Polaris snocross racer and snowmobile freestyle athlete Levi LaVallee has been named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Action Sports on the ESPN X Games website.
The honor comes three weeks before LaVallee will compete in the 2013 X Games in Aspen, Colorado. LaVallee has won seven X Games medals in snowmobile disciplines, including snocross racing, Speed & Style, Best Trick, Hillcross, Knock Out and freestyle.
The Longville, Minnesota, native was listed as number 19 among the 50 top influencers honored on the X Games website. The top three influencers listed were surfing champion Kelly Slater (No. 1), motocross freestyle star Travis Pastrana (No. 2) and snowboard champion and Olympic gold medalist Shaun White (No. 3).
In the 2009 Winter X Games Snowmobile Best Trick competition, LaVallee was the first person ever to attempt a double backflip on a snowmobile. He completed the two revolutions but was bucked off the seat of the sled upon landing.
He put his name into the action sports record book on New Year’s Eve 2011 when he soared across the San Diego Bay on a Polaris snowmobile and set a motorsports distance jump record of 412 feet.
Along with competing in the X Games, LaVallee is concentrating this winter on the ISOC Pro Open points race, where he is currently in 10th place. He won the circuit’s Pro Stock points championship in the 2008-2009 season, when he also finished third in Pro Open points and was named ISOC Racer of the Year.
ISOC competition resumes this weekend at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.
