Good battles transpired throughout the qualifying heats setting up some great racing for the final. First up in the Pro line up of the day brings a strong list of riders including points leader Montana Jess(765), but it is Travis Kern(201) that rocks the line and takes the hole shot and leads the race flag-to-flag followed by Jake Angove(177) and Marcus Ogemar Hellgren(58) in the top three.

After a stellar performance in Duluth, MN., it is little surprise that hot shot Zak Mason(63) aboard the Team LaVallee Polaris wouldn’t have another peak performance, out of the gate with the holeshot to the checkers (with a 4.5 second lead at one point in the race), Mason would start off the day right. However with a 4th place start in the second heat, Mason would eventually end up finishing in 7th and getting pushed into the LCQ where he would finish in 2nd for a transfer to the Final.

The dominator of the night as the top qualifier, James Johnstad(14) was in full rhythm tonight piloting his Cottew Motorsports Polaris sled to a 2nd place finish followed by a 1st place finish in Heat 2.  Newcomer to the sport Shane Sewell(219) shakes up the division after laying down two back-to-back  top three finishes landing him a 3rd place qualifying spot in the final.

Only five to transfering to the final from the LCQ leaves little room for error on the tight Fargo track, but some good action in the race would finish with Maxime Taillefer(144) finding his way to the checkers first followed by the holeshot winner Zak Mason(63) taking the 2nd transfer. Bringing up the final three transfers are Cole Cottew(21), points leader Montana Jess(765) and Dex Savage who is riding for the injured Elias Ishoel. Riding in the final transfer spot early in the race was the 17 of Korbyn Anderson who went down early in the race losing hopes of making the Pro Lite Final.

Nearly a clean sweep, hat trick, three-peat, arm pump in the air across the AMSOIL Finish Line is the dominating performance by James Johnstad(14) who sets the bar high going into Day 2 of the Makita National Snocross Presented by Country Cat. Johnstad stepping it up in front of the hometown crowd shows how to get it done, no questions asked.

Off the line launch fifteen sleds fighting to be the first into the corner with the Stud Boy Holeshot, while some big action in the start collect several riders, it is Johnstad who takes no time finding his way to an early lead who would remain uncontested through the race going flag-to-flag for the win, Johnstad explains “I am pumped I could do it in front of my hometown crowd, I can’t think my family and friends enough for coming and out and supporting me, just an awesome feeling.”

An amazing story is beging to take shape that can only continue to get better as the season continues, with only one complete year of Snocorss competition, Shane Sewell(219) brings his experience from Motocross racing in Indiana to the line and finds his spot on the box coming in 2nd place. Despite riding injured, Sewell digs deep and finds the competitive drive to make it all come togther, “I can’t even put it into words, very emotional right now, but I couldn’t do it with out the people behind me.” explains Shane. Working hard through the field on the Judnick Motorsports Polaris, Jake Angove(177) lands a 3rd place finish to round off the top three.

Zak Mason(63) finds some trouble putting together a night of racing without some disappointments, brings in an 8th place finish in final, but no doubt will come back with his sights set on a top three finish keeping in the points running. Points leader coming into the night, Montana Jess(765) also takes on a bit of misfortune without a podium finishing behind Mason in 9th place.

The competition will heat up again tomorrow, will it be the hometown favorite Johnstad taking out the broom for a clean sweep or Zak Mason(63) on a mission to bring back another successful night on the Team LaVallee Mystic Polaris to a step on the box, or anyone of the riders talented field of riders.

Local favorite Tucker Hibbert(68) comes into the weekend as the points leader and hopes to continue his points lead, but it maybe Kody Kamm(53) or Tim Tremblay(11) or Kyle Pallin(324) that have a different plan in mind with their sights set on the nine time champion.

Pro Open heats had some exciting battles taking shape on the small oval. Top three finishers in Round 1 were Tim Tremblay(11) – Heat 1, Tucker Hibbert(68) – Heat 2 and Logan Christian(43)- Heat 3. Hibbert got off to a bad start and had to fight through the field as he tracked down Justin Broberg(168) on the McGuire Motorsports sled. Hibbert would stick a pass on the outside of the track to take the lead and the checkers. Tremblay also put on a show in his heat race battling early on with Trevor Leighton(3) for several laps before taking the top honors.

It was the Rookie rider Ryan Springer(541) who surprised the Fargo crowd with what looked to be a great battle with Logan Christian(43), however Springer would go down on lap 3 and finish in the top five. Christian put on a commanding show with a 3 second lead over the field at the checkers.

Round 2 of heat action, never cooled down where once again Tucker Hibbert(68) would find trouble in the start when Kody Kamm(53) holds tight in turn and forces Hibbert to back off. Kamm keeps Hibbert at bay and takes the win. Andrew Carlson(151) and Lincoln Lemieux(13) also brought out the checkers in their heats putting them on the front row of the final.

Ten sleds, seven laps, five transfer to the final. Landing in the LCQ after a hard crash in the heats, Trevor Leighton(3) grabs the holeshot followed by the checkers giving him an 11th place qualifying spot on the back row of the final. Kyle Pallin(324) who is always good for generating some excitement gets in the mix for second battling and passing David Joanis(115) to finish in the runner up spot. Joanis, Corin Todd(36) and John Stenberg(259) finish up the final transfer spots.

Cram fifteen sleds on a tight dirt oval track covered with snow and you know you are going to witness some exciting racing. Throw out the Rookie stripes, this kid is here to race with the Big Dogs, Ryan Springer(541) cracks the throttle and gets in a great position to avoid the mayhem while he shoots to a Stud Boy Holeshot and will continue to lead the race and never looks back, until Tim Tremblay(11) tracks him down on lap 12 and makes the pass for the lead.

With a not so friendly starting position, Tucker Hibbert(68) gets pushed to the outside and gets on the binders hard to avoid getting in the mix of carnage ahead of him, Logan Christian(43) also gets involved and gets ejected off the track in the first turn. Running out of laps, Hibbert would come back from a 9th to a 4th place finish behind Kody Kamm(53).  Lap 13 will bring out the caution flag with David Joanis(115) going off the track.

Mid-pack battles between Lincoln Lemieux(13) and Petter Narsa(54) continued through much of the race finishing with Lemieux in 5th and Narsa in 6th. It is safe to say that Tremblay found his grove in Round 3 of competition of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series at the Makita Snocross Nationals Presented by Country Cat, after a dominating performance, flawless inside pass and a 5.5 second lead over the points leader, the day was to be owned by the AMSOIL rider aboard his Ski-Doo, the number 11 of Tim Tremblay. Finishing in the runner up sport will be the 311 of Adam Renheim.

After three rounds of competition, the points battle is tight with Hibbert tied for the lead with Kamm (131 Points) followed by Tremblay (116 points), Renheim (112 points) and Pallin rounded off the top five with (108 points).  The injured Ross Martin(837) falls back to 14th in points, hopefully Martin will be able to return to competition with the next race, the Pirteck Snocross Nationals in  Shakopee, MN.