Shakopee, Minn. ~ Under the lights on Friday night, AMSOIL Championship Snocross presented by Brunt Workwear delivered a marquee opening act at Canterbury Park, as the U.S. Air Force Snocross National presented by T-Fiber kicked off in signature fashion. Long known as the Daytona of snocross and a past Event of the Year winner, the Shakopee stop once again proved why it holds a special place on the national tour.

With temperatures in the 30s and fans filling expansive indoor and outdoor viewing areas, riders attacked a massive, purpose-built track that required more than 3.5 million gallons of water to create. Big air, high-speed transitions, and constantly evolving lines defined the night, as the return of the AMSOIL Triple Crown format for one night put added emphasis on consistency and execution under pressure.

Momentum from the Ironwood opener was on the line, and Friday night provided the first glimpse at who is ready to seize control of the championship narrative. With two days of competition, Canterbury set the stage for major movement in the standings and a weekend that promises to shape the season-long title fight.

Benham Tops Triple Crown Thrillerl 

The AMSOIL Pro class took center stage Friday night with the return of the AMSOIL Triple Crown format, adding a strategic wrinkle to the opening night at Canterbury. Instead of the traditional two heats and a final, the overall was decided by the cumulative results of three rounds, with the lowest total score earning the win. Used extensively in recent seasons but only sparingly this year, the format set the stage for a dramatic, winner-take-all third round.

After two races, Gustav Sahlsten and Ryley Bester were tied atop the standings with four points apiece, while points leader Daniel Benham sat just one point back. Benham had opened the night with a win in round one, Sahlsten answered with a victory in round two, and Bester stayed firmly in the mix with consistent second-place finishes.

The decisive third round delivered the drama the format promised. Benham and Bester emerged as the top two through the opening turns, but Benham quickly found another gear, breaking away from the pack. Behind him, Bester was under heavy pressure from a charging group that included Jacob Yurk and Jordan Lebel. Yurk muscled past Bester for second, before Lebel mounted an even stronger charge, slicing past both riders and setting his sights on the leader.

Lebel was flying in the closing laps, catching and passing Benham for the race lead with less than two laps remaining. While Lebel claimed the round win, Benham’s consistent 1–4–2 finishes totaled seven points—just enough to secure the overall victory over Lebel’s 5–3–1 scoreline and nine points. The result marked Benham’s second straight overall win of the season, keeping him atop the Pro standings.

“It all came down to the starts today,” said Benham. “It wasn’t the prettiest day but I knew I just needed to salvage today and get out front and ride my laps. That’s the beauty of Triple Crowns and it worked out for me today.”

Lebel’s late-race surge capped a breakout night, earning him his first overall podium of the year after finishing second on Friday night. Bester, meanwhile, clawed his way back into the fight after slipping off the podium positions, making a last-lap pass on Sahlsten to take sixth in the final round—just enough to give him a one-point edge over Sahsten for third overall.

Cole Continues Pro Lite Dominance With Third Straight Win

The Pro Lite class has entered a new era following the move of former standout Crayden Dillon into the Pro ranks, and a new leader has emerged. That rider is current points leader Cameron Cole, who continued his early-season surge on Friday night at Canterbury Park with another dominant performance.

Cole has wasted no time asserting himself this year, backing up a sweep at Ironwood by extending his winning streak to three straight races in Shakopee. He was challenged early, working his way around Eric Downs on the opening lap, but once out front, the points leader attacked the winding Canterbury layout with confidence and precision. Cole steadily pulled away from the field, crossing the line with a commanding seven-second advantage.

“There was a lot of confidence going into this race after Ironwood,” said Cole. “I just can’t be more grateful for everyone that is behind me. The confidence was really high today, and we did really well in our heats and brought it home in the final.”

Behind him, Evan Christian and Downs separated themselves from the pack after an early fight for position. Christian maintained control of the runner-up spot through the closing laps, while Downs secured third. The results marked the first podium finishes of the season for both riders, and now marks seven different riders to stand on a Pro Lite podium this year.

Rookie Revolt as Hemmer Delivers Again in Pro AM Women

The youth movement in Bikeman Performance Pro AM Women continued to gain momentum on Friday night, led once again by rookie Avery Hemmer. After opening the season with a breakthrough win and leaving Ironwood as the points leader, Hemmer delivered another statement performance in round three. She tracked down veteran Inanna Hauger by lap four, then pulled away from the deep field to secure her second victory of the season.

Hauger, the round two winner, set the early pace and led the opening laps before settling into second place, earning her second consecutive podium finish. Rounding out the top three, Victoria Dillon continued her consistent start to the season, notching a third straight podium. Dillon charged forward from an eighth-place start and made the decisive pass with two laps remaining, getting around Ava McCurdy to claim third.

Petersen Sneaks Through Traffic for Pro AM Plus 30 Victory

The close racing that defined the Thomas Sno Sports Pro AM Plus 30 class during the opening weekend in Ironwood carried over into Friday night at Canterbury. Tyler Oomen was in control early, leading the first six laps as he searched for his first win of the season before lapped traffic brought new contenders into the mix.

Both Ironwood winners emerged late, with Brian Petersen navigating traffic most effectively. Petersen made the decisive move around Oomen on lap seven and pulled away to capture the victory. Points leader and round one winner Corin Todd remained a constant presence inside the top three and surged back into second on the final lap, crossing the line just a few sled lengths ahead of Oomen, who rounded out the podium.

Freeland Stands Tall in Pirtek Sport Final

In the Pirtek Sport final on Friday night, the parity that defined the season opener continued into round three at Canterbury. After the opening weekend in Ironwood produced six different podium finishers, two more riders added their names to that list, while Brady Freeland emerged as the first two-time winner of the season.

Freeland was sharp from the drop of the gate, mastering the big Canterbury track and going wire-to-wire to back up his opening-round victory. Behind him, Alex Einarsson and Colin Taggart earned their first podium appearances of the year. Einarsson held strong in second from start to finish, fending off Taggart to claim the runner-up position.

Gosselin Prevails in Chaotic Sport Lite Final 

The FlexToy Powersports Rental Sport Lite final on Friday night was packed with action and attrition, as several frontrunners found their sleds stranded along the edges of the demanding Canterbury track. Despite the chaos, round one winner Derek Gosselin stayed focused, making a decisive move past round two winner Ryder Hayes on lap four before pulling away to claim his second win of the season.

Behind him, Carter vanHorsigh, who left Ironwood with the points lead after a pair of podium finishes, continued his consistentency with a strong second-place result. Completing the podium, Thomas Didier delivered one of the night’s most impressive charges, slicing through traffic from a ninth-place start and moving into third on lap five, then holding off a late push from Zach Miller to lock in the final podium spot.

Specialty Box & Crate Junior 14–15: In the Specialty Box & Crate Junior 14–15 final on Friday night, the early-season parity continued with three rounds producing three different winners. This time, the spotlight belonged to points leader Ryder Hayes, who delivered a composed, wire-to-wire performance to earn his first victory of the season.

Round two winner Carter vanHorsigh remained firmly in the fight throughout the final, shadowing Hayes from the opening laps and securing second place for his third podium of the year. Rounding out the podium, round one winner Ryder Harnois made a decisive move on the final lap to claim third, keeping himself firmly in the championship conversation.

Lakeland Powersports Junior Girls 9-13: In Lakeland Powersports Junior Girls 9–13 action on Friday night, points leader Charlie Buteau remained perfect on the season, making it three wins in as many races. After Lila Hemmer claimed the holeshot, Buteau made the decisive move on lap one to take control and never looked back, riding a smooth and composed race to her third consecutive victory after sweeping the Ironwood opener.

Hemmer stayed within striking distance throughout the final, crossing the line second for her second straight runner-up finish of the season. Completing the podium, Eva Gifford continued her strong form, earning back-to-back podium results with a solid third-place finish behind Hemmer.

Anderson’s Maple Syrup Transition 9-13: In the Anderson’s Maple Syrup Transition 9–13 class final, points leader Ryan Shimanski continued his dominant start to the season, completing the process of three straight victories after sweeping the Ironwood opener. Shimanski started third on the grid, methodically worked his way forward, and ultimately took control to remain unbeaten through the opening rounds of the championship.

The battle behind him reshaped the podium late in the race. Logan Bruch, who entered the weekend third in points, made the most decisive move of the night, advancing from fourth into second on the final lap. Fellow title contender Isaac Otto, second in the standings coming in, mounted an impressive charge of his own, climbing from seventh to third in the closing laps to cap a strong Friday night result.

SPEEDWERX Transition 8-10: In Speedwerx Transition 8–10 competition on Friday night, points leader Noah Kuhn continued his early-season momentum at Canterbury Park, backing up his round one victory with another commanding performance. Kuhn grabbed the lead early and never relinquished it, leading from start to finish to secure the opening-night win.

Behind him, Layton Wensloff matched the pace throughout the race and delivered a strong second-place result, earning his first podium finish of the season. Making his season debut, Sullivan Bergman made an immediate impact, rounding out the podium in third and turning in a successful return to competition.

Rox Speed FX Stock 200: In the Rox Speed FX Stock 200 final on Friday night, a last-minute decision to go racing instead of staying home paid off in a big way for Kody Krantz. Krantz pieced together a race-ready sled just days before arriving in Shakopee and made the most of the opportunity, going wire-to-wire to earn a trip to the winner’s circle.

Points leader Tessa Naastad kept the pressure on throughout the final as she chased back-to-back wins but ultimately settled for second behind Krantz. Rounding out the podium, Harrison Skar charged forward from a fourth-place start to finish third, securing his second podium result of the season.

The 2025–26 AMSOIL Championship Snocross season opens this weekend with the Mt. Zion Snocross National presented by Kwik Trip in Ironwood, Michigan. Fans can watch every race live on FloRacing, follow real-time updates across official Snocross social media channels, and catch coverage through FOX Sports throughout the season.

About ISOC
The International Series of Champions (ISOC), headquartered in Albertville, Minnesota, owns and operates both AMSOIL Championship Snocross and AMSOIL Championship Off-Road. ISOC is a recognized leader in professional motorsports, delivering premier national championship events that help define the future of winter and off-road racing. For schedules, tickets, and the latest updates, visit snocross.com or champoffroad.com.