first turn and got past Scott, opening up a gap that Scott couldn’t close after the opening lap (of three).
Round Two Highlights
• Rd. 2’s best race was between Sweden’s Adam Renheim (Boss Racing/Ski Doo) and Scott. The former Pro Lite champ Scott would get off the start first and took the lead after the opening lap, only to be caught in the bottom corner by Renheim – the only pass made on that section of the track all night. Scott would then take advantage of a slight Renheim mistake on the uphill, re-passing the Swede and rocketing into the semis.
• In the most anticipated matchup of Rd. 2, Tremblay met Hentges/Polaris racer Kody Kamm. Tremblay used a strong shoulder-to-shoulder move to stop Kamm’s initial pass attempt on top of Spirit Mountain, then held off an insane jump attempt by Kamm that resulted in the night’s closest finish – 33/100ths of a second at the checkers.
• Todd would lead Thomsen off the start, but cased a jump in the rhythm section, momentarily checking up. This would be all Thomsen would need to take the lead and the eventual win.
Round One Highlights
• After taking last year off to free ride and film, McGuire Racing/Arctic Cat’s Brett Turcotte pulled the upset of the night when he topped defending ACS champ Tucker Hibbert (Monster/Arctic Cat/Ram) in the first race of the DOMINATOR. Hibbert was actually DQ’d for nudging Turcotte off the track on the first turn.
• “I heard a sled held wide open and he (Hibbert) bucked me off my sled,” said Turcotte.
• Martin nailed one of the best passes of the night when he went high, then dove down on Lincoln Lemieux (AMSOIL/Scheuring/Rockstar/Ski-Doo) on top of the hill for the lead and eventual win.
• The closest race of round one was Justin Broberg (Hentges/Polaris) versus Renheim, with Renheim holding off a charging Broberg at the tape for the win.
• Other round one winners included: Scott over teammate Kyle Pallin (Mystic/Loctite/Polaris); Defending DOMINATOR champ Tremblay over Christian; Kamm over Andrew Lieders (Mystic/Loctite/Polaris); Pro Open rookie Todd over David Joanis (Royal Distributing/Arctic Cat); Thomsen over Bauer.
About the AMSOIL DOMINATOR: The unique event pits 16 of the world’s top Pro Open-class racers against each other in a one-on-one, bracket-race format. The top dogs from Friday’s Pro Open qualifying session move on in this winner-take-all contest for a chance at winning a cool $10,000, along with the custom AMSOIL DOMINATOR trophy designed and constructed by AMSOIL.
Action at Spirit Mountain continues on Saturday with the opening round of the 2014-’15 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, series.
Round / Date City / State
1 – Nov. 28-30 Duluth, Minnesota
2 – Dec. 12-13 Fargo, North Dakota
3 – Jan. 9-10 Shakopee, Minnesota
4 – Jan. 30-31 Deadwood, South Dakota
5 – Feb. 6-7 Salamanca, New York
6 – Feb. 20-21 Chicago, Illinois
7 – Feb. 27-28 Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
8 – March 13-15 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Beginning with AMSOIL Championship Snocross’ season-opening round in Duluth, Minn. and running through the season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis. CBS Sports Network will air 16 half-hour programs of the ACS races.
Photos courtesy of Lissa Marsolek/ISOC.
