Duluth, Minn. ~ The AMSOIL Duluth National at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minn. kicked off Friday, marking the first of three action-packed days of snocross racing. Riders faced a challenging, rough, and demanding track that tested their skills, endurance, and determination, bringing out the very best in the sport’s elite competitors.
Friday’s schedule showcased a full day of intense amateur racing, where rising stars battled fiercely throughout the day. As daylight faded, the pros took center stage under the lights, thrilling fans with high-stakes racing as championships loomed large, setting the tone for a dramatic weekend ahead.
Sweep for Harr Leads to Second Straight Title
The AMSOIL Pro Championship will remain with defending champion Emil Harr, who delivered a dominant performance Friday night in Duluth. Harr entered the event needing to finish at least three points ahead of challenger Jordan Lebel to secure the title before the weekend’s end. He started from the fourth position in each of the first two rounds but skillfully maneuvered through traffic, overtaking Daniel Benham in round one and Lebel in round two to capture wins. In the decisive third round, Harr patiently waited behind a fast-starting Benham, ultimately claiming the lead with just four laps to go to complete a clean sweep.
Harr’s eighth victory of the season unofficially secures him a 53-point advantage heading into the final two rounds, clinching his second consecutive championship.
“I came into the weekend with lots of pressure, at least pressure on myself,” said Harr. “To finish the day with three wins and the championship on top of that, is amazing. It’s so big. It almost feels better than last year.”
Daniel Benham, who made the switch to Polaris this season, showcased his growing comfort and consistency with a strong performance, earning second overall—his third podium finish since New York.
Jordan Lebel battled adversity in the final round, recovering impressively after tipping over early to secure third overall, marking his seventh podium finish this season.
Cole on a Roll, Wins Third Straight in Pro Lite
For most of the season, the Anderson’s Maple Syrup Pro Lite class has been a tight battle between Anson Scheele and Crayden Dillon, who entered Duluth separated by just nine points. However, a new contender has emerged: Cameron Cole. Fresh off a surprising weekend sweep in Eagle River, Cole continued his impressive form in Duluth, grabbing the holeshot in every race he competed in on Friday—including the final—and holding strong to claim his third consecutive victory. The win vaulted Cole into striking distance, now just 30 points behind in the championship with two rounds remaining this weekend.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but something is just clicking,” said Cole. “It feels great coming off of Eagle River and the win tonight. I am just overwhelmed with emotions right now.”
Meanwhile, Dillon and Scheele faced challenging starts in Friday night’s final, having to fight through traffic to maintain their championship positions. Dillon started from the 12th spot but impressively maneuvered through the pack, reaching second place by mid-race and finishing there for his second straight podium. Racing in his first career Pro Lite contest, Dylan Lebel secured the third spot, holding steady in that position throughout the final.
Points leader Scheele overcame a deep 10th-place start, mounting a strong second-half charge to finish fourth. Scheele’s gritty performance allowed him to maintain a narrow four-point lead over Dillon heading into Saturday’s races.
Blessum Back on Top in Duluth
For the second year in a row, Cerissa Blessum came out on top in Duluth, delivering a wire-to-wire win on Friday night. After grabbing the holeshot, Blessum held off defending champion Malene Cottew early in the race before pulling away to secure the victory—her first win of the season and fourth overall podium.
Ava McCurdy capitalized when Cottew went off track, sliding into second place and holding on for her best finish of the year. It also marked her first podium appearance since Ironwood. Naeli Lebel put together an impressive charge, climbing from a seventh-place start to finish third—her third podium of the season.
The championship battle is heating up, with just 35 points now separating series leader Cottew from second-place Inanna Hauger. Hauger finished fourth on Friday, one spot ahead of Cottew in fifth.
Ooman Gets First Win in Pro AM PLUS 30
Tyler Ooman came into Duluth with nine podiums on the season and finally broke through for his first Thomas Sno Sport Pro AM Plus 30 win of the year on Friday. Ooman grabbed the holeshot and led the race from start to finish, holding off a hard-charging Corin Todd for much of the final. Todd was applying pressure until a crash on the downhill took him out of contention, clearing the way for Ooman to cruise to victory.
Behind him, Andy Lieders delivered one of the most impressive rides of the night. After going off track early and dropping to dead last, Lieders mounted a furious comeback and made a last-lap pass to take second. Brian Peterson was strong throughout, holding a podium position the entire race and finishing third—his ninth podium of the season.
Rox Speed FX Stock 200: In his first national appearance since the season opener in Ironwood, Russell Walsh made a statement with a come-from-behind victory, charging from fifth to first in just two laps to claim his first win of the year. Bryson McKelvey grabbed a season-best finish in second, while Henry Dillon, who led the opening two laps, rounded out the podium in third—his second straight top-three result. Points leader Lincoln Skar heads into Saturday’s final round with a narrow seven-point lead over Tessa Naastad, setting up a tight championship showdown.
Hayward Power Sports Junior 14-15: With two rounds remaining in the national amateur series, Tavin Knudson locked up the Junior 14-15 championship on Friday after securing his eighth win of the season, taking the lead on lap two and never looking back. Carter vanHorsigh grabbed the holeshot and rode to his seventh podium of the year with a strong second-place finish, while Lincoln Meyer, the Eagle River round 12 winner, made it back-to-back podiums by finishing third.
ANNUAL SHOWDOWN AT SUNDOWN: The final Friday of racing each season features the sports top amateurs from across North America going head-to-head in a non-points contest. AMSOIL Championship Snocross congratulates all of the 2025 winners from Friday’s action.
PRO LITE: Shade Meyer
PRO AM PLUS 30: Adam S. Johnson
PRO AM WOMEN: Avery Hemmer
SPORT: Derek Gosselin
SPORT LITE: Derek Gosselin
STOCK 200 6-12: Bryson Mckelvey
STOCK 200 6-8: Vin Diorio
STOCK GIRLS 6-12: Lyla Judnick
TRANSITION 11-13: Colden Harnois
TRANSITION 8-10: Jack Gelinas
120 CHAMP 6-12: Lincoln Skar
120 IMPROVEMENT 6-12: Chase Reinhofer
120 STOCK 4-7: Vin Diorio
GIRLS 14-17: Brynna Hauk
PRO 206 6-12: Harrison Skar
JR 10-13: Colden Harnois
JR 14-17: Porter Jacklitch
JR GIRLS 9-13: Eleanor Schmidt
Next Stop: The final weekend of the 2024-2025 AMSOIL Championship Snocross season takes place at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minn. The AMSOIL Snocross National will be held over three days on April 4-6.
About ISOC: The International Series of Champions (ISOC), headquartered in Albertville, Minnesota, owns and operates both AMSOIL Championship Off-Road and AMSOIL Championship Snocross. ISOC is dedicated to delivering premier racing events that captivate motorsport enthusiasts across the nation. For detailed information about events, schedules, and updates, visit www.champoffroad.com or www.snocross.com.