We’re two full weekends through the International Series of Champions Amsoil Super Snocross season, and the pecking order has taken shape.
Combining Pro Open and Pro Super Stock, there have been four finals. In all four, Tucker Hibbert won the race on his Monster Energy-backed Arctic Cat. In all four finals, Ross Martin has finished second on his Dupont-backed Polaris. And, in three out of four, Tim Tremblay took third on his Warnert Racing Ski-Doo.
In Fargo, North Dakota, this weekend, Hibbert continued his domination of the national snocross scene, but Martin made it clear that he isn’t going to go down without a fight.
In a change from the norm, the Pro Open class ran first this weekend, and Robbie Malinoski was the top qualifier after a couple rounds of heats. In the final, however, Martin was first off the line and jumped out to a lead he would hold for the first 16 laps. Hibbert actually dismounted briefly while in chase, but remounted and ended up taking the lead late and pulling away to a 4.8-second victory.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because Hibbert followed Martin at Duluth in Pro Open, took the lead late and had a 4.4 second victory there.
Tremblay overcame his own dismount and hung on for third, with Malinowski forth on his Amsoil-backed Ski-Doo. Finishing one lap down but in fifth place was first-year pro Justin Broberg. The rest of the top 10 were TJ Gulla, Dan Ebert, Christian Salemark, Zach Pattyn and Johan Lidman.
It was chilly for the Pro Open final Friday night, but it was downright wicked cold Saturday for Pro Super Stock. The sun was shining, but the wind was howling, creating a windchill of minus 25. The area was spared the monster snow found across the border and further southeast in Minnesota, to the delight of race officials who wanted a crowd, but we’re guessing most riders in the area would have welcomed the fresh white stuff.
Once again, Martin lead early but Hibbert overcame an early battle with Malinoski, then chased down and passed Martin late en route to a 3.6-second victory. A tussle in traffic resulted in a front suspension damage and an early end to Malinoski’s day. Tremblay held on for third. TJ Gulla was the only other sled on the lead lap and claimed fourth on his Polaris, with Cat’s Garth Kaufman fifth.
Dan Ebert was sixth on his Cat, with Andrew Johnstad a strong seventh on a Polaris after being let go from the Schuering Speed Sports Ski-Doo team after the Duluth event. Pattyn, Lidman and Wes Selby rounded out the top 10.
