The world’s largest winter motor racing event and AMSOIL Championship Snocross join forces for the 41st edition of Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt at Circuit Yvon Duhamel in Valcourt, Quebec, Canada. The famed circuit is located just down the road from the birthplace of Ski-Doo. Every year, tens of thousands of fans and hundreds of athletes gather at the famed oval. The obsession with speed, the adrenaline, the passion, the atmosphere and the uniqueness of the event are so many reasons to come and live this unique experience.
Speaking of downtown, the entire community shows up to take part in and even volunteer with the festivities. While you are in town, take time to visit the parade, take a tour of the J. Armand Bombardier Ingenuity Museum, then kick back and enjoy the races and all of the on-site activities. The Snocross portion of the program includes the AMSOIL Pro, Pro Lite and Pro Women of AMSOIL Championship Snocross. These races will be held in conjunction with Quebec provincial series SCMX. You can also enjoy the world’s best ice racers of snowmobile, VTT (ATVs, for you English speakers) and Moto.
For those fortunate enough to attend the event, we hope you enjoy the races and create lifelong memories at this historic event. Tickets and event info can be found here. For those who are not able to make it, please see this week’s watch guide for viewing information. Check out the ACS entry list here.
Enjoy this throwback courtesy of the Snowmobile Hall of Fame.
AMSOIL PRO
Elias Ishoel: Out. Broken femur, fractured elbow, collapsed lung, liver lacerations, broken ribs and fractured vertebrae. Get well soon, Elias!
Update on My Recovery: Thank you for your patience and concern after Saturday’s race in Deadwood. I’m working closely with doctors to get back on my feet ASAP. Racing comes with its risks, and the crash was part of the sport. Grateful for everyone’s support, especially my family and team. We’re in this together, and I’m determined to recover from a broken femur, fractured elbow, collapsed lung, liver lacerations, broken ribs, and fractured vertebrae. But the good news is: my head ? is still good! Challenge accepted. ? ?
Elias Ishoel on Instagram: @eliasishoel
Francis Pelletier: In! Banged up.
Following a crash in Deadwood, Francis Pelletier has been focused on resting and recovering to make a run at Valcourt, his home race. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. Frank is currently 3rd in points. He is a former Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt winner.
Another home track hero is Jordan Lebel. Lebel had raced the Pro class at the 40th edition of GPSV. He had to work his way through the pack and made quick work of doing so. This was especially impressive consider he was racing Pro Lite at the time back in the US. He was having to race a number of heavy hitters who are now his premier class competition. He now enters the gates of Circuit Yvon Duhamel as a premier class winner. He earned the first overall win of his career at the last national in Deadwood, SD.
Noteworthy: Jacob Yurk has made trend of going big at Deadwood. He and the all-new Kyllo Racing Team secured their first podium together with a P2 overall at the Days of ’76.
With Elias Ishoel out for the season, this begs the question… will we see a new champion in 2024? Or a returning champion? (Kody Kamm, 2017) Time will tell. But for now, it’s anyone’s game. You have a number of riders who can win on any given night. You have a number of riders who believe that it’s their time to step up and take control of the championship fight.
Top Performers from the last round in Deadwood:
- Arctic Cat Top Performer: Jacob Yurk 2nd O/A (
- Ski-Doo Top Performer: Jordan Lebel 1st O/A (4-1-2)
- Polaris Top Performer: Emil Harr 3rd O/A (1-4-9)
While this is the first ACS race at GPSV, there are only two current racers who have won the Pro division at Valcourt in past years: Ishoel and Pelletier
PRO LITE
Crayden Dillon: The man to beat. Enough said.
Cowboy up! Jesse Kirchmeyer earned a big podium in Deadwood. “What a night! From struggling to make a Final to getting on the podium. This season had been putting us against the ropes so I’m blessed to be able to help give the team and myself a morale boost! Let’s keep this momentum rolling.”
After another podium in South Dakota, Nick Lorenz has West Coast Customs Racing Ski-Doo find themself in the runner up points position. As his career progresses and in the sunset phase of his Pro Lite career, he’s described as a crafty racer due to years of experience. It’s a long season. We’re all curious to see: What tricks does Lorenz have up his sleeve to make a run at the title? At any rate, it’s year one of Lorenz and the team working together. To be in the position they are in is encouraging.
Speaking of year-one rider/team matchups, Anson Scheele and Scheuring Speed Sports are 3rd in the standings to round out a Ski-Doo stronghold of the top-3 spots.
Podium finishers in Deadwood included Crayden Dillon (Thene Motorsports Ski-Doo), Tyler Archambault (Hemmer Motorsports Polaris), Evan Christian (KC Motorsports Polaris) and Nick Lorenz (West Coast Customs Racing Ski-Doo).
PRO WOMEN
With how dominant of a 2023 she had, lest we forget that it was just over one year ago that the defending Champ Malene Cottew suffered a tailbone injury at a regional Snocross race. The #93 is all-out best mode with a 27 point lead entering the weekend at GPSV. She would have made her first GPSV appearance last season, but was sidelined with a focus on preserving herself for ACS competition.
The hottest points battle we are watching right now is between Inanna Hauger and Tausha Lange. The two are very evenly matched and the points back that up with only 6 points between the two.
Home track hero: Naeli Lebel. 4th in points and poised to do well at her home race, the local fans go crazy for their local favorites. She has momentum. She also is mixing it up on the podium with women who have been in the class for many years. She knows the snow here in Valcourt and has the support of the die-hard fans.
You can tune in live all weekend live on FloRacing. For a schedule of events, tickets and event information on the 41st edition of Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt at Circuit Yvon Duhamel, click here.