Hibbert, Ross Martin Split Pro Open Finals In Fargo

Tucker Hibbert and Ross Martin split the two Pro Open finals this weekend as the ISOC Amsoil Championship Series moved to suburban Fargo, North Dakota (technically, Glyndon, Minnesota). Below are the press releases from the ISOC press circuit, starting with Friday’s results and followed by Saturday’s. Next weekend, the racing circuit’s final weekend will play out in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

 FRIDAY RACING: Hibbert and Corin Todd

GLYNDON, Minn. (March 7, 2014) – Powered by a massive start and the night’s best lap time – a flat out hauling 41.0 seconds – hometown hero Tucker Hibbert (Monster Energy/Arctic Cat) captured top honors in the premier Pro Open class at the U.S. Air Force Snocross at Buffalo River Race Park (BRRP). And in Pro Lite racing Corin Todd (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) not only won Friday’s main event, he also took over the series point lead from Andrew Carlson.

Hibbert Wins Pro Open Friday

Qualifying in first place and scoring the No. 1 gate pick, Hibbert started in the middle of the front row – selecting the shortest distance to the Stud Boy Holeshot line. A risky move given the proximity of the rest of the field on the season’s longest and fastest start to date, Hibbert was quick off the draw and his Arctic Cat sled responded – launching him out to an early lead that he’d never give up.

Tucker Hibbert
Tucker Hibbert Friday at Fargo.

“It was a good race for sure,” said Hibbert to the cheers of the locals. “The track was different, different than it’s been in the past. But it’s fun to change it up, like we’ve been doing each week. I’m pumped to do well here so close to home, and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.” The sentimental favorite at BRRP tonight had to be Ross Martin (DuPont/Jack Links/Polaris). The Wisconsin-based racer had been on the sidelines for the last several races with an injured shoulder, but rallied back to qualify in 4th place and raced even better in the finals – 2nd behind Hibbert. “Second place tonight feels like a win right now,” said Martin. “There’s always a little doubt, but it feels great to be up here and I’m looking forward to racing at Lake Geneva (Wis.) next weekend.” With Hibbert up front early thanks to a couple blistering laps (2 & 3), Arctic Cat’s Cody Thomsen and LaVallee Racing/Polaris’ Kyle Pallin put on an excellent show for the third and final podium spot early – a battle eventually won by Thomsen, who’d hold on to the third and final podium spot. As Hibbert and Martin continued to break away from the rest of the pack (Hibbert up nine seconds on Martin, Martin up 3.5 seconds on Thomsen), Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat’s Logan Christian came barreling in to challenge Pallin. Another hometown racer, Christian (4th), would race to 4th place at the checkers while teammate David Joanis (Royal Distributing/Arctic Cat) rounded out tonight’s Pro Open top five. Fargo Friday Pro Open results 1. Tucker Hibbert (Cat); 2. Ross Martin  (Polaris); 3. Cody Thomsen (Cat); 4. Logan Christian  (Cat); 5. David Joanis (Cat); 6. Kody Kamm (Polaris); 7. Petter Narsa (Ski-Doo); 8.Kyle Pallin (Polaris)’ 9. Lincoln Lemieux (Ski-Doo); 10.  Levi LaVallee (Polaris); 11. Jake Scott (Polaris); 12.  Darrin Mees (Ski-Doo); 13. Mike Bauer (Cat); 14. Justin Broberg (Polaris); 15. Bobby LePage (Polaris).

Corin Todd Takes Pro Lite Friday

Wrestling the lead from holeshot winner James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) on the opening lap, Corin Todd would click off a Pro Open-worthy 42.9-second lap (on lap two) and opened up a lead he’d never relinquish.

“You get a 2nd or 3rd place start, put yourself in good position because I knew I had to make my move early,” said Todd. “It’s easier that way, at the start of the race, because we’re all grouped close together.”

With the win Todd overcame an eight-point deficit heading into tonight’s Pro Lite final to Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports/Polaris) – and now leads Carlson by one point in the overall class chase, 473-472.

Qualifying 1st and placing 2nd in tonight’s Pro Lite final was Team LaVallee/Polaris’ Andrew Lieders. Lieders rode a solid race, keeping pace with Todd – but unable to mount any sort of serious chase on the 1st place position in the 11-lap contest.

Added Lieders: “Corin was just on it, gapped us on the second lap.”

Johnstad would remain up front, about equal distance back for Lieders (that Lieders was to Todd, roughly two seconds). And passing Carlson late in the contest for 4th place – and thus insuring the point lead for Todd – was 2nd place qualifier John Stenberg (Team Bauerly/Ski-Doo). Carlson would round out the top five.

Fargo Friday Pro Lite results 1. Corin Todd (Polaris); 2. Andrew Lieders (Polaris); 3. James Johnstad (Polaris); 4. John Stenberg (Ski-Doo); 5.  Andrew Carlson (Polaris); 6. Trevor Leighton (Polaris); 7.  Dylan Hall (Ski-Doo); 8. Korbyn Anderson (Ski-Doo); 9. Kevin Wallenstein (Ski-Doo); 10. Corey Watkinson (Arctic Cat);

 Ross Martin, Corin Todd Win Saturday at Fargo

GLYNDON, Minn. (March 8, 2014) – The wide-open, high speed start straight at Buffalo River Race Park provided numerous highlights all weekend long for the U.S. Air Force Snocross, round seven of AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram. But none the starts would be more intense than the final Pro Open class as Ross Martin (DuPont/Jack Links/Polaris) played it smart and survived a massive pileup that collected Friday’s winner and overall class point leader Tucker Hibbert (Monster Energy/Arctic Cat), along with second place overall point man Kody Kamm (Hentges Racing/Polaris).

Joining Martin on the winner’s stand on Saturday at BRRP – and completing the weekend 1st/1st sweep in the Pro Lite class – was Corin Todd (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris).

Pro Open Saturday

“The Boss is back!,” bellowed longtime ISOC race announcer Mike Schroeder as Martin (aka “Ross the Boss”) pumped his fist over the finish line jump, triggering the massive fire pots atop the finish structure and queuing the fireworks display for one of the larger crowds Amsoil Championship Snocross has enjoyed this season.

Ross Martin
Ross Martin returned from injury to win Saturday’s Pro Open final at Fargo.

Rewinding back to the all-important start of the Pro Open race, Martin, who placed 2nd in Friday’s main event and qualified in 4th position today, chose to start more on the outside line to the Stud Boy Holeshot. The move paid off as, when it looked like Hibbert had the angle on being the first racer out of the opening corner, the defending champ was clipped in the rear of the sled by Kamm – at peak speed – which caused a chain reaction crash that also collected No. 2 qualifier Kyle Pallin (LaVallee Racing/Polaris) and Hentges Racing/Polaris’ Justin Broberg.

“I could clearly see what was going to happen (at the start), so I just ducked under and made it through,” said an elated Martin from the podium. “This is going to go down as one of my best wins of all-time.”

Questionable as to if he was even going to boot up and race today (nagging shoulder injury), Martin gutted it out and rode strong, fast and mistake-free to the 7.5 second victory over 2nd place, local Logan Christian (Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat). “These are the highs and lows of racing,” added Martin. “I didn’t even know if I was going to race today. My shoulder’s killing me, but I just said to myself ‘I’ve got to get this done.’”

Said Christian: “Fargo’s awesome,” which drew the night’s biggest cheer from the crowd. “This is my first podium of the year. I wish it’d have come earlier, but this is great.”

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After the mess at the start, Hibbert was able to remount – in dead last place – and mount a bit of a charge. His effort would run into another issue when he and fellow Arctic Cat pilot Cody Thomsen got together (lap four), sending Hibbert off his sled for the second time. To his credit Hibbert was able to remount and rode a solid remainder of the race, inheriting a top five finish when Scheuring Speed Sports/Ski-Doo’s Lincoln Lemieux (3rd place at the time) crashed while battle for the final podium spot with Christian Brothers Racing’s David Joanis (Royal Distribution/Arctic Cat). Thomsen would round out the podium in 3rd with a great race and his second podium of the weekend, with Joanis in 4th and Hibbert in 5th.

Hibbert still maintains a pretty much insurmountable lead in the Pro Open points chase, 594-474 over Kamm.

Fargo Saturday Pro Open results

1 Ross Martin (Polaris); 2. Logan Christian (Arctic Cat); 3 Cody Thomsen (Arctic Cat); 4 David Joanis (Arctic Cat); 5. Tucker Hibbert (Arctic Cat); 6 Justin Broberg (Polaris); 7. Lincoln Lemieux (Ski-Doo); 8. Brett Turcotte  (Arctic Cat); 9 Jake Scott (Polaris); 10. Kyle Pallin (Polaris); 11. Mike Bauer (Arctic Cat); 12. Levi LaVallee (Polaris); 13. Kody Kamm (Polaris); 14. Petter Narsa (Ski-Doo)

Pro Lite Saturday

All systems were ‘Go’ for Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports/Polaris) to open Saturday’s Pro Lite final at Buffalo River Race Park. The Pro Lite overall point leader coming into Fargo pulled the holeshot and as leading when disaster struck and Carlson dropped from 1st to 9th.

Corin Todd
Corin Todd won Friday and Saturday in Fargo.

Taking advantage of the situation was Friday’s winner, Corin Todd, who got into Carlson in the third corner of the first lap.

“The point race was tight and I got together with Andrew (Carlson) and, unfortunately, he came off the sled,” said Todd. “But I came in here this weekend having to take over the points lead and I did.” Note: After Fargo Todd leads Carlson now by ten points, 517-507 with one weekend of racing remaining.

Following the Todd/Carson get together – which could very well have played a major role in deciding this year’s Pro Lite championship – Todd would get a quick challenge from John Stenberg (Team Bauerly/Ski-Doo), who actually took the race lead from Todd on lap two – but crashed just moments after grabbing the lead.

Opening the third lap up front, Todd never looked back. With Stenberg down, moving into 2nd place was another Friday Pro Lite podium finisher at Fargo, James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris). Both Todd and Johnstad separated from the pack, with Travis Muller (Warnert Racing/Ski-Doo) diving into 3rd place.

Todd would check out midway through the race, while Carlson did the best he could to move up from 9th to 6th place with several laps still remaining.

Holding the 4th and 5th positions were a couple Michigan racers, Zak Mason (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) and Ski-Doo mounted Kevin Wallenstein (Ingels Performance). And when the white flag flew Todd had seven seconds on Johnstad, who was in a furious battle with Muller for the 2nd position. Todd would cruise to victory, completing the weekend sweep and Johnstad held off Muller, with Mason and Wallenstein holding down the 4th and 5th positions, respectively, while early race leader Carlson managed to rally back to 6th.

Fargo Saturday Pro Lite results

  1. 1.      Corin Todd (Polaris); 2. James Johnstad (Polaris); 3. Travis Muller (Ski-Doo); 4. Zak Mason (Polaris); 5. Kevin Wallenstein (Ski-Doo); 6. Andrew Carlson (Polaris); 7. John Stenberg (Ski-Doo); 8. Andrew Lieders (Polaris); 9. Korbyn Anderson (Ski-Doo); 10. Trevor Leighton (Polaris).

AMSOIL Championship Snocross, powered by Ram, now moves to Lake Geneva (Wis.), March 14-16, at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa for the Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale, presented by Coors Light.

 

 

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