TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Feb. 9, 2013) – A massive crowd packed the grounds at Turtle Creek Casio and Hotel for the second night of snowmobile racing action at the inaugural U.S. 27 Motorsports Snocross National, rounds nine and ten of the 2012-’13 AMSOIL Championship Snocross, presented by Traxxas. And completing the sweep of the weekend’s competition with another absolute racing clinic in the premier Pro Open class was Monster Energy/Arctic Cat’s Tucker Hibbert, while the wild Pro Lite division saw Ski-Doo pilot David Joanis (Royal Distributing) put an end to Jake Scott’s three race win streak and tied things up at the top of the overall points between the two – 356-356.
Pro Open
Another excellent start for Hibbert – 2nd behind Stud Boy Holeshot winner Kyle Pallin (Mystik Lubricants/Loctite/Polaris) – and it was off to the races as Hibbert would complete the sweep of Traverse City, extending his points lead over the rest of the Pro Open field with his seventh victory in ten starts on the 2012-’13 AMSOIL Championship Snocross series tour.
“That was definitely an interesting couple of laps with Kyle (Pallin),” said Hibbert, who’d go on to win the contest by 11 seconds. “He’s (Pallin) doing a good job on his starts. I was able to put in some hard laps early and get by him, but it was definitely a fun race.”
Defending AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Open champion Tim Tremblay (Scheuring Speed Sports/Rockstar/Ski-Doo) also ran very well on the weekend, recording his second podium on Saturday after qualifying 2nd and finishing a strong 2nd to Hibbert. “Today I had good qualifiers and a good main,” said Tremblay. “Tucker’s been fast every weekend and hopefully I can be up here again.” Tremblay also got a vote of confidence from fellow competitor Levi LaVallee, who said from the ISOC announcer’s booth: “You’re going to see Tim on the top of the box here real soon.”
The best story of the race on night two in Traverse City had to be Ross Martin’s (DuPont/Jack Links/Polaris) effort to make the podium. Martin suffered through some sled issues in his first two qualifiers and had to make the main via the LCQ. Martin would qualify in 14th place (second-to-last) and started on the back row. But they don’t call him “Ross the Boss” for nothing as the Wisconsin native came ripping through the pack and all the way up to 3rd place and was all smiles on the podium with Tremblay and Hibbert.
“I’m just thankful I got up here,” said Martin, thanking his mechanic Tony Swiontek for a superhuman effort in getting his No. 837 back up and running for the main. “Even through its third I’ll take it.”
Running well again tonight and avoiding the troubles that tied up him and Martin on Friday night was Ski-Doo’s Emil Ohman (XPS/Warnert Racing). Ohman was in podium position for much of the race before finishing a respectable 4th. Friday’s No. 2 finisher Kody Kamm (Monster Energy/Hentges Racing/Polaris) overcame a visor-tearing get-off in a qualifier, came through the LCQ and would round out the top five (5th).
Saturday Pro Open Results
1 68 Hibbert Tucker Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids MN
2 11 Tremblay Tim Ski-Doo Ste Jeanne D’Arc Quebec
3 837 Martin Ross Polaris Burlington WI
4 27 Ohman Emil Ski-Doo Pitea Norrbotten
5 53 Kamm Kody Polaris Kenosha WI
6 324 Pallin Kyle Polaris Ironwood MI
7 48 Kaufman Garth Arctic Cat Driggs ID
8 168 Broberg Justin Polaris Waukesha WI
9 4 Malinoski Robbie Ski-Doo Stacy MN
10 43 Christian Logan Arctic Cat Fertile MN
11 9 Mees Darrin Ski-Doo Stanchfield MN
12 271 Narsa Petter Ski-Doo Moskosel, Sweden
13 99 Pattyn Zach Ski-Doo Ravenna MI
14 52 Lidman Johan Polaris Pitea Sweden
15 999 Crapo Colby Polaris St.Anthony ID
Pro Open Overall Points
1 Tucker Hibbert 10 411 411 Monster Energy/Arctic Cat 68 Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids, MN
2 Tim Tremblay 10 349 349 Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 11 Ski-Doo Ste Jeanne D’Arc, Quebec
3 Ross Martin 10 349 349 Judnick Motorsports 837 Polaris Burlington, WI
4 Robbie Malinoski 10 324 324 Amsoil/Air Force/Makita 4 Ski-Doo Stacy, MN
5 Kody Kamm 10 284 284 Hentges Racing 53 Polaris Kenosha, WI
6 Logan Christian 10 276 276 Christian Brothers Racing 43 Arctic Cat Fertile, MN
7 Emil Ohman 10 273 273 Warnert Racing 27 Ski-Doo Pitea, Norrbotten
8 Darrin Mees 10 271 271 Scheuring Speedsports 9 Ski-Doo Stanchfield, MN
9 Kyle Pallin 10 251 251 Team LaVallee 324 Polaris Ironwood, MI
10 Petter Narsa 10 250 250 Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing 271 Ski-Doo, Sweden
Pro Lite
Though the holeshot of the Pro Lite main looked to go to Jake Scott, Ski-Doo’s David Joanis was having nothing of Scott winning a fourth-straight AMSOIL Championship Snocross race and aggressively moved in front of Scott on the start, closing off the track and sending the series points leader off the side of the first turn. A clean move according to Scott’s team manager, Levi LaVallee (who was injured at Winter X, not racing, and helping out the ACS announcers in the booth), Joanis took the lead and never gave it up – topping 2nd place Polaris racer Andrew Lieders (Lieders Racing/Leighton Motorsports) by a couple seconds at the checkers.
“I’ve had some bad luck lately, but to be up here with my two really good friends is awesome,” said Joanis, winning on the eve of his birthday, and tying the overall points chase with Scott at 356-356.
Added 2nd place Lieders, laughing: “I gave that to David Joanis as a birthday present!”
With Joanis railing past Scott at the start and into the lead, Lieders moved into 2nd place – but was quickly passed by Justin Parnell (Parnell Motorsports). Lieders would play it cool and followed Parnell, studying his lines in bit of cat & mouse action. “When #186 (Parnell) passed me I took his line and passed him back,” said Lieders, who place 6th in Friday’s Pro Lite main.
Charging up front quickly from 6th place was Friday’s Pro Lite runner-up Dylan Hall (Royal Distributing/Ski-Doo/FXR). Hall would get past Parnell, then held off Travis Muller (NSK/Foremost Insurance/Ski-Doo) to nail the third and final podium spot
“I felt pretty good,” said Hall. “I didn’t get tired at all and was able to put on a charge for the whole race.”
Rounding out a very fast top five in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Pro Lite main at Traverse City were Muller in 4th and Parnell in 5th.
Saturday Pro Lite Results
1 115 Joanis David Ski-Doo Cochrane Ontario
2 857 Lieders Andrew Polaris Colby WI
3 421 Hall Dylan Ski-Doo Ayr Ontario
4 436 Muller Travis Ski-Doo Windom MN
5 186 Parnell Justin ennismore ontario
6 931 Leighton Trevor Polaris Eagle ID
7 151 Carlson Andrew Polaris Elk River MN
8 193 Pichner Matt Arctic Cat Owatonna MN
9 793 Alexandre Renaud Ski-Doo Val-D’or Quebe
10 144 Taillefer Maxime Ski-Doo Laval West Quebec
11 122 Wallenstein Kevin Ski-Doo Cadillac MI
12 173 Watkinson Corey Ski-Doo Port Carling Ontario
13 118 Mees Garret Ski-Doo Stanchfield MN
14 15 Dolecki Daniel Ski-Doo Clinton Twp., MI
DQ 42 Scott Jake Polaris Port Jefferson Statio NY
Pro Lite Overall Points
1 David Joanis 10 356 356 Royal Distributing 115 Ski-Doo Cochrane,
2 Jake Scott 10 356 356 Team LaVallee 42 Polaris Port Jefferson Station, NY
3 Andrew Lieders 10 332 332 Lieders Racing/Leighton Motorsports 857 Polaris Colby, WI
4 Travis Muller 10 322 322 Warnert Racing 436 Ski-Doo Windom, MN
5 Renaud Alexandre 10 317 317 Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing 793 Ski-Doo Val-D’or, Quebec
6 Dylan Hall 10 292 292 Royal Distributing 421 Ski-Doo Ayr,
7 Andrew Carlson 10 236 236 Carlson Motorsports 151 Polaris Elk River, MN
8 Chase Rosemeyer 10 220 220 Team Bauerly Racing 675 Ski-Doo Chippewa Falls, WI
9 Kevin Wallenstein 10 215 215 Ingles Performance 122 Ski-Doo Cadillac, MI
10 Corey Watkinson 10 214 214 Team Jimmy John’s/Ski-doo/BossRacing 173 Ski-Doo Port Carling, Ontario
Next up: Rounds 11 & 12 of AMSOIL Championship Snocross, presented by Traxxas, at New York’s Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel, Salamanca, N.Y., Feb. 22-23.