Elk River, Minn. Jan. 25, 2017– Carlson Moto returned to the wild west of Deadwood, SD for rounds seven and eight of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series for another weekend of exciting racing in front of a sold-out crowd at Deadwood’s Days of 76 Stadium. Race fans were treated to some of the best bar-to-bar racing action of the season at a venue that has quickly become a favorite for fans and racers alike.
Deadwood also brought a much-needed change of momentum for Carlson Moto with three podium finishes earned throughout the weekend. Carlson Moto’s development rider, Taylor Cole, earned his first ever Sport class podium with an impressive second place finish on Friday. Cole has been battling injuries most of the season, so his strong showing at Deadwood was an exciting moment for the young rising star.
Pro Open riders Andrew Carlson and Ryan Springer were visibly more confident on their Polaris race sleds right from the onset of practice on Friday, posting some of the fastest lap times in their group. Springer parlayed his quick lap times with two solid heat runs, which earned him a front row start in the Final Friday night. Springer rocketed off the line with an awesome holeshot and proceeded to lead for 20 laps, running smooth and fast lines around the bullring shaped track in Deadwood. A combination of nerves and arm pump hampered Springer’s pace near the close of the race, allowing two riders to make a move on him before crossing the finish line. Springer would finish in third, earning his very first Pro Open podium. Carlson battled through the pack with limited visibility and was able to earn another respectable top-10 finish.
Carlson and Springer continued their charge on Saturday, highlighted by an exciting heat run by Carlson where he ran in front for most of the heat, eventually finishing in fourth. Both riders started in the back row of the Main but wasted no time picking off riders on their charge to the front. Springer narrowly missed a turn-one pileup and settled into second place where he would remain for the length of the race. Carlson wasn’t so lucky and was collected into the mess, ending his night. Springer would battle to hold onto his second place spot behind eventual winner Tucker Hibbert, and despite multiple challenges from other riders, Springer would seal the deal and make it a double-podium weekend.
In a disappointing and rather unusual move, ISOC race officials would go on to rule that Springer had advanced his position in a yellow flag zone on lap two while battling with another rider. Due to a post-race protest, the race officials reviewed race video and chose to dock Springer three spots, taking away Saturday’s second-place finish.
“Our results this weekend are exactly what we needed,” said Carlson Moto team owner, Chris Carlson. “The boys rode very well and we’re all looking forward to a stronger second half of the season.”
The entire team is energized after a weekend of success and is looking forward to competing at the Winter X-Games in Aspen, CO. Springer and Carlson will be competing in the Snowmobile Snocross event on Thursday, January 26 beginning at 2:30 PM MST. Watch live on ESPN3 and XGames.com
You can find details on the entire snocross season including schedule, live streaming information, and rebroadcasts of each round on the CBS Sports network at snocross.com. Learn more about Carlson Moto team members at CarlsonMoto.com and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Carlson Moto:
Carlson Moto is a family of racers, mechanics and sponsors who are proud of our accomplishments on the track and off. We are drive to excellence in everything we do. Our racing operation is driven by a deep-rooted passion for the spot and an operational philosophy grounded in integrity. To learn more about Carlson Moto and how you can share in our success, visit CarlsonMoto.com