The schedule for the big national snocross tour was released today, and it included several surprises related to both dates and sites of races.
The ISOC Amsoil Championship Series is going to start its season in December this year – reversing a trend from the last couple of years that had the racing action beginning in January. And, for the first time, the circuit will race into April, with the final race weekend on a ski hill in Iowa on April 1-2. There are also some exciting new stops, including a return to the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but at a different but high-profile site there.
Equally interesting are the places that the circuit is not going to. Despite rumors and some talks between the groups, a return to Duluth, Minnesota’s Spirit Mountain ski hill is not in the cards for this year. Also notable, the circuit will not make a March stop at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a longtime high profile event that for many years served as the season finale. In a video interview on social media, ISOC President Carl Schubitzke said that, like so many things, ultimately that decision came down to dollars and cents. Hopes of folks in the Wisconsin Northwoods for a return to the Derby Complex facility in Eagle River also didn’t come together.
So, the series will include three stops in the Dakotas, two in Minnesota, and one each in Michigan, New York and Iowa.
Here’s the full press release from the ISOC circuit, with the full schedule posted at the bottom.
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Announces the 2022-2023 Season Schedule
Snocross Eyes Mid-December Start, April Finish for Upcoming Season
ALBERTVILLE, MINN. – The Amsoil Championship Snocross schedule is set, and the high-flying, bar-to-bar action is excited to celebrate its 15-year anniversary season.
The 16-round series returns to a pre-New Year’s start with the All Finish Concrete Snocross National being held December 16-18 in Fargo, North Dakota. The three-day event will include the Amsoil Dominator, which will open the season and return to a head-to-head format.
“The Amsoil Dominator will be a fast-paced, man-versus-man event that will have race fans on the edge of their seats,” said circuit president Carl Schubitzke. “This race will set the tone for an exciting year of racing with ACS.”
The All Finish Concrete Snocross National will be held once again at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo, North Dakota, and will mark the third visit in series history. The venue doubles as a professional practice facility during the winter months. In the summer, it is a 3/8-mile dirt track and has hosted premier dirt racing series such as the World of Outlaws for more than 35 years. In 2022, the Snocross course was one of the most innovative and thrilling track builds the sport had hosted thanks to the vision and hard work of snocross legend and multi-time national champion, Robbie Malinoski.
After the calendar flips to 2023, the series heads to Shakopee, Minnesota, January 13-14 for the Pirtek Snocross National. The annual trek to Canterbury Park has been a favorite for both fans and drivers over the years thanks to its big jumps and spacious track.
The event takes place in the Twin Cities metropolitan area which historically brings in a stout crowd of motorsports enthusiasts. The venue’s capabilities to provide a lengthy, fast and challenging course that kindles top-tier racing has garnered the horse racing track the nickname, “The Daytona of Snocross.”
The Pirtek Snocross National has been a staple to the tour since the 2011-2012 season.
From wide-open to tightly packed, the series moves West to Deadwood, South Dakota, for the two-day U.S. Air Force Snocross National on January 27-28. Competitors will tackle the altitude, and the most compact track of the season.
The tight, technical course truly is the “wild west” of Snocross racing, providing a spectacle of big air and big thrills, at the historically sold-out Days of 76 Rodeo Grounds. The track has continued its trend of crowning new winners, most recently with Emil Harr (Pro in 2022) and Evan Christian (Pro Lite in 2022). The venue rests in the heart of historic downtown Deadwood and is within walking distance of restaurants, hotels, gaming and family-friendly attractions. There is no stop on the tour that allows attendees to spectate closer to the track than Deadwood.
The mid-point of the schedule has teams traveling east to up-state New York and the snow-filled Finger Lakes region. The annual stop in Salamanca, New York, will feature two-days of racing on February 17-18 at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. There has long been a strong appetite for snowmobile racing amongst the East Coast and New England regions, which makes for a spirited spectator hill.
One of the most noteworthy additions to the 2022-23 schedule is the series return to the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, area. By popular demand from the racers and the local community, ACS is slated to visit legendary Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota, just 15 minutes from downtown Sioux Falls for the first team in series history, joining the likes of national touring series to compete at the venue including the All Star Circuit of Champions and the World of Outlaws.
In 2021, ACS made its first ever visit to the tri-state area (Held at the W.H. Lyon County Fairgrounds) after pandemic-related regulations prevented the tour from visiting Canterbury Park on its scheduled date. The visit to the all-new market resulted in a major success in part due to the area being a community with roots deep in motorsports history.
The following weekend, action continues at the renowned ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota, for the Amsoil Snocross National featuring round 11 and 12 on March 10-11. The big track is the home track to many of the top pro riders, and the year-round venue boasts a monstrous racing surface that combines high-speed with big-air and brings fans up-close to all the action.
Located northwest of the Twin Cities, the venue is home to other internationally-recognized circuits and events including ACS’ sister series, Amsoil Championship Off-Road, Nitro RX, The Ditchbanger Open, Midwest Ride-In and numerous others throughout the year. The 2022 edition will mark the 5th visit in series history.
With 12 rounds in the books, the series concludes with a duo of ski slope courses. On March 24-25, Cannonsburg Ski Area near Grand Rapids, Michigan, with its multiple climbs and descents will host the Cannonsburg Snocross National.
The state of Michigan has provided a number of heavy hitters on the National Tour including Inanna Hauger (Pro Women), Jacob Yurk (Pro), Kyle Pallin (Pro), Carson Alread (Pro Lite), Camryn and Korbyn Anderson (Pro Lite), Tyler Oomen (Pro Lite), Ava Hammer (Pro Women), Alli Trudel (Pro Women), among others. Michigan also has its own regional circuit, Michigan SnoX.
The season finale will be a two-day event hosted in Dubuque, Iowa. The series makes its return to Sundown Mountain Resort, marking the first visit since the 2018-2019 season, which was the third in series history. For the past two seasons, the Theisen’s Snocross National had been held at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. This weekend will also feature a season-ending banquet, the Amsoil Night of Champions. Please stay tuned for banquet information.
“A lot of work has gone into our schedule to give our races and fans the best experience possible, week-in and week-out,” said Schubitzke. “We had to leave some long-standing traditions behind, but over the past few seasons we have been able to build new ones and go to venues that are world-class and ready to push snocross forward.”
Snow Bikes are slated to return to the tour this season as part of a triple crown special series. The triple crown will be showcased at three of the nationals including the Pirtek Snocross National (Shakopee), AMSOIL Snocross National (Elk River), and Theisen’s Snocross National (Dubuque). Stay tuned for more information including the purse.
Event day schedules and tickets will become available in the coming months at snocross.com.
2022-2023 AMSOIL Championship Snocross Schedule
ALL FINISH CONCRETE SNOCROSS NATIONAL
December 16-18, 2022 at West Fargo, ND
Venue: Red River Valley Fairgrounds
PIRTEK SNOCROSS NATIONAL
January 13-14, 2023 at Shakopee, MN
Venue: Canterbury Park
U.S. AIR FORCE SNOCROSS NATIONAL
January 27-28, 2023 at Deadwood, SD
Venue: Days of ‘76 Rodeo Grounds
US AIR FORCE SNOCROSS NATIONAL
February 17-18, 2023 in Salamanca, NY
Venue: Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino
SIOUX FALLS SNOCROSS NATIONAL
March 3-4, 2023 in Brandon, SD
Venue: Huset’s Speedway
AMSOIL SNOCROSS NATIONAL
March 10-11, 2023 in Elk River, MN
Venue: ERX Motor Park
CANNONSBURG SNOCROSS NATIONAL
March 24-25, 2023 in Cannonsburg, MI
Venue: Cannonsburg Ski Area
THEISEN’S SNOCROSS NATIONAL
April 1-2, 2023 in Dubuque, IA
Venue: Sundown Mountain Resort
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