Contact: Pat Schutte
PR Director, ISOC Racing
pat@highprofilepr.com
MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (Feb. 21, 2014) – AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, Pro Open class point leader Tucker Hibbert (Monster Energy/Arctic Cat) pulled one of his best starts of the season, parlaying the Stud Boy Holeshot into an early lead that grew to a 12-second victory at the finish of the opening race of the inaugural Soaring Eagle Ram Snocross.
And in Pro Lite racing Leighton Motorsports/Polaris’ Corin Todd made it two wins in a row, running unchallenged from the green flag to checkers in the night’s opening Pro class main event.
Pro Open
After winning both his heat races in equally dominant fashion, Hibbert ripped the start from the inside No. 1 gate selection and beat Ski-Doo racer Petter Narsa (Jimmy John’s/Boss Racing) to the tape for the holeshot. Quickly up to 3rd place was No. 2-ranked Pro Open racer, Kody Kamm (Hentges Racing/Polaris). Kamm was relegated to the ninth gate pick, on account of a couple mistakes in his qualifiers, but made up for his errors in just few seconds with a start equally as strong as Hibbert’s.
Three turns into Friday’s Pro Open main event it became apparent that Hibbert and Kamm would easily separate themselves from the rest of the pack – part because Hibbert is riding so well, and part because Kamm does anything to try and beat Hibbert. So the stage was set, at least for the first few laps, for an excellent battle between the sport’s top two racers.
“I kept my eye on Kody the first few laps. He was riding really well,” said Hibbert.
Added Kamm: “I did my best to keep him (Hibbert) honest for the first few laps.”
By lap four, though, Hibbert began to pull away. As he put it: “I focused on myself (vs. focusing on Kamm) and was able to gap him.” And Kamm said: “He (Hibbert) got away a little bit.”
That ‘little bit’ amounted to 12 seconds at the finish line, while Kamm raced very well and held on for 2nd on the massive Soaring Eagle track, lauded by all of the racers this evening.
The battle for the final podium spot would go to one of the better comeback stories of the year, Johan Lidman (Warnert Racing/Ski-Doo). Injured early in the season (at the Duluth, Minn. opener), Lidman was on it at Soaring Eagle, racing to a well-deserved 3rd place finish ahead of Arctic Cat racers Cody Thomsen (who at one point challenged Lidman briefly for 3rd) and Logan Christian (Christian Brothers Racing).
Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Open results
1 | Tucker Hibbert |
Monster Energy/Arctic Cat
|
68 | Arctic Cat |
Pelican Rapids, MN
|
2 | Kody Kamm |
Hentges Racing
|
53 | Polaris |
Kenosha, WI
|
3 | Johan Lidman |
Warnert Racing
|
52 | Ski-Doo |
Pitea, Sweden
|
4 | Cody Thomsen |
Arctic Cat
|
62 | Arctic Cat |
Nisswa, MN
|
5 | Logan Christian |
Christian Brothers Racing / Drift
|
43 | Arctic Cat |
Fertile, MN
|
6 | Justin Broberg |
Hentges Racing
|
168 | Polaris |
Mukwonago, WI
|
7 | David Joanis |
Royal Distributing
|
115 | Arctic Cat |
Cochrane (Kok rane),
|
8 | Petter Narsa |
Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing
|
271 | Ski-Doo |
Moskosel,
|
9 | Kyle Pallin |
Team LaVallee
|
324 | Polaris |
Ironwood, MI
|
10 | Lincoln Lemieux |
Amsoil/Air Force/Rockstar
|
13 | Ski-Doo |
St. Johnsbury, VT
|
11 | Jake Scott |
Team LaVallee
|
42 | Polaris |
Port Jefferson Station, NY
|
12 | Zach Pattyn |
Stud Boy Racing
|
99 | Ski-Doo |
Ravenna, MI
|
13 | Bobby LePage |
Cottew Motorsports
|
244 | Polaris |
Duluth, MN
|
14 | Levi LaVallee |
Team LaVallee
|
108 | Polaris |
Longville, MN
|
Pro Lite
Friday’s Pro Lite final, much like the two heat races he won, was all Corin Todd as the New Yorker pulled the holeshot over James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) and ran strong –and unchallenged – through the checkers for the win.
“I got a good start and just chose the lines that I wanted,” said Todd. “The start made things a lot easier, and it capped off a great day in winning both my heat races and the final.”
Starting from the back row in 11th place was current Pro Lite class point leader Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports/Polaris). Carlson crashed while leading the opening Pro Lite heat race and was forced to come through the pack in the main – which he did – until the end of the fifth (of eight) lap when he cross-rutted and crashed after passing Trevor Leighton (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) for 4th place. The mistake would cost Carlson some valuable points to tonight’s Pro Lite race winner Todd, who now trails Carlson by only seven points (408-401) with two weekends/four races remaining.
Running up front early with a spirited charge into 3rd place was privateer racer Matt Pichner (HAALA Racing/Arctic Cat). Pichner rode strong for a couple laps before getting passed by Leighton and Corey Watkinson (Watkinson Racing/Arctic Cat).
Watkinson would get past Leighton on lap four for 3rd, while Carlson moved up to challenge Leighton for 4th. Making the pass Leighton, Carlson looked to be in contention for a podium, but got off in the rhythm section (and wound up 8th).
The white flag lap had the podium finishers all lined up and separated each by a couple seconds, Todd taking the win, Johnstad in 2nd and Watkinson in 3rd. Leighton would hold onto 4th and John Stenberg (Team Bauerly/Ski-Doo) rounded out the top five.
Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Lite results
1 | Corin Todd |
Leighton Motorsports
|
136 | Polaris |
Otego, NY
|
2 | James Johnstad |
Judnick Motorsports
|
154 | Polaris |
Beltrami, MN
|
3 | Corey Watkinson |
Watkinson Motorsports, Arctic Cat
|
173 | Arctic Cat |
Port Carling, Ontario
|
4 | Trevor Leighton |
Leighton Motorsports
|
931 | Polaris |
Eagle, ID
|
5 | John Stenberg |
Team Bauerly Racing
|
259 | Ski-Doo |
Lofsdalen, Sweden
|
6 | Kevin Wallenstein |
Ingles Performance
|
122 | Ski-Doo |
Cadillac, MI
|
7 | Travis Muller |
Warnert Racing
|
436 | Ski-Doo |
Windom, MN
|
8 | Andrew Carlson |
CARLSON MOTORSPORTS
|
151 | Polaris |
Big Lake, MN
|
9 | Dylan Hall |
Royal / Hall Racing
|
421 | Ski-Doo |
Ayr, Ontario
|
10 | Zak Mason |
LEIGHTON MOTORSPORTS
|
863 | Polaris |
Gaylord, MI
|
11 | Kyle Rau |
Rau Racing
|
325 | Arctic Cat |
Lawton, MI
|
12 | Chase Rosemeyer |
Team Bauerly Racing
|
675 | Ski-Doo |
Chippewa Falls, WI
|
13 | Casey Boylan |
Team Boylan
|
630 | Ski-Doo |
Anchorage, AK
|
14 | Matt Pichner |
HAALA Racing
|
193 | Arctic Cat |
Owatonna, MN
|
DQ | Andrew Lieders |
Team LaVallee
|
857 | Polaris |
Colby, WI
|
DNS | Spencer Cowing |
Cowing Brothers Racing
|
181 | Ski-Doo |
Wyoming, MN
|
AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, continues the 2013-’14 tour at Michigan’s Soaring Eagle Casino, with racing on Saturday (Feb. 23).
2013-’14 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram
Round/Date City/State
1 – Nov. 29-Dec. 1 Duluth, Minnesota
2 – Dec. 6-7 Bessemer, Michigan
3 – Jan. 3-5 Shakopee, Minnesota
4 – Jan. 31-Feb.1 Deadwood, South Dakota
5 – Feb. 7-8 Salamanca, New York
6 – Feb. 21-22 Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
7 – March 7-8 Fargo, N.D.
8 – March 14-16 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
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.