BOONVILLE, N.Y. (Mar. 5, 2013) – Veteran snowmobile racers Lincoln Lemieux and Derek Ellis each won a Pro final over the weekend, as East Coast Snocross (ECS) completed Round 8 of its nine-race 2013 schedule at the Boonville-Onieda County Fairgrounds.
Lemieux (Lemieux Racing/Ski-Doo), of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, prevailed in a battle with defending champion Danny Poirier (Bailey/Hulten Polaris) to claim Saturday’s 14-lap final. Poirier led five laps yet settled for second, while Ellis kicked off his weekend with a solid third.
Ellis (Jess Racing/Arctic Cat), an Idaho native who resides in Fargo, North Dakota, grabbed the holeshot in Sunday’s final and never looked back. Point leader Corin Todd (Bailey/Hulten Polaris) rode a smart race to claim second, while New York native Michael George (Damexco Racing/Ski-Doo) filled out the podium in third.
“This was a challenging track that forced you to be very accurate on your lines,” Ellis said. “I was able to build a two-second gap on second place by about halfway, but then I made a mistake and that gap went away. I’m glad I was able to hold on for the win; this team has worked hard all winter and another victory sure is rewarding. I’d love to earn another one in the season finale.”
In Pro Lite action at Boonville, Michigan native Kevin Wallenstein (Ingles Performance/Ski-Doo) was the man to beat. The hard-charging young athlete from Cadillac held off point leader Mike Pilotte (Team Southside/Polaris) and Jesse James Bonaduce (Miksen Racing/Ski-Doo) for top honors in Saturday’s 10-lap battle. On Sunday, it was Montana Jess (Jess Racing/Arctic Cat) chasing Kevin across the line in second, while Pilotte capped a solid weekend effort in third.
“I’m completely worn out after that much racing,” Wallenstein said. “I tried my hand in the Pro division this weekend along with Pro Lite, which presented quite a challenge. Running hard in my regular race before competing against the Pros when they’re fresh is tough. Being in good shape and riding smart is what allowed me to pull this off. I’m thrilled for my team and excited to sweep the finals for Ski-Doo.”
In Sport class action at Boonville, Vermont’s rising star Hunter Patenaude (Patenaude Racing/Ski-Doo) bagged the biggest prize. The talented racer from Hartland not only claimed Saturday’s Super Stock final over Danny Graves and Tyler Brancifort, but also won the inaugural Turbo-Powered Sport Challenge, presented by Street Diesel Performance of Chaplin, Connecticut.
In a head-turning effort, Junior class racer Cody Paolella powered his way to second, while returning veteran Danny Graves filled out the podium in third. On Sunday, Graves prevailed in a heated battle over Nate Newland and Bruce Gaspardi Jr. The inaugural Sport Challenge was an exciting success, and ECS would like to thank Street Diesel Performance for their support.
Paolella found plenty of success at home in the Junior division at Boonville, as well. The talented young athlete from Wallingford, CT, claimed the Jr. 16-17 finals on Saturday and Sunday to cap off a stellar weekend in New York.
Other final round winners over the weekend in Boonville include Steffanie Lemieux-Bell (Pro Women Sat.); Nykea Williams (Pro Women Sun.); Todd Smith (Pro Am, Plus 25/35 Sat.); and Rene Desrochers (Plus 25/35 Sunday).
ECS would like to thank the Boonville Snow Festival committee for hosting our Round 8. The fairgrounds provided a spacious and ideal location for our track, and support from the local community was very positive. Our second annual visit to this region fueled a desire to return again in 2014.
All that remains on the 2013 schedule is the dramatic season finale on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23, at the Titus Mountain Family Ski Center in Malone, New York. Champions will be crowned across the board from Pro, Pro Lite and Sport on down through to the Junior racers. It’s the culmination of months of travel, training and hard work, and it’s not to be missed.
For full results from Boonville or to learn more about snocross, please go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com.
