Monster Energy/Arctic Cat’s Tucker Hibbert wraps up AMSOIL Championship Snocross title in Lake Geneva
Hibbert returns to the track that left him in the hospital for a week last year and wins going away; Jake Scott takes 1st in Pro Lite class
For more information contact:
Pat Schutte, PR Director, ISOC Racing
Pat@ISOCRacing.com
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (March 15, 2013) – The hands-down world’s best snocross racer has won the world’s No. 1 snocross racing series’ premier class title as Monster Energy/Arctic Cat’s Tucker Hibbert went three-for-three on Friday at the Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale at Lake Geneva Resort, presented by Traxxas – round 15 of AMSOIL Championship Snocross. Hibbert’s 1st/1st/1st performance through two heat races and a main event gave him enough points (622) to clinch the title with one race remaining on the schedule.
And in the support AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Lite class it was again Jake Scott (Mystic Lubricants/Loctite/Polaris) who took command of yet another main event, winning going away to increase his lead in the overall Pro Lite championship point chase.
Pro Open
With the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open title already in hand (clinched during his second heat race), the only thing left for Tucker Hibbert was to win the opening leg of the final two rounds at Lake Geneva – halfway to the Lake Geneva sweep that he’s never accomplished in his stories snocross racing career. And win it Hibbert did, putting a statement-type pass on defending ACS Pro Open champion Tim Tremblay (Scheuring Speed Sports/AMSOIL/Ski-Doo) and walking away with the victory by some 15 seconds over Tremblay and 3rd place Kody Kamm (Monster Energy/Hentges Racing/Polaris).
“Feels awesome. This championship means a lot for sure,” said Hibbert. “I got injured here last year, so to be able to come back and win was fun. Thanks so much to all the Monster Energy/Arctic Cat team.”
With Kamm pulling the Stud Boy Holeshot, the race lead was quickly relinquished to a charging Tremblay. But avoiding the carnage that collected Zach Pattyn (Stud Boy/Ski-Doo) and (Scheuring Speed Sports/AMSOIL/Ski-Doo) on the first turn was Hibbert, who was up onto Tremblay within a half lap.
Hibbert would pass for the lead on the second uphill section, which Tremblay described on the podium as “He (Hibbert) got by and pretty much smoked me.”
Hibbert would reel off a phenomenal second lap in which he topped the next-fastest racer – Tremblay – by five seconds (1:07.849 to 1:12.259). Hibbert would then click off fast lap after fast lap on the ACS’ longest track of the season, gaining several seconds on Tremblay and Kamm each lap through the ten-lap contest.
Kamm would challenge Tremblay through the middle portion of the race, but Tremblay was just too strong in the end for the rookie Pro Open racer and put several seconds between himself and Kamm in taking 2nd.
Rounding out the top five were Johan Lidman (Carlson Racing/Polaris) in 4th and Justin Broberg (Hentges Racing/Polaris) in 5th.
Friday Lake Geneva Pro Open Results
1 Tucker Hibbert Monster Energy/Arctic Cat 68 Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids, MN
2 Tim Tremblay Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 11 Ski-Doo Ste Jeanne D’Arc, Quebec
3 Kody Kamm Hentges Racing 53 Polaris Kenosha, WI
4 Johan Lidman Carlson Motorsports 52 Polaris Pitea, Sweden
5 Justin Broberg Hentges Racing 168 Polaris Waukesha, WI
6 Kyle Pallin Team LaVallee 324 Polaris Ironwood, MI
7 Ross Martin Judnick Motorsports 837 Polaris Burlington, WI
8 Logan Christian Christian Brothers Racing 43 Arctic Cat Fertile, MN
9 Emil Ohman Warnert Racing 27 Ski-Doo Pitea, Norrbotten
10 Derek Ellis Jess Racing 106 Arctic Cat Fargo, ND
11 Paul Bauerly Team Bauerly Racing 24 Ski-Doo Milaca, MN
12 Matt Piche Frattalone Racing 51 Arctic Cat Lake Shore, MN
13 Zach Pattyn Stud Boy Racing 99 Ski-Doo Ravenna, MI
15 Bobby LePage Cottew Motorsports 244 Polaris Duluth, MN
15 Robbie Malinoski Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 4 Ski-Doo Stacy, MN
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open Overall Points (w/ one round remaining)
1 * Tucker Hibbert 14 622 622 Monster Energy/Arctic Cat 68 Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids, MN
2 Tim Tremblay 14 534 534 Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 11 Ski-Doo Ste Jeanne D’Arc, Quebec
3 Ross Martin 14 530 530 Judnick Motorsports 837 Polaris Burlington, WI
4 Kody Kamm 14 459 459 Hentges Racing 53 Polaris Kenosha, WI
5 Emil Ohman 14 426 426 Warnert Racing 27 Ski-Doo Pitea, Norrbotten
6 Logan Christian 14 416 416 Christian Brothers Racing 43 Arctic Cat Fertile, MN
7 Robbie Malinoski 13 412 412 Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 4 Ski-Doo Stacy, MN
8 Kyle Pallin 14 404 404 Team LaVallee 324 Polaris Ironwood, MI
9 Justin Broberg 14 394 394 Hentges Racing 168 Polaris Waukesha, WI
10 Darrin Mees 14 349 349 Scheuring Speedsports 9 Ski-Doo stanchfield, MN
*Clinches the 2012-’13 AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open title
Pro Lite
Grabbing the holeshot and early lead in Friday’s Pro Lite main event was Polaris racer Andrew Carlson, followed closely by Andrew Lieders (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) and Pro Lite points leader Jake Scott. Carlson would lead the first couple laps, while Scott and Lieders would battle – with Scott moving up to 2nd on lap two.
Biding his time during the six-lap main on the largest (lap time) track the AMSOIL Championship Snocross series has competed on this year, Scott would track, catch and pass Carlson – with little resistance – at the last corner of lap three following the steep downhill section on the ski hill-turned-snocross track.
During the battle up front David Joanis (Royal Distributing/Ski-Doo) rallied back from a lackluster start to move up to the third podium position. As Scott began to check out the Carlson vs. Joanis battle heated up. Joanis would end up getting by Carlson at the end of the front straight, making the pass stick on the first uphill climb.
The race would end with Scott in 1st, Joanis in 2nd and Carlson in 3rd, along with Andrew Lieders (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) in 4th and Daniel Dolecki (Dee’s Marina/Ski-Doo) in 5th.
“I’m so pumped right now,” said Scott from atop the podium. “Our team worked so hard for this all year … this is just excellent. Thanks to my team and my family and friends for coming out to watch.”
Friday Lake Geneva Snocross Pro Lite Results
1 Jake Scott Team LaVallee 42 Polaris Port Jefferson Station, NY
2 David Joanis Royal Distributing 115 Ski-Doo Cochrane,
3 Andrew Carlson Carlson Motorsports 151 Polaris Elk River, MN
4 Andrew Lieders Lieders Racing/Leighton Motorsports 857 Polaris Colby, WI
5 Daniel Dolecki Dee’s Marine 15 Ski-Doo Clinton Twp.,, MI
6 Chase Rosemeyer Team Bauerly Racing 675 Ski-Doo Chippewa Falls, WI
7 Travis Muller Warnert Racing 436 Ski-Doo Windom, MN
8 Michael George Ingles Perrformance 307 Ski-Doo Pine Plains, NY
9 Trevor Leighton Leighton Motorsports 931 Polaris Eagle, ID
10 Joey Sagan FR Motorsports 202 Ski-Doo Elmvale, Ontario
11 Brett Nastala Goodwin Performance 248 Ski-Doo Milton, WI
12 Renaud Alexandre Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing 793 Ski-Doo Val-D’or, Quebec
13 Matt Pichner MP Racing 193 Arctic Cat Owatonna, MN
14 Jacob Blanshan Blanshan Racing 543 Arctic Cat Garfield, MN
15 Tomosuke Sano HRD Racing with WHITE STAR 8 Ski-Doo Hokkaido,
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Lite Overall Points (w/ one round remaining)
1 Jake Scott 14 572 572 Team LaVallee 42 Polaris Port Jefferson Station, NY
2 Andrew Lieders 14 505 505 Lieders Racing/Leighton Motorsports 857 Polaris Colby, WI
3 David Joanis 14 502 502 Royal Distributing 115 Ski-Doo Cochrane,
4 Travis Muller 14 490 490 Warnert Racing 436 Ski-Doo Windom, MN
5 Renaud Alexandre 14 432 432 Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing 793 Ski-Doo Quebec
6 Andrew Carlson 14 406 406 Carlson Motorsports 151 Polaris Elk River, MN
7 Dylan Hall 14 405 405 Royal Distributing 421 Ski-Doo Ayr,
8 Chase Rosemeyer 14 335 335 Team Bauerly Racing 675 Ski-Doo Chippewa Falls, WI
9 Matt Pichner 12 322 322 MP Racing 193 Arctic Cat Owatonna, MN
10 Joey Sagan 14 321 321 FR Motorsports 202 Ski-Doo Elmvale, Ontario
Who: 150 of the world’s top snowmobile racers
What: Rounds 16 of 2012-‘13 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, plus the Ram World Championships (Sunday)
When: March 15-17
Where: Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Times: Opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Noon on Sunday.
Host hotel: Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
Tickets: General admission tickets are $25 per day or $40 for the entire three-day weekend! Children 5 and under are free. Tickets are available at the gate and online at snocross.com
More information: www.grandgeneva.com
Photos courtesy of Lissa Marsolek/Wayne Davis Photography
Beginning with AMSOIL Championship Snocross’ season-opening round in Duluth, Minn. (Nov. 23-25) and running through the season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis. (March 15-17), CBS Sports Network will broadcast 16 half-hour race shows – all in HD – on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. EST. The AMSOIL Championship Snocross – as an added bonus – will also air in an evening repeat of each show during the week.
About CBS Sports Network
CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) is the 24-hour cable destination of CBS Sports. The Network covers more than 340 live games annually, showcasing 30 men’s and women’s sports, in addition to a variety of studio shows, documentaries and original programs. CBSSN’s live programming is highlighted by college sports and also features professional lacrosse, Professional Bull Riding (PBR), the sports news and commentary show ROME and the Tim Brando Show. CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
About ISOC Racing
The International Series of Champions (ISOC) is the premier snowmobile race sanctioning organization in North America and sanctions national AMSOIL Championship Snocross, in addition to affiliating with nine regional circuits. Visit snocross.com for more information, fan and racer memberships, schedule details and more.