Kamm Wins Friday Night Snocross Final In New York

Kody Kamm earned his second Pro class snowmobile snocross victory of the season Friday night in Upstate New York with a green-to-checkered dominating victory, while Daniel Benham continued his strong showing in the Pro-Lite class. 

The following report comes from the host ISOC Amsoil Championship Series. Read it, then make your picks in the Snowmobile Racing Challenge fantasy snocross game. It’s easy, free and fun — give it a try. 

Kody Kamm
Kody Kamm earned the victory Friday night in New York.

Kody Kamm & Daniel Benham on Top in the Empire State 

Amsoil Championship Snocross Powered by Ram roared into the Empire State bringing a mixture of warm weather and snow flurries along with. Snowmobile enthusiasts from western New York arrived at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in large numbers for Round 9 of the US Air Force Snocross National.

As he has done many times in his young career, Kody Kamm dominated the Pro main event with another strong start and earning his second victory of the 2017-2018 season. In the Pro Lite class, Daniel Benham extended his win streak to two. In doing so he also extended his points lead over the rest of the Pro Lite field. 

As the world’s greatest Snocross racers aim high to be crowned champion at the end of the season, they first need to race this weekend at the US Airforce Snocross National in Salamanca, NY.

 

Pro Lite

Round 1

In the first heat of qualifying for the Pro Lite class at the US Air Force Snocross National, veteran of the sport Andy Lieders jumped out to the early race lead. Lieders would lead early  but was passed early by the points leader, Daniel Benham. Benham ran a near-perfect race, taking the heat race win and extending his points lead. Jacob Yurk started the qualifier in third place but had his eyes set on Lieders. Yurk set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap and moved into the second spot. Lieders rounded out the top three. Travis Kern nailed the holeshot in the second heat but Hunter Patenaude ducked to the inside and swept by the leaders. Patenaude started to gap the field, led by the second place Kern and third place Nisse Kjellstrom. The field would have to be smart in this race and watch for passing and jumping as the yellow flags were critical in heat two. Kern would charge late in the race and try to steal a win, but fell short to the Amsoil Air Force rider Patenaude. Kjellstrom was third. In the final heat of Round 1, Zak Mason and the reigning champion of Aki Pihlaha would cross the finish line on the first lap bar-to-bar looking to grab the holeshot and the early lead. Kevin Wallenstein was third but took advantage of the leaders’ mistakes and moved from third to first. Wallenstein ran away with his first heat race win of the season. Fellow Ski-Doo rider Max Taillefer ran second and Round 7 winner Cole Cottew was third. Pihlaja crossed the finish line in fourth.

 

Round 2

The second round of qualifying saw the Arctic Cat sleds win each of the three heats contested. In the first heat Hunter Patenaude picked up where he left off and grab the early lead. Korbyn Anderson crossed the finish line for the opening lap in second and Andy Lieders, who had to start in the back row, third. In the beginning stages of the race Jacob Yurk was on the move, going from fifth to second in just three laps. Yurk feasted his eyes on the leader Patenaude and executed the pass in the U.S. Air Force rhythm section. The following lap Patenaude had an issue as get crossed the finish line taking him out of the race. Yurk went on to win the race as Lieders was second and Aki Pihlaja third. In the next heat, Arctic Cat Sunoco Fuel rider Nisse Kjellstrom rocketed his sled off of the starting and grabbed the holeshot. The Pro Lite rookie would not look back and led the entire race flag-to-flag. Polaris riders Oskar Norum and Zak Mason would battle for the second and third positions for the entire seven-lap qualifier, with Mason getting the spot and Norum in third, giving the South Side Polaris team fans something to cheer about in their home state. The final Pro Lite qualifying race in Round 9 of the U.S. Air Force Snocross National showcased the speed of Factory Arctic Cat riders Daniel Benham and Travis Kern. The duo battled for nearly the entire heat. Kern got the holeshot but his teammate would get the better of him late in the race. The top three went as followed: Benham, Kern, Marcus Ogemar.

 

Pro Lite snocross podium
The Pro Lite podium at New York Friday night.

Final

As the Pro Lite competitors stepped to the line, all eyes were set on points leader Daniel Benham.

For the fifth time this season Benham was able to get the holeshot in the main event and lead the beginning stages of the race. With Benham out front, Nisse Kjellstrom and Jacob Yurk rounded out the top three. The second and third place riders found themselves going back and forth at the early parts of the race. Andy Lieders would be the top running Polaris in fourth while Hunter Patenaude, ran in fifth.

Five laps into the race Yurk was able to get around Kjellstrom for second and started moving toward the Benham. While Yurk started to close the gap on Benham, Aki Pihlaja started charging from the middle of the field. Pihlaja started the race in the eight position and at lap nine he moved past Patenaude into a top five spot. On lap 10, the lead is down to less then a second and Yurk is close to making his pass stick.

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While in the third position Kjellestrom had a mechanical that took him out of podium contention and the race entirely. As the race wound down, the composure and speed of the points leader Benham was obviously too great for anyone to compete with. Benham earned his second straight win while Yurk was second and Aki Pihlaja third. Patenaude finished his day off with a fourth and Cole Cottew rounded out the top five.

  1. #221 Daniel Benham
  2. #727 Jacob Yurk
  3. #128 Aki Pihlaja
  4. #208 Hunter Patenaude
  5. #21 Cole Cottew
  6. #58 Marcus Ogemar
  7. #201 Travis Kern
  8. #75 Martin Moland
  9. #144 Max Taillefer
  10. #17 Korbyn Anderson
  11. #302 Viktor Herten
  12. #114 Alexander Berglund
  13. #27 Nisse Kjellstrom
  14. #57 Andy Lieders
  15. #122 Kevin Wallenstein

 

Pro

Round 1

In the opening qualifier for the premier class of Amsoil Championship Snocross Powered by Ram, Polaris rider Corin Todd nailed the holeshot and pulled ahead of the second place rider Kyle Pallin. “Señior Smiley” would run a great race and battle close with Todd but the Todd led the entire race flag-to-flag. Pallin crossed the Amsoil finish line in second and Tim Tremblay was third. Tremblay is back to racing this weekend and had a great opening performance. Kody Kamm had a mechanical issue in the first round that took him out of contention for a top qualifying spot. The second heat of Round 1 featured an epic battle between Tucker Hibbert and Petter Narsa. Narsa led the beginning portions of the race before being challenged by the 10-time. The two veterans would go back and forth before Hibbert got the best of Narsa and ran away to victory. Narsa solidified second while Ryan Springer crossed the finish line in third. This was a great ride for Ryan Springer and the entire Jimmy Johns racing team.

 

Round 2

The final round of qualifying was set to begin for the best snocross athletes in the world. In the first heat, Tucker Hibbert and Johan Lidman took their Arctic Cats to the front early while Kyle Pallin started the race in third. Hibbert and Lidman went back-and-forth for nearly the entire 10-lap race but Hibbert was able to edge out the win. Lidman was a close second while Pallin stayed a steady third. The last qualifying race for the Pro class was a statement ride by Kody Kamm. With Kamm having issues in the first round he needed a great second round to have a chance at making the front row of the final. Kamm got out front early and didn’t look back. The Pirtek Polaris was on rails and took the double checkered flags in Round 2. Ryan Springer had another awesome heat race and finished second while points championship contender Logan Christian rounded out the top three.

 

Pro Snocross podium
The Pro podium Friday night at New York.

Final

The moment the huge New York crowd has been waiting for arrived: the Pro final. When the light went green it was Polaris Hentges Racing teammates Kody Kamm and Petter Narsa holding down the top two spots. Polaris Privateer rider Corin Todd had his best start of the season and found himself in third.

On lap five of the main event, Tim Tremblay moved past Todd and Logan Christian to find himself in podium position. While the battles at the front of the field took place, Tucker Hibbert was having battles of his own for the eight position after a poor start in the main event. The bad luck continued for Hibbert as on lap 10 had a throttle issue took him out of the race.

Christian was having a great evening, being in the fourth position and searching to find ways to catch the third place rider Tremblay.

Up front, on lap 12 Kamm separated himself by over four seconds over teammate Narsa.  Tremblay still had a very solid night going as he started to reel in the second place rider. Tremblay’s teammate, Lincoln Lemieux, found himself in the eighth position, but with determination and smart line choices moved into the top five.

With the laps winding down the field started to gap from one another and stay the same in running order. As the double checkered flags flew it was Kamm winning his second final race in 2018, with Narsa in second and Tremblay in third. Logan Christian was running in fourth but had an off, forcing him outside the top five. Lincoln Lemieux crossed the finish line in fourth and Adam Renheim in fifth.

  1. # 1 Kody Kamm
  2. #54 Petter Narsa 
  3. #11 Tim Tremblay
  4. #13 Lincoln Lemieux
  5. #311 Adam Renheim
  6. #43 Logan Christian
  7. #52 Johan Lidman
  8. #36 Corin Todd
  9. #436 Travis Muller
  10. #748 Mike Pilotte
  11. #177 Jake Angove
  12. #248 Brett Nastala 
  13. #68 Tucker Hibbert
  14. #541 Ryan Springer
  15. #324 Kyle Pallin

 

Pro AM Women

The Pro AM Women’s class is sure a fan favorite, and tonight it definitely did not disappoint. Taven Woodie jumped out front early while points leader Megan Brodeur started to battle her way to the front.

Brodeur pushed hard the entire race to catch the leader but Woodie’s Sunoco Arctic Cat was too much to handle tonight. Woodie earned her second win of the season while Megan Brodeur, aboard her Ski-Doo, finished second and extended her points lead. The final spot on the podium was earned by the South Side Polaris rider of Emilia Dahlgren.

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