Races: Martin outlasts Hibbert in a wild finish to win Saturday’s ISOC/ACSS Blackjack Nat’l in Michigan

Kimster Races

Pro Open final at the inaugural AMSOIL Snocross Championship Series national at Michigan’s Blackjack Resort sees Hibbert break after passing Martin for 1st

For more information contact:
Pat Schutte, PR Director, ISOC Racing
Pat@ISOCRacing.com

BESSEMER, Mich. – (Dec. 10, 2011) – A spectacular finish at the inaugural Blackjack National featured defending ISOC AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series Pro Open champion Tucker Hibbert suffer a mechanical failure on his Monster Energy/Arctic Cat sled just moments after passing Ross Martin (Polaris/Judnick Motorsports) for the race lead, putting an end to a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase in the premier class Pro Open final.

Duluth Pro Open winner (Sat.) Robbie Malinoski (Ski-Doo/AMSOIL/Scheuring Speed Sports) and Tim Tremblay (Ski-Doo/Warnert Racing) both got by Hibbert and finishes 2nd and 3rd, respectively, to round out Blackjack’s Pro Open Podium.

And in ACSS Pro Lights class racing Canadian David Joanis (Ski-Doo/FR Motorsports) qualified 1st parlayed those qualifier efforts into the No. 1 podium spot in the Blackjack National Pro Light finals. Joanis was joined on the podium by Sweden’s Petter Narsa (Ski-Doo/Boss Racing/Jimmy John’s) in 2nd place and North Dakota’s Derek Ellis, also aboard a Boss Racing/Jimmy John’s Ski-Doo, in 3rd place.

Pro Open

Ski-Doo/AMSOIL’s Darrin Mees pulled the Stud Boy Holeshot in the Pro Open main, but was quickly passed by Hibbert and Martin on the ski hill’s first uphill section. Hibbert then got pinned between couple sleds right before the second turn and dropped back to 5th. Martin would put the hammer down and started clicking off some impressive laps in the open air, gaining a second-a-lap over then 2nd place Malinoski.

Lurking back in 5th, then 4th – Hibbert put on a phenomenal charge, first passing Tremblay on the uphill section in front of the Blackjack lodge, then catching Malinoski a lap later near the halfway point of the 14-lap race – making a pass stick at the base of the massive “Dirty Dozen” downhill section.

Up front Martin was the only racer to triple out of the corner at the base of the big uphill, and continued to put time on the rest of the field – except for Hibbert. Tasting blood, Hibbert took multiple seconds off Martin’s once six-second lead to cut it to a second in with four laps remaining. A burning 45.817-second lap by Hibbert would put him right on Martin’s mud flap. Hibbert would then put his sled up under Martin’s on the top of the first uphill – with the two coming together. In the lead for a moment, Hibbert’s right hand would go up – signaling that he’d suffered a mechanical issue due to the collision with Martin.

“I saw him pull over … that’s racing,” said Martin of Hibbert’s pass. “I’ve had my issues as well.”

With Hibbert limping around the track both Malinoski and Tremblay were able to get back past him to round out the podium. Hibbert would end up 4th.

Pro Light

After a big wreck on the uphill section to open the Pro Light final was cleaned up, Joanis, Ellis and Narsa rocketed out front of the field of up-and-coming ISOC/ACSS Pro class racers. The two Ski-Doo/Boss Racing/Jimmy John’s pilots (Narsa and Ellis) remained in hot pursuit of Joanis, but were unable to close to closer than two seconds on the eventual winner.

“I seemed a bit surreal out there,” said Joanis from the podium. “My Ski-Doo got me out first and I just fell into a good pace, stayed steady and smart and didn’t make any stupid mistakes – so that’s why I’m up here I guess.”

Narsa, who won the opening Pro Light race at Duluth this year, consistently put up the fastest laps in the main at Blackjack – running a number of sub-48 second laps in trying to catch Joanis, the fastest coming early in the race with a blistering 47.045. Helping complete the Ski-Doo sweep of the Blackjack Pro Light podium, Narsa now heads back to his native Sweden for what looks like the remainder of the North American competition snocross season. “I don’t really want to go, but I have to,” added Narsa.

Also … Women pro/am racers took to the track at the AMSOIL Duluth National on Sunday. The podium included: 1st – Jennifer Pare (Polaris); 2nd – Stephanie Lemieux Bell (Ski-Doo); 3rd Victoria Hawley (Ski-Doo) … the Sport #1 class podium included: 1st Korbyn Anderson (Ski-Doo); 2nd Kevin Wallenstein (Ski-Doo); 3rd (Ski-Doo) … the Junior 16-17 class included: Ian Buchman (Arctic Cat); Cole Cottew (Polaris); 3rd Tyler Adams (Arctic Cat).

AMSOIL Bessemer National

AMSOIL Bessemer National
12/10/2011
Race Results

 
01. Pro Open 1

Finish

Number

Brand

Name City, State

Heat Finish 1

Heat Finish 2

1

837

PLS

Ross Martin Burlington, WI

2

1

2

4

SKD

Robbie Malinoski Lino Lakes, MN

1

2

3

11

SKD

Tim Tremblay Ste Jeanne D’arc,

3

3

4

68

ATC

Tucker Hibbert Pelican Rapids, MN

1

1

5

14

SKD

Mathieu Morin Val Dor,

3

1

6

27

SKD

Emil Ohman Pitea,

5

6

7

170

SKD

Darrin Mees Stanchfield, MN

2

5

8

168

SKD

Justin Broberg Waukesha, WI

2

7

9

717

PLS

Mike Bauer Owen, WI

1

2

10

24

SKD

Paul Bauerly Milaca, MN

6

3

11

60

ATC

Dan Ebert Lake Shore, MN

8

3

12

48

ATC

Garth Kaufman Driggs, ID

3

7

13

99

SKD

Zach Pattyn Ravenna, MI

5

4

14

324

ATC

Kyle Pallin Ironwood, MI

7

2

15

19

PLS

Brett Bender Colden, NY

4

6

 

Overall Pro Open points (after three rounds)

Pos.

#

Name

Points

1.

837

Ross Martin

127

1

2.

68

Tucker Hibbert

110

1

3.

11

Tim Tremblay

102

1

4.

4

Robbie Malinoski

99

1

5.

170

Darrin Mees

93

1

6.

44

Tj Gulla

85

1

7.

60

Dan Ebert

76

1

8.

27

Emil Ohman

71

1

9.

717

Mike Bauer

71

1

10.

168

Justin Broberg

70

1

 

Pro Light Bessemer Saturday results
 
 

 
 

Finish

Number

Brand

Name City,State

Heat Finish 1

Heat Finish 2

1

115

SKD

David Joanis Cochrane,

2

1

2

271

SKD

Petter Narsa Fargo, ND

1

4

3

106

SKD

Derek Ellis West Fargo, ND

2

2

4

259

SKD

John Stenberg Lofsdalen,

4

2

5

857

PLS

Andrew Lieders Colby, WI

7

1

6

427

PLS

Joe Fallen White Bear Lake, MN

4

1

7

553

PLS

Kody Kamm Kenosha, WI

3

7

8

675

SKD

Chase Rosemeyer Chippewa Falls, WI

4

2

9

151

PLS

Andrew Carlson Elk River, MN

4

5

10

202

SKD

Joey Sagan Elmvale,

1

3

11

118

SKD

Garret Mees Setauket, NY

2

3

12

42

PLS

Jake Scott Port Jefferson, NY

3

1

13

421

SKD

Dylan Hall Ayr,

3

4

14

154

PLS

James Johnstad Beltrami, MN

1

6

15

436

SKD

Travis Muller Windom, MN

2

3

 

Pro Light season results (after three rounds)

Pos.

#

Name

Points

1.

271

Petter Narsa

124

1

2.

106

Derek Ellis

102

1

3.

553

Kody Kamm

97

1

4.

259

John Stenberg

92

1

5.

857

Andrew Lieders

92

1

6.

151

Andrew Carlson

90

1

7.

115

David Joanis

88

1

8.

154

James Johnstad

76

1

9.

42

Jake Scott

73

1

10.

127

Kaven Benoit

67

1

Next up …

Who: World’s top snowmobile racers, including Minnesota’s Tucker Hibbert & Levi LaVallee

What: The Traxxas National, presented by Jimmy John’s … rounds 5 & 6 of the 2011-’12 ISOC AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series

When: Jan. 6-7

Times: Practice starts each day at 8 a.m., amateur racing begins at 9:30 a.m., pros at noon.

Where: Canterbury Park Racetrack and Card Casino

Tickets: Adults start at $15 and kids five and under are free. Tickets are available at the gate and online at www.canterburypark.com and snocross.com

ISOC/ACSS photos by Gary Walton

About ISOC Racing

The International Series of Champions (ISOC) is the premier snowmobile race sanctioning organization in North America and sanctions the national AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, in addition to affiliating with nine regional circuits. Visit snocross.com for more information, fan and racer memberships, schedule details and more.

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