Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo, Polaris rack up ISOC wins
Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo and Polaris each had an impressive showing at the ISOC National Snocross opener in Duluth, Minn., over Thanksgiving weekend.
Arctic Cat
The following is Arctic Cat’s press release following the race weekend:
If there were any questions about which brand would reign supreme at the 2014-2015 ISOC National Snocross opener in Duluth, Minn., Team Arctic delivered a resounding answer: We’re the ones to beat! It was an answer that echoed among the 20,000 race fans atop Spirit Mountain who witnessed Team Green victory in 8 of 15 classes, as well as 20 out of 45 possible podium finishes.
Leading the charge for the beginning of his 15th season atop the Pro category was Tucker Hibbert, who stomped his particular brand of authority on the premier class with wins in every heat and both Pro Open finals to notch his 96th and 97th career victories. David Joanis and Logan Christian also delivered inspired performances in the premier class, setting the stage for a strong season.
Montana Jess returned to competition for the first time since suffering what was nearly a career-ending hand injury last season, taking an emotional win in the Sport final. Other Team Arctic class winners at Duluth included Lee Butler in ProAm Plus 30, Trent Wittwer and Colin Kernz in the Amateur classes, Carson Alread in Junior Novice, and Anson Scheele in Transition.
“With the talented racers and mechanics on our team matched by the more potent 2015 ZR6000R SX in the ProCross chassis, we expected to do well at the season opener,” said Mike Kloety, Team Arctic Race Manager, “But you never know until it all plays out. To win more than half of the classes while taking 45 percent of the podium places proves that we are the ones to beat for the 2015 season. We’re proud of all the Team Arctic racers, crew and fans who made Duluth the perfect season opener.”
The next stop on the 2015 ISOC National tour is Dec. 12-13, 2014, in Fargo, ND.
Ski-Doo
The following is Ski-Doo’s press release following the race weekend:
Ski-Doo X Team riders opened the snocross season in Duluth, MN at the ISOC season opener in winning fashion with Tim Tremblay of Scheuring Speed Sports capturing his second straight $10,000 prize at the Friday night Dominator race. The annual Spirit Mountain race is always a high energy affair as snocross racers gather from across North America, on what is the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, for their first taste of competition.
On Saturday, Makita/GMC/NSK/Warnert Racing rider Elias Ishoel stole the spotlight, winning his first ever Pro Lite main event. Ishoel is a 16 year-old racer from Norway who was scheduled to compete in the first three rounds of ISOC national snocross competition. His impressive rides throughout the weekend might have altered plans for the remainder of his winter. Despite being involved in a first lap pile up on Sunday that took him out of podium contention, he fought back to an ninth place finish with another hard charging ride.
The big win added to a weekend of excitement for the Warnert Racing team as, just days prior to the event, they announced a new partnership with Makita Industrial Power Tools and GMC Trucks.
Marica Renheim added to the win tally on Sunday when she scored the Women’s Pro class victory in her first ride of the season for her new team Jimmy John’s/BOSS Racing. Renheim, who is the defending class champion, made it interesting as she grabbed an early holeshot but then went off course as she raced to the top of the giant uphill straight. It was only a matter of time, however, before the speedy Swede caught the leaders and made her way to the front.
In the final main event of the weekend, young Lincoln Lemieux of St. Johnsbury, Vermont earned his first Pro Open podium with an impressive ride against the world’s best racers, taking a third place finish on his Scheuring Speed Sports sled. Lemieux made his debut with the team as a fill-in rider for Tremblay late last season and is off to a great start in his full rookie year.
The national snocross series will have a one week break before resuming action in Fargo, North Dakota on December 12-13.
Polaris
The following is Polaris’ press release following the race weekend:
Polaris snocross racers started the 2014-2015 ISOC National season with a powerful performance as they earned three of the weekend’s six Pro Open podium spots, and they dominated the Pro Lite class — including finishing first through fourth in the weekend’s second Pro Lite final. The ISOC National tour opened Nov. 28-30 in Duluth, Minnesota, with the AMSOIL National at Spirit Mountain.
Kyle Pallin (Team LaVallee) reached the podium in both Pro Open finals with third- and second-place finishes, which put him second in Pro Open points after two rounds of racing.
Ryan Springer (Carlson Motorsports) won one Pro Lite final, and Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports) finished fourth and third in the weekend’s finals, making Carlson the points leader.
In the weekend’s first Pro Open final on Saturday, Nov. 29, Kody Kamm (Hentges Racing) finished second and Kyle Pallin took third. Justin Broberg (Hentges Racing) finished sixth and Jake Scott (Team LaVallee) finished 11th.
In the second Pro Open final held on Sunday, Pallin once again reached the podium with a second-place finish, and Kamm finished fourth after making it into the final via the last chance qualifier (LCQ). Jake Scott finished eighth and Justin Broberg (Hentges Racing) finished 10th.
After two rounds of Pro Open racing, Pallin was second in points while Kamm was third. Broberg was in eighth, Jake Scott was in ninth, Ross Martin (Judnick Motorsports) was 12th, and Andrew Lieders (Team LaVallee) was 13th.
In the weekend’s first Pro Lite final, Jake Angove (Fort Fremont Racing) reached the podium with a second-place finish. Andrew Carlson was fourth, Travis Muller (Cottew Motorsports) was fifth, and Zak Mason (Leighton Motorsports) was sixth.
In Sunday’s Pro Lite final, Polaris Terrain Domination® was on full display as Polaris racers finished 1-2-3-4. Ryan Springer (Carlson Motorsports) earned the victory, Zak Mason took second, Andrew Carlson was third, and Trevor Leighton (Leighton Motorsports) finished fourth.
Andrew Carlson, who finished second overall in Pro Lite points last season, left Duluth as the class points leader. Zak Mason was third in points after two rounds, Trevor Leighton was fourth, Jake Angove was sixth, Ryan Springer was eighth, James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports) was 10th, and Travis Muller (Cottew Motorsports) was 11th.
In the AMSOIL Dominator, the non-points feature traditionally held on Friday night of the Duluth racing weekend, Ross Martin reached the final by winning the LCQ and finished second in the finale. Martin, a two-time winner of the AMSOIL Dominator, had to start one row behind the other two racers in the final, and his determined bid to win the special trophy and $10,000 winner’s purse fell just short. The AMSOIL Dominator field is made up of the weekend’s top Pro Open qualifiers. They face off in three-lap head-to-head duels until just three racers are left for the final.
In the weekend’s Pro-Am +30 final, Justin Tate (2-Eight Motorsports) finished second as five Polaris racers earned top-10 finishes. Patrick Brodeur (Walls-Unlimited) took fifth, Luke Routh (RF3 Industries) was seventh, Bruce Jesionowski (Snirt Racing) finished ninth, and Scot Adams (Never Enough Racing) took 10th.
Four Polaris racers finished in the top 10 in the Pro-Am Women’s final, led by Janell Smith (Team NorthStar) in fourth. Amanda Duitsman (Plaisted Racing) finished sixth, Jakki Farmer (Farmer Racing) was seventh, and Jessica Martel took 10th.
Jacob Yurk (Team Vermillion) won the weekend’s first Sport final, and Jake Geeseman (Wollenberg Motorsports) took second in the second Sport final. Geeseman had finished fifth in the first final, which left him third in Sport points after the season’s first two rounds of racing. Yurk was fourth in points, and Cole Cottew (Cottew Motorsports) was fifth.
The second round of ISOC National racing will be the U.S. Air Force National at Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon, Minnesota, near Fargo, N.D. Racing will be held Dec. 12-13.
