The Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt will host the finales of the Snocross Triple Crown Series on February 14.

This will feature the top riders of the American East Coast Snocross Series (ECS) competing against the Québec-based Super Competitions Motorisées Xtreme (SCMX) top runners. Once again, Valcourt will be hosting the "Winner Takes All" titles in the Sport, Pro Lite and Pro Open classes. Last year, the ECS Pro Open riders were favored to win following dominating performances in the first two rounds of qualifying, but Donovan Asselin from La Doré (QC) scored an upset win over Corin Todd of Otego, NY and Lincoln Lemieux of St. Johnsbury, VT.

2014 Pro Open Triple Crown Action - This year, the final starting grid is more evenly split between the two series, even though riders from the ECS have won three of the first four qualifying rounds. In the opening event in Plattsburgh on January 18, ECS riders Lincoln Lemieux and Matt Morin of Val d'Or, (QC) led the pack in their individual qualifying rounds. ECS champion Danny Poirier of Saint-Theodore-d'Acton (QC) won his qualifying bout a week later in Louiseville (QC), scoring the third win for the ECS. Veteran Dave Allard of Saint-Félicien (QC) saved the day for the SCMX Series with a win in the final race. Following the first two rounds, the starting grid for the Triple Crown will see Lemieux on the pole next to Poirier and Allard. Outside row one will be the 2013 Triple Crown Pro Open winner Donovan Asselin, his brother Dave and Mike Pilotte of Cheshire, Massachusetts, the 2013 Pro Lite Triple Crown Champion who made the move to the Pro Class this year. Thirteen riders will take the start on Friday afternoon.

2014 Pro Lite Triple Crown Showdown - If the odds of winning the Pro Open Class are fairly even, it's a little different in Pro Lite. ECS riders own six of the top seven spots on the starting grid, winning all four qualifying rounds. Leo Patenaude of Hartland, Vermont, winner of his two qualifying bouts in Plattsburgh and Louiseville (QC), is a heavy favorite. His main opponents will be his 14-year old brother Hunter, winner in one of the qualifying rounds in Louiseville, and Jason Boron of Leverett, Massachusetts, winner of round one in Plattsburgh. The SCMX answer to the Pro Lite American Armada could come from Kevin Kelly of Shipshaw (QC) who finished second in each of his two qualifying rounds and who will start from third place ahead of Hunter Patenaude. Next to Hunter will be ECS rider Wade Acker of Bristol, Vermont, Jesse James Bonaduce of Sommerville, New Jersey, and Connor Roscoe of Cheshire, Massachusetts. Rounding up the top-10 are SCMX Québec riders David Tremblay and Jonathan Lebel, both from Saint-Bruno, and Michael Ouellette of Tingwick. Top ten qualifiers SCMX's Luka Dubois of Saint-Félicien, QC and ECS rider Montana Jess of Westminster, Massachusetts, will be out of the running following injuries sustained in action last weekend.

The 32nd running of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt presented by Intact Insurance will offer fans a full weekend of racing activities featuring six types of winter motorsport competitions. From Friday to Sunday, the world's best ice oval track snowmobile racers, including Quebec's Jacques Villeneuve, Malcom Chartier, of Marine City, Michigan, Dustin Wahl of Greenbush Minnesota, and defending Valcourt champion Nicholas Van Strydonk of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, will showcase their talents in the daily finals and will attempt to win the big prize on Sunday. For three days, spectators will also witness the feats of the top professional snocross riders from the Eastern United Stated and Canada, including competitors from the CSRA Series, the ECS, SCMX and riders from the Ski-Doo teams competing in the ISOC Series, as they battle for top honors in the Pro Open class.


Everyone is invited to attend, free of charge after 3:00 p.m., the Friday night under the lights Round 2 of the professional Top Speed Racing Snowmobile Drag Racing Series. Amateur drag racing competition will begin at noon for those who wish to test their snowmobiles in straight-line racing. Also on the program for Saturday and Sunday are the daredevil motorcycle and ATV riders competing on the Yvon Duhamel ice oval track. On Saturday, Xtreme enthusiasts can attend the highflying freestyle snocross showdown scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. in the Xtreme Zone. This year, Quebec riders will face off against American Freestyers from Maine. Admission to the Freestyle Snocross exhibition is $15 per person after 4:00 p.m., and free of charge for Grand Prix of Valcourt ticket holders. There will be plenty of fun and games for the whole family, including slides for children and kiddy snowmobile rides and live rock bands for the grown-ups.


General Admission Tickets Available At The Grand Prix Ticket Office
Fans of the great outdoors can still buy an all-inclusive three-day general admission pass for $55, taxes included, at the Ticket Office of Circuit Yvon Duhamel located at 917 Route 222 in Maricourt, Québec (J0L 2L2). Daily general admission tickets are also on sale at $10 each for Friday and $30 each day for Saturday and Sunday. The Grand Prix Heated Suites are sold out. Accompanied by an adult, children under 12 are admitted free on the Grand Prix site. However, this offer does not apply for the heated suites.

Malcolm Chartier of Marine City, Michigan won the Grand Prix of Valcourt's Pro Champ 440 final on February 16.

He was ahead of Travis McDonald of Winnipeg, Manitoba and three-time Valcourt champion Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minnesota.
Chartier started in the lead followed by Matt Schulz and defending Valcourt champion Nicholas Van Strydonk. Schulz quickly recovered and he was soon breathing down the neck of Chartier, but started to fade off and was passed by Van Strydonk at the halfway point of the race. On the following lap, Schulz was out and Van Strydonk was in hot pursuit of Chartier. Again threatened, Chartier kept control of the race ahead of the Wisconsin racer and with two laps to go, Van Strydonk retired in corner 2 of Circuit Yvon Duhamel. Fourth all through the race, McDonald inherited second place, finishing ahead of three-time Valcourt champion Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minnesota. Mike Hakey of Alstead, New Hampshire finished fourth

The man who said that Valcourt was the Indianapolis of ice oval racing, had an early exit today. Without notifying the Grand Prix of Valcourt organizers, veteran racer Jacques Villeneuve unexpectedly left Circuit Yvon Duhamel Sunday morning following a disagreement with a Circuit Pro Tour series official, the sanctioning body of the ice oval races.

The 32nd running of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt Presented by Intact Insurance also crowned a new champion today in the Pro Open snocross class, when Swede Petter Narsa finished ahead of Ontario champion Iain Hayden of Holland Center and former East Coast Snocross Series champion Danny Poirier of St. Theodore d'Acton, Québec. Following a second lap incident, which happened behind Narsa and Hayden, both riders sped off into the sunset, forging a lead 20 seconds faster than the pack. Caught in the melee, Poirier managed to get out of it, but the leaders were too far ahead.

The Iron Dog started in Big Lake, Alaska on Sunday February 16, and weather conditions are making for a tough competition, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

The 2,000 mile competition is a race across Alaska from Big Lake to Fairbanks to Nome.

Warm weather turned the snow to mush and current low temperatures still haven't frozen the snow solid again. The conditions are so spotty the Iditarod will be deciding Monday whether to move the re-start from Will ow to Fairbanks.

The race started Sunday at 11:10 am and should end Saturday with one of the 37 teams winning the $50,000 from the $126,000 purse.

Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Racing held its third snocross and hillcross event February 17-18 in Grand Lake, Colo.

Following almost two solid weeks of pounding snow resulting in over 10 feet of accumulation in some places, the Jolstad Motorsports Winter Carnival was held at Winding River Ranch as the second of two Grand Lake races this season.

On Saturday, the racing action saw riders compete in the SnoCross and HillCross disciplines. A shortened and reversed direction SnoCross course challenged most racers from the start. The premier Pro-Lite class saw top qualifier Taylor Meuwissen (Arctic Cat) miss the hole shot in the final, but then make a quick pass for the lead in the first of many rhythm sections on the course.

Meuwissen charged hard and put distance between himself and the field and held it for the win. Meuwissen was followed by fellow Cat rider Wes Chapman who took second and Dylon Moss (Polaris) who took third. Some of the best racing was in the Junior 10-13 class. After qualifying only 6th for the final, Grey Mathews (Arctic Cat) took the hole shot and led the race to the checkered flag for the win. The real race however was for the remainder of the podium lineup with Jake Gill (Ski-Doo) chasing Ryley Hasenack (Ski-Doo) and Jaydon Arnold (Ski-Doo) who, after making his move under the white flag, was tossed off in the last corner before the checkered flag.

This weekend’s HillCross had an added purse from Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness for the Junior 10-13 HillCross riders that wore avalanche airbags while they raced. In a twist, Grey Mathews opted to not wear the airbag which he said allowed him to take the win in the Junior HillCross class over the other riders that did. Pro rider Keith Carrico (Ski-Doo) swept both 800 Stock and Mod classes and was the star of the HillCross again this weekend.

Sunday started with SnoOval races and Teresa Stoffle saddling up in the Women’s class. Stoffle (Polaris) took second behind Ryley Hasenack (Yamaha). In 500 Liquid the father and son team of Darwin and Jason Hogy almost swept the class on their Arctic Cats. Jason took the win, with Todd Purdue (Ski-Doo) taking second and Darwin taking third. Tony Cook (Polaris) was at it again winning the 500 Fan, Free Air, 800 Modified and Outlaw classes. As the day wrapped up the action moved to the drag course where 600cc and 800cc Improved stock classes dominated the action. Taylor Meuwissen won the 600cc shootout and Ben Leben (Ski-doo) won the 800cc double elimination.

Racing resumes in Alpine, WY on March 1-2, 2014 for round four of the series.  As with all RMSR sanctioned points events, the Alpine Winter Jubilee races will feature SnoCross, HillCross, SnoOval, and SnoDrag disciplines. In addition to RMSR’s four disciplines, the event will also feature a winner-take-all SnoOval Enduro race on Friday February 28 at 8:00 PM. More information regarding sponsorship opportunities or race registration can be found at www.RMSRracing.com.     

Teams competing in the Iron Dog race started arriving in Nome, Alaska the half point of the 2,000 mile race on February 18, according to KTUU.

Mike Morgan and Chris Old were in the lead at the half way point arriving at 4:37 pm. Cory Davis and Ryan Simons are close behind coming in at 5:02 pm. Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad arrived third at 5:11 pm.

Out of Unalakleet, Tyler Aklestad's snowmobile fell through the ice. He was picked up and taken to Shaktoolik.

Todd Palin and Tyler Huntington scratched from the race on Monday because of a mechanical issue.

Photo from Iron Dog's Facebook page

Keith Curtis won four classes at Rocky Mountain Snowmoible HIllclimb' Bear Lake Hillclimb.

Curtis' wins included the Stock King of the Hill. Along with his three Stock class wins, Curtis won the Open Mod class and the Stock King of the Hill title. He was second in 800 Mod. In the Stock King of the Hill competition.

Bear Lake was the first race of the season. It was held Feb. 14-15 in Montpelier, Idaho.

Polaris snowmobile hillclimbers won 10 of 12 Pro classes – including all four Stock classes – and two of three Pro King of the Hill titles. Polaris racer Keith Curtis won four classes at the Bear Lake Hillclimb run Feb. 14-15 at Montpelier, and he won the Stock King of the Hill title.

Polaris racer David Sharp, Jr., won the 800 Improved Stock and 800 Mod classes and the Mod King of the Hill title. He was also second in the Improved King of the Hill competition. Also winning Pro class titles on Polaris RMKs were:
• Brandon Titensor, 600 Improved Stock
• Cole Wilford, 600 Mod
• Luke Rainey, 700 Stock
• Erin Beukelman, 700 Mod
• 1000 Stock: Keith Curtis won, Luke Rainey was second and David Sharp, Jr., was third as Polaris racers took five of the top nine spots.
• 800 Stock: Keith Curtis won, David Sharp, Jr., was second, Aaron Sterck was third, and seven of the top 10 finishers were on Polaris sleds.
• 700 Stock: Luke Rainey won, Brandon Titensor was third, and seven Polaris hillclimbers finished in the top 11.
• 600 Stock: Keith Curtis won, Aaron Sterck was second, Luke Rainey was third, and Polaris racers filled eight of the top 11 finishing positions.

In 700 Mod, Erin Beukelman won, Cole Wilford was second, and five of the top 10 finishers were Polaris racers.

David Sharp, Jr., won the 800 Improved Stock class, where Polaris racers finished first through fifth. Dolan Phelps was second, Erin Beukelman was third, Tyler Crockett was fourth, and Kyle Heap was fifth. Pro rookie Toby Shepherd finished eighth.

To win the Mod King of the Hill title, Sharp summited the mountain in 46.119 seconds, the fastest time of the day. Curtis was second and Wilford was third in the Mod King runs.

There were eight different winners aboard Arctic Cat mountain machines, including three racers who each won two separate classes: Todd Tupper, Trace Tupper and Kaycee Balls. Balls won the Queen title at Bear Lake in addition to winning both Women’s Improved Stock and Mod finals, while Trace Tupper captured Semi Pro Improved Stock, Semi Pro Mod and Semi Pro King titles. Kyle Tapio was the fourth King title winner.

The next RMSHA event will be the Afton Hillclimb, Feb. 28-March 2, in Afton, Wyoming.

Photo from RMSHA's Facebook account taken by RLT Photography

Subscriber's click this link to get full coverage.

There’s no doubt Arctic Cat’s 2015 lineup takes everything that was good about 2014 (new 600cc engine, Yamaha alliance, etc.) and makes it better in year two, if not outstanding! A full allotment of 600cc CTEC 2-strokes, a new addition to the M-class mountain sleds and the expanding of the 4-stroke lineup has us revved for our upcoming pre-production rides!

A new touring chassis brings a welcome revision to this segment of Cat’s offerings with some eye-opening features to the 2-up segment. Plus, a trifecta of engineering improvements designed for comfort, durability and performance that will improve your ride regardless of conditions and riding style.

Arctic Cat’s own 6000 Series C-TEC2 engine now comes in three different chassis! Last season’s launch saw only the ProCross chassis carry this motor in the ZR 6000 El Tigre. To be completely honest, we loved the combination of lightweight handling and power that machine has. Apparently a lot of others did too because 2015 sees this same 125-horse engine used in both the SnoPro and ProClimb chassis as well. We think this is a great move by Team Green as the snappy throttle response combined with the light weight of this engine lends itself wonderfully to more riding applications than just trail. 

The dust has mostly settled from the bombshell announcement of the alliance between Arctic Cat and Yamaha for 2014. By and large, feedback on the collaboration has been good. According to multiple Arctic Cat sources everyone is, “very positive on the Yamaha partnership.” So positive, in fact, they’ve incorporated the popular 135 hp 4-stroke C-TEC4 into their mountain sled line for 2015 with the introduction of the M7000 Sno Pro. And the M8000 HCR (Hill Climb Racer) puts you in control of a true hillclimb race sled.

The 2015 trail and ‘race’ segment gets a full roster in the 6000 class featuring Cat’s 600cc C-TEC2 engine. With the popularity of the 600cc engine size in this class and the great results seen with this engine in the 2014’s, there’s little doubt these sleds will be in high demand.

For those of us who prefer the race track to the trail (or at least pretend that’s where we belong) the ZR lineup offers Race Replica (RR) models. This grouping of dynamic sleds is cut from the same mold you’ll see guys like Tucker Hibbert, Brian Dick and Ryan Simons running on race day!

The crossover segment is where things start to get really crazy for Team Arctic. A whopping 28 possibilities are available in 2015. The crossover rider has been hard for the OEMs to get a beat on for the past few years, so Arctic Cat divides their XF class of sleds into two subcategories – more trail oriented crossovers built on the ProCross chassis and more backcountry oriented sleds on the ProClimb

New for 2015 is the Pantera 7000 and Pantera 7000 Limited edition sleds. They are built on Arctic Cat’s new ProTour chassis. Most impressive on the new Pantera is the list of complaint-eliminating features. We dare your significant other to come up with a reason not to ride with you on this sled!

On Groundhog’s Day Punxsutawney Pete saw his shadow meaning six weeks more of winter. Snowmobilers in the Midwest know that those last weeks of winter can be iffy for snow and temperatures. While family and friends are hoping to start to see the spring thaw, snowmobilers are hoping for those last snowflakes to fall.

Southeastern Wis. received a gift from the snow gods, or maybe cupid, right after Valentine’s Day weekend. A fresh 6-8 inches of snow fell covering the trails and lakes. The overly eager weather-woman on our local station was predicting 40 degrees and sunshine by the end of the day. So we loaded up for what maybe our last hometown ride of the season.

This was my first time on the 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade 900 ACE. This machine had a few quirks. At 577 pounds it required more steering effort than the Polaris Indy I took to Woman on Snow. In addition, the range in temperatures created mogul parts on the trail that when bouncing through my knees could really feel the bumps. I felt like Tigger bouncing on his tail! It was fun but my knees might not agree. One upside to riding this particular snowmobile was that it was 4-stroke, so at the end of the day I didn’t have to wash my jacket to get rid of the exhaust smell. 

Riding this snowmobile, I was thankful for the gear I put on that morning. My Divas SnowGear jacket gave me a great range of motion in the sleeves, and my Divas Super Sport TekVest kept my mind at ease in the event I went “off trail.”

In addition, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 degrees I was hoping to end the day not dripping in sweat nor freezing on the river at the start of the ride.

Divas SnowGear Craze Jacket is made of 450 Oxford Shell which felt lightweight but with enough insulation. The large inside pockets were helpful in keeping my cellphone, Driver’s License and sunglasses. With the TekVest on it made it hard to zip up the exterior pocket with my cellphone. But the inside pockets were very large. Also, the TekVest fit comfortably underneath my jacket.

While riding the trail there were several trail branches and pucker bush branches that swiped at my jacket and pant, but after examining it afterwards there were no holes or scratches. 

To keep from being covered in too many pinstripes, I chose Divas SnowGear’s Craze bib / pant in black.The faux buttons were a cute addition to the pant too!  Like the jacket, the pant kept me warm without feeling bulky. At times we rode through slush and I never felt it on my legs because of the waterproof and breathable material. When we hit the trails “mogul section”, and I hit my knees on the side panels leaving some bruises because of the rider forward positioning of the sled. A little extra padding the knees and the tush may have helped during the bouncing.

In addition to the jacket and pant, I had Divas SnowGear’s balaclava to test. This balaclava I can’t say enough about. You know those times you feel like you have gross wet fabric in front of your mouth? With this balaclava’s DIVA-TECH moisture- wicking fabric, I never had that problem. It fit comfortably and never moved around. - By Christie Green, AmSnow's Assistant Editor

Snowmobile manufacturers will introduce their 2015 models with the Manufacturers Sneak Peek tour beginning March 7th.
    Enthusiasts who attend will enjoy an up-close and personal look at the latest 2015 models from Polaris, Ski-doo, and Yamaha. All three brands will be under one roof, showcasing nearly 50 new snowmobiles along with samplings of other products including ATVs, motorcycles, side-by-sides, and personal watercraft. With so much to see, it’s the perfect opportunity for a night out with your family and riding friends.
    Most shows are free to attend, and along with the new 2015 snowmobiles, you can talk directly with factory representatives to get the inside scoop on the new models along with details on exclusive spring programs. The complete tour schedule, hours of operation, and venue details and directions can be found at www.snowsneakpeek.com.  
MIDWEST/EASTERN UNITED STATES TOUR
March 7-8 Old Forge, New York
March 10 Syracuse, New York
March 14-16 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Ski-Doo will not be represented at this event)
March 18 Grand Rapids, Michigan
March 19 Birch Run, Michigan
March 22 Boxborough, Massachusetts
March 25 Buffalo/Hamburg, New York
March 27 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
April 1 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 3 Wausau/Rothschild, Wisconsin
April 5-6 Minneapolis/Blaine, Minnesota
April 8 Fargo, North Dakota
WESTERN UNITED STATES TOUR
March 14-16 West Yellowstone, Montana
March 20-23 Jackson Hole, Wyoming
March 25 Denver, Colorado
March 29 Salt Lake City, Utah
March 31 Boise, Idaho
April 2 Puyallup, Washington
April 4 Spokane, Washington
CANADIAN TOUR
March 14-15 Quebec, Quebec
March 18-19 Kanata, Ontario
March 21-22 Laval, Quebec
March 28-29 Barrie, Ontario
April 4-5 Winnipeg, Manitoba
April 8-9 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
April 11-12 St. Albert, Alberta

Iron Dog race officials changed the race route Thursday morning as snowmobile racers left Nome for the final part of the competition, according to KTUU.

Poor ice conditions between Nome and Unalakleet has forced racers to now travel overland from Golovin to Elim. Traveling on the sea ice between Koyuk and Shaktoolik is still permitted.

Competitors were given 20 mintes to inspect their snowmobiles during the 36-hour pitstop.

Polaris cross-country snowmobile racers Mike Morgan and Chris Olds were the leaders at the midway point. Competing in the Pro class, Morgan and Olds led the field into Nome, Alaska, where the drivers enjoyed a midway banquet on Wednesday night before racing resumed Thursday, Feb. 20.

The Pros are expected to cross the finish line in Fairbanks on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Morgan and Olds arrived at the midway point in Nome 25 minutes ahead of the second-place team, meaning they would start the second half of the race with that advantage.  Morgan, 28, is from Nome and is in his fifth Iron Dog. Olds, 42, who is from Eagle River, Alaska, has run the race 12 times before this year and was on back-to-back winning teams in 2010 and 2011.

Experienced racers said conditions for this year’s 2,013-mile race were as rough as they could recall. The final leg of the first half, from Unalakleet to Nome, was reportedly as challenging as the veterans had ever seen it, with a severe lack of snow, frozen tundra tussocks, exposed rock, and broken ice slowing teams and causing significant sled damage.

Polaris racer Scott Faeo rode the final 40 miles to Nome on one ski after an aftermarket ski on his sled broke. He and all the other racers took advantage of the layover in Nome to work on their sleds.

Ten of this year's 38 teams have scratched from the race.

Photo from Iron Dog's Facebook page

BRP and the University of Lapland in Finland launched a competition for industrial design students to design a new on-snow motorized recreational product.

“This is the second time BRP has organized this competition. The success of the first edition in 2012 pushes us to deepen our cooperation with the University of Lapland. This is integral to BRP in all areas where we operate,” says Jukka Jokinen, vice-president and general manager of BRP's Finland facility.

Students are motivated to participate by the fact that BRP is a global company and they have the possibility to answer real-life research and development challenges. The winner will be awarded a four-month internship at BRP's Design and Innovation Centre in Canada where international designers develop the powersports products of tomorrow.

“The collaboration with BRP is strategic for us. The cooperation allows students to obtain important working experience and industrial design expertise. It is the best practical application for design in the Arctic Circle,” concludes Pertti Aula, industrial design teacher at the University of Lapland.

The competition officially begins in September and winners will be announced during the 2015 Arctic Design Week.

So it’s that time of year again already. The sun’s out longer, temps are starting to warm, but we’re not quite ready to be done with the sleds just yet. Are you?

If warm-weather blues have got you down, here’s a couple ideas to keep that snowmobiling blood pumping!

Head north! It’s what we love about this time of year. When the snow is already melting in the southern portion of the Snowbelt, there’s typically a few more weeks of ‘fresh’ in places like Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, northern Minnesota or Canada. Whether you’re a trail rider or boondocker, there are still plenty of places you can find to get your fix.

Of course, I realize a weekend or more out of town isn’t always a reality for folks. Try checking out what the OEM’s have coming out for 2015. The annual Manufacturers’ Sneak Peek Tour is coming to a city near you. Attendees will find more than just snowmobiles to ogle. You can check out the schedule at here or go to www.snowsneakpeek.com.

Finally, there’s still time to cheer on your favorite racers this season in several snowmobile racing disciplines. Check out the below dates for ISOC Snocross events and RMSHA Hillclimb events. There’s sure to be something in your neck of the woods!

ISOC Remaining Snocross Events
February 21-22 @ Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
March 7-8 @ Fargo, N.D.
March 14-16 @ Lake Geneva, Wis.
More info at www.isocracing.com

RMSHA Remaining Hillclimb Events
March 1-2 @ Pine Creek Ski Resort – Cokeville, Wyo.
March 8-9 @ Pinedale, Wyo.
March 20-23 Jackson Hole World Championship – Jackson Hole, Wyo.
April 4-5 @ Beaver Mountain – Logan, Utah
April 12-13 @ Crested Butte, Colo.
April 26-27 @ Grand Targhee Resort – Alta, Wyo.
More info at www.rmsha.net

Tucker Hibbert  won the Pro Open in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. with a 12-second lead over the other ISOC snocross racers on February 21.

Pro Open

After winning both his heat races in equally dominant fashion, Hibbert grabbed the holeshot. Quickly up to 3rd place was No. 2-ranked Pro Open racer, Kody Kamm. Kamm was relegated to the ninth gate pick, on account of a couple mistakes in his qualifiers, but made up for his errors in just few seconds with a start equally as strong as Hibbert’s.

Three turns into Friday’s Pro Open main event it became apparent that Hibbert and Kamm would easily separate themselves from the rest of the pack – part because Hibbert is riding so well, and part because Kamm does anything to try and beat Hibbert. So the stage was set, at least for the first few laps, for an excellent battle between the sport’s top two racers.

“I kept my eye on Kody the first few laps. He was riding really well,” said Hibbert.

The battle for the final podium spot would go to one of the better comeback stories of the year, Johan Lidman. Injured early in the season (at the Duluth, Minn. opener), Lidman was on it at Soaring Eagle, racing to a well-deserved 3rd place finish ahead of Arctic Cat racers Cody Thomsen (who at one point challenged Lidman briefly for 3rd) and Logan Christian.

Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Open results

  1 Tucker Hibbert Monster Energy/Arctic Cat 68 Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids, MN   
  2 Kody Kamm Hentges Racing 53 Polaris Kenosha, WI   
  3 Johan Lidman Warnert Racing 52 Ski-Doo Pitea, Sweden   
  4 Cody Thomsen Arctic Cat 62 Arctic Cat Nisswa, MN   
 
Pro Lite

Corin Todd, the New Yorker, pulled the holeshot over James Johnstad and ran strong through the checkers for the win.

“I got a good start and just chose the lines that I wanted,” said Todd. “The start made things a lot easier, and it capped off a great day in winning both my heat races and the final.”

Starting from the back row in 11th place was current Pro Lite class point leader Andrew Carlson. Carlson crashed while leading the opening Pro Lite heat race and was forced to come through the pack in the main – which he did – until the end of the fifth (of eight) lap when he cross-rutted and crashed after passing Trevor Leighton for 4th place. The mistake would cost Carlson some valuable points to tonight’s Pro Lite race winner Todd, who now trails Carlson by only seven points (408-401) with two weekends/four races remaining.

Running up front early with a spirited charge into 3rd place was privateer racer Matt Pichner. Pichner rode strong for a couple laps before getting passed by Leighton and Corey Watkinson.

Watkinson would get past Leighton on lap four for 3rd, while Carlson moved up to challenge Leighton for 4th. Making the pass Leighton, Carlson looked to be in contention for a podium, but got off in the rhythm section (and wound up 8th).

The white flag lap had the podium finishers all lined up and separated each by a couple seconds, Todd taking the win, Johnstad in 2nd and Watkinson in 3rd. Leighton would hold onto 4th and John Stenberg rounded out the top five.

Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Lite results

  1 Corin Todd Leighton Motorsports  136 Polaris Otego, NY   
  2 James Johnstad Judnick Motorsports 154 Polaris Beltrami, MN   
  3 Corey Watkinson Watkinson Motorsports, Arctic Cat 173 Arctic Cat Port Carling, Ontario   
  4 Trevor Leighton Leighton Motorsports 931 Polaris Eagle, ID 

Tucker Hibbert completed the weekend sweep at the ISOC race in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. on Feb. 22.

The sizable crowd braved the cold and high winds to watch the snocross races.

Pro Open
After pulling a clean holeshot, Hibbert battled bar-to-bar with sophomore Pro Open class racer Kody Kamm through the finish line table top and into the corner leading into the uphill section. Hibbert was passed  in the back bowl turn by Kamm and led around the track for the first couple laps by the hard-charging young racer.

With Kamm putting up a 54.7 lap (to Hibbert’s 55.17) on lap two, things were heating up quickly in the 12-lap contest. The situation quickly came to a boil when, on lap four, Hibbert rammed into the back end of Kamm’s sled. Both riders came away without issue, but soon thereafter Kamm would miscalculate the landing of a large tabletop jump and high-sided, rolling his sled on its side and pitching himself into the sugar-like snow.

With Kamm back up and running in 12th place, Arctic Cat’s Cody Thomsen  moved up from 3rd to 2nd and Friday Pro Open finisher Johan Lidman popped up from 4th to 3rd.
The racers spread out evenly, making up the podium the way they stood at the midway point of the race. Hentges Racing/Polaris’ Justin Broberg rode well to place 4th, followed Logan Christian in 5th.

Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Open results
1 Tucker Hibbert Monster Energy/Arctic Cat 68 Arctic Cat Pelican Rapids, MN
2 Cody Thomsen Arctic Cat 62 Arctic Cat Nisswa, MN
3 Johan Lidman Warnert Racing 52 Ski-Doo Pitea, Sweden
4 Justin Broberg Hentges Racing 168 Polaris Mukwonago, WI

Pro Lite
Andrew Lieders went from a DQ finish on Friday in the Pro Lite class to winning Saturday’s Pro Lite main event.

“This was a great group effort tonight – I’d really like to thank my entire team,” said an elated Lieders from the top rung of the podium. “Everybody had a hand in this. It’s just a great, great win.”
Starting 2nd (behind Johnstad), Lieders was never challenged after he took the early lead, running up front for seven of the eight laps and winning by nearly five seconds.

Giving chase – in the Pro Lite’s best battle of the weekend – were James Johnstad. He nailed the holeshot and took the early lead in the race before being passed by Lieders and John Stenberg. Johnstad nailed the holeshot and took the early lead in the race before being passed by Leiders at the start of the second lap. And noteworthy in the opening lap was Friday’s Pro Lite winner, Corin Todd (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris), got tied up with Michael George (MFG Racing/Arctic Cat) and went down. Todd would remount in second-to-last place and ran the remainder of the Pro Lite main without a seat (finishing 10th).

With Lieders cracking off the night’s fastest Pro Lite laps, Johnstad and Stenberg settled in to 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Pro Lite overall point leader, Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports/Polaris) would move up to 4th place and set his site on the podium – his overall point lead down to a mere seven after Todd won on Friday and Carlson finished 8th.

By lap six Lieders had opened up a 3.5-second lead, while Trevor Leighton (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) rallied back from a poor start and came out of nowhere to pass Carlson for 4th place. At the same time Stenberg got past Johnstad to take 2nd place.

With Lieders pretty much checked out, the fans’ focus turned to Stenberg and Johnstad, who swapped the lead back and forth on the final lap. Stenberg would edge Johnstad at the tape while Leighton placed 4th and Zak Mason (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) caught Carlson for 5th.

“He passed me, I passed him – yeah, we had a battle out there,” said Stenberg.

Mt. Pleasant Friday Pro Lite results
1 Andrew Lieders Team LaVallee 857 Polaris Colby, WI
2 John Stenberg Team Bauerly Racing 259 Ski-Doo Lofsdalen, Sweden
3 James Johnstad Judnick Motorsports 154 Polaris Beltrami, MN
4 Trevor Leighton Leighton Motorsports 931 Polaris Eagle, ID

Aaron Christensen won the Pro Stock race at USXC's Park Rapids, Minn. event that took place Feb. 22-23.

There were two separate race courses over the two day event. Saturday, racers faced a mix of ditches, woods, and lake running. Sunday, a continuous 106 mile route began with high speed ditch banging, followed by racers snaking through about 80 miles of forest trails, with lake and ditch running returning riders to the finish line.

Almost the entire route was groomed prior to the race, so while speeds were high, driving skill had to be higher. Racers had to get through Saturday, however, where the woods running, especially, was a technical challenge with holes so deep you could hide a sled. The weather was race-perfect, with abundant sunshine providing good definition for riders and temps, though chilly, kept riders from getting overheated.
Aaron Christensen led on day one. The lead racers acrobatically busted road crossings at an amazing pace, putting on a show for the roadside spectators. Right behind Christensen, Ross Erdman.

“I’ve just gotten more and more comfortable on the sled this year,” Erdman said. “This is getting fun again!”

In the Semi Pro class, Timmy Kallock (Cat) topped the rest of the field, while the Drift Racing Super Stock class has been owned by Ski-Doo that last couple of weekends, with Robert Nichols and Nick Roehl grabbing the top two spots.

Day two of competition proved Christensen’s day one performance was no fluke. Looking for a breakthrough weekend, Christensen worked hard for a 32 second victory over Herfindahl in the Pro Stock class.

As for the Semi-Pros, only about 5 seconds separated Cole Nymann (Cat) and Casey Pries (Cat) for the first and second spots. Nick Roehl ended up capturing the top spot in Super Stock, closing out Ski-Doo’s perfect weekend in the class.

Race results:

Yamaha Pro Stock: Aaron Christensen (Pol); Speedwerx Pro Open: Aaron Christensen (Pol); Semi Pro: Cole Nymann (Cat); AMSOILSemi Pro Improved: Casey Pries (Cat); Drift Racing Super Stock: Nick Roehl (Doo); Polaris Expert 85: Gerard Reinking (Cat); FOX Expert 85 Improved: John Langaas (Cat); Ski-Doo Masters 40+: Jon Arneson (Cat); Red Lake Outdoors Legends 50+: Jim Sobeck (Doo); Carver Performance Sport 85: Hunter Houle (Cat); Woody’s Sport 600 Stock: Austin Reinertson (Pol); Action Graphics Sport 600 Improved: Chase Nordstrom (Cat); C&A Pro Trail: Thomas Junglen (Cat); TEAM Industries Classic IFS 18-50: Tom Clement (Cat); On Snow Magazine Women’s: Jolene Bute (Cat); Mattracks Junior 14-17: Thomas Junglen (Cat); Applied High Performance Products Junior Girls 14-17: Savannah Landrus (Cat).

Polaris racers Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad won the 2,031 mile Iron Dog cross-country snowmobile race across Alaska on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Minnick and Olstad crossed the finish line at 12:09 pm. Second place team, Marc McKenna and Dusty VanMeter, came into Fairbanks at 12:31 pm.  McKenna and Vanmeter had previously won the 2012 and 2013 Iron Dog races.

The team of Mike Morgan and Chris Olds finished third, also on Polaris 600 Switchback PRO-R snowmobiles, to join the winners on the podium at the finish line in Fairbanks.

The win was the second Iron Dog victory on Polaris sleds for the team of Minnick and Olstad, who won together in 2009. Olstad was also on the winning team in 2005. Minnick, 34, and Olstad, 31, are both from Wasilla, Alaska. Minnick was racing in his 12th Iron Dog, while Olstad was racing in his 10th Iron Dog.

Morgan and Olds were the race leaders at the midway point, and Minnick and Olstad arrived in Nome in third place. Minnick and Olstad proceeded to set an incredibly fast pace and ran trouble-free over the second half of the race to earn the victory.

Mike Morgan and Chris Olds came into the Nome stop in first place, but a worn out track cost them 10 hours in Galena on Friday.

Upon reaching Nome, the mid-point of the race, teams were allowed to service their sleds, but Minnick and Olstad had little to do.

“The only things we did was tighten chains, tighten tracks and change carbides. Some teams on other [brands of] sleds had to change their carbides several times, but we were able to maintain ours for half the race. So at Nome, we just gave the sleds a spit shine and sent them back out,” he laughed. “That was about all we did.”

Minnick said race conditions were as rough as most Iron Dog observers had ever seen. “There was zero snow for the most part,” he said. “It was dirt, rocks, water, you name it – definitely the most grueling Iron Dog to date. Very marginal snow conditions.”

Plus, racers had to traverse mile upon mile of frozen tussocks, large tufts of grass that, when frozen, can resemble boulder fields.

“It was hundreds of miles of straight dirt, ice, and tussocks,” Minnick said. “I don’t think there’s anything worse than tussocks, just frozen hard. Honestly, you could be going 10 miles an hour and you’re out of control, just waiting to get cartwheeled off your sled, which happened to some guys.”

Minnick said he and Olstad plan to return for the 2015 Iron Dog on Polaris snowmobiles.

I’m not typically one to get cold on a sled, but there’s one piece of equipment I’m very glad I own.

In all the years I’ve snowmobiled, only my feet have really ever gotten cold. I’ve owned dozens of pairs of boots, and I can honestly say I found my favorite this year. The Team BOA Focus Boot is the perfect combination of warmth and comfort for me.

I hate the bulky feeling in my feet of wearing multiple socks. As a snowmobiler, I just had to accept it as a fact of life. Not anymore with these boots. They are incredibly warm, yet allow your feet to breath. I don’t need to wear more than one thin sock in any weather.

What has been most impressive to me about these boots is the traction you have. They’re specifically engineered to resist snow build-up and the outsole is formed such that you have traction going both uphill and downhill.

I put this claim to the test last week while riding our Polaris Indy 800. I don’t really have any complaints about this sled other than the running boards. I don’t think they’ve changed in my lifetime. Snow collects in them like bees to an abandoned Coke can. We put on more than 100 miles through winding river runs, tight turns and big bumps without any slipping. I found you even have great traction when digging a sled out of the ‘prickers!’

What more could you ask for in a boot besides warmth, comfort and stability? I know they’re spendy, but in my opinion, they’re worth every penny!

-Ross Halvorson, AmSnow's Associate Editor

Pro 600                
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    11    Heath Bell    Arctic Cat    Gray, ME       
2    711    Robin Deschesnes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
3    407    Brent Kempton    Arctic Cat    Ripley, ON       
4    55    Kenny Murphy    Ski Doo    Constantia, NY       
5    12j    Josh Gessinger    Arctic Cat    Fultonville, NY       
6    327    Mark Paaso    Polaris    Fultonville, NY    

Pro Open          
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    11    Heath Bell    Arctic Cat    Gray, ME       
2    55    Kenny Murphy    Ski Doo    Constantia, NY       
3    711    Robin Deschesnes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
4    12J    Josh Gessinger    Arctic Cat    Fultonville, NY       
5    19    Erik Frigon (DNF)    Yamaha    Pownal, ME       
                    
                    
Semi Pro 600       
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    55    Eric Stoddard    Arctic Cat    Portland, ME       
2    22    Kent Coreen    Ski Doo    Labrador City, NL       
3    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC       
4    14    Lyle Kares    Ski Doo    Hellertown, PA       
5    222    Jordan Taylor (DNF)    Ski Doo    Norridgewock, ME    


Semi Pro Improved      
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    407    Brent Kempton    Arctic Cat    Ripley, ON       
2    222    Jordan Taylor    Ski Doo    Norridgewock, ME       
3    22    Kent Coreen    Ski Doo    Labrador City, NL       
4    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC       
5    55    Eric Stoddard    Arctic Cat    Portland, ME    


Vet 30          
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    711    Robin Deschenes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
2    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC       
3    14    Lyle Kares    Ski Doo    Hellertown, PA       
4    802    Michael Ewaschuk    Yamaha    Vershire, VT    

Polaris Masters 40              
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    081    Matt Roop    Polaris    Rangeley, ME       
2    742    Will Hardie Jr.    Yamaha    Lyndonville, VT       
3    143    Barry Delphia    Ski Doo    Brandon, VT       
4    122    Bruce Daigle    Ski Doo    Coventry, CT       
5    921    Bill Hester    Arctic Cat    Enfield, NH    


Legends 50        
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    87    Mark Rossmeisl    SkiDoo    Franklin, MA    

Sport 600             
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    123    Hunter Wilbur    Arctic Cat    Prospect, ME       
2    11    Whitney Covill    Ski Doo    Pittsburg, NH       
3    081    Matt Roop    Polaris    Rangeley, ME       
4    802    Michael Ewaschuk    Yamaha    Vershire, VT       
5    1    Patrick Gorham    Ski Doo    Greene, ME       
6    742    Will Hardie Jr.    Yamaha    Lyndonville, VT       
7    13X    Dustin Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME       
8    116    Shawn Donahue    Arctic Cat    Litchfield, NH    

Sport 600 Improved      
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    123    Hunter Wilbur    Arctic Cat    Prospect, ME       
2    11    Whitney Covill    Ski Doo    Pittsburg, NH       
3    45    Sam Heckman    Arctic Cat    Ellsworth, ME       
4    13X    Dustin Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME       
                    

Trail
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    45    Sam Heckman    Arctic Cat    Ellsworth, ME       
2    049    Shawn Sullivan    Arctic Cat    Tilton, NH       
3    13X    Dustin Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME    

Trail 800
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    212    Vic Barr    Yamaha    Lisbon Falls, ME    

Womens
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    13X    Amanda Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME    


Junior 10-13
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    289    Connor Donahue    Arctic Cat    Litchfield, NH    

Junior 14-17
 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    19    Ben Humphrey    Yamaha    Pownal, ME       
2    716    Shane Donahue    Arctic Cat    Litchfield, NH    

February 15, 2014
Fort Kent Cross Country Challenge

Pro 600  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    711    Robin Deschesnes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
2    12J    Josh Gessinger    Arctic Cat    Fultonville, NY       
3    321    Joe Pelletier    Ski Doo    Fort Kent, ME       
4    13    Alex Daigle    Polaris    Madawaska, ME    

Pro Open 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    711    Robin Deschesnes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
2    12J    Josh Gessinger    Arctic Cat    Fultonville, NY       
3    321    Joe Pelletier    Ski Doo    Fort Kent, ME       
4    19     Erik Frigon    Yamaha    Pownal, ME    

Semi Pro 600  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC       
3    222    Jordan Taylor    Ski Doo    Norridgewock, ME       
5    55    Eric Stoddard    Arctic Cat    Portland, ME    

Semi Pro Improved  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    55    Eric Stoddard    Arctic Cat    Portland, ME       
2    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC       
3    222    Jordan Taylor (DNF)    Ski Doo    Norridgewock, ME    

Vet 30 
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    711    Robin Deschenes    Arctic Cat    St. Alexandre, QC       
2    802    Michael Ewaschuk    Yamaha    Vershire, VT       
3    13    Alex Daigle    Polaris    Madawaska, ME       
4    668    Fred Gagne    Arctic Cat    Lac Etchmin, QC    

Masters 40  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    910    Dana Thibeault    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
2    081    Matt Roop    Polaris    Rangeley, ME       
3    122     Bruce Daigle    Ski Doo    Coventry, CT       
4    143    Barry Delphia    Ski Doo    Brandon, VT    

Legends 50  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    87    Mark Rossmeisl    SkiDoo    Franklin, MA    

Sport 600  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    11    Whitney Covill    Ski Doo    Pittsburg, NH       
2    123    Hunter Wilbur    Arctic Cat    Prospect, ME       
3    910    Dana Thibeault    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
4    081    Matt Roop    Polaris    Rangeley, ME       
5    802    Michael Ewaschuk    Yamaha    Vershire, VT       
6    143    Barry Delphia    Ski Doo    Brandon, VT    

Sport 600 Improved  
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    11    Whitney Covill    Ski Doo    Pittsburg, NH       
2    123    Hunter Wilbur    Arctic Cat    Prospect, ME       
3    45    Sam Heckman    Arctic Cat    Ellsworth, ME       
4    13X    Dustin Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME       
5    113    Nick Corriveau    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME    

Expert 85
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    321    Joe Pelletier    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
2    910    Dana Thibeault    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
3    19    Ben Humphrey    Yamaha    Pownal, ME    

Trail
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    081    Matt Roop    Polaris    Rangeley, ME       
2    45    Sam Heckman    Arctic Cat    Plaistow, NH       
3    162    Tyler Corriveau    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
4    122    Bruce Daigle    Polaris    Coventry, CT       
5    13X    Dustin Gallant (DNF)    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME    

Trail 800
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    30    Tom Smith    Arctic Cat    New Canada, ME       
2    122    Bruce Daigle    Polaris    Coventry, CT    

Womens
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    13X    Amanda Gallant    Arctic Cat    Trenton, ME       
2    910    Michelle Radloff    Arctic Cat    Fort Kent, ME       
3    2    Vanesa Pelletier    Yamaha    Fort Kent, ME       
4    17    Penelope Gray (DNF)    Polaris    Rangelely, ME    

Vintage
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    2    Vanessa Pelletier    Yamaha    Fort Kent, ME    

Junior 14-17
Pos    Number    Name    Brand    From       
1    19    Ben Humphrey    Yamaha    Pownal, ME       
2    2    Vanessa Pelletier    Yamaha    Fort Kent, ME    

The Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Racing fourth race of the season will take place this week in Alpine, Wyo.

A parade and fireworks display will kickoff the races.

The action on the track will kick-off Friday evening with an exciting “Winner Takes All” Vintage Outlaw Oval race under the lights.  The $500 prize for this race makes this an event you don’t want to miss!  Rider registration and check-in will be held from 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the Flying Saddle Resort. 

Racers will compete in SnoCross and SnoOval Races on Saturday with a Pro Class added to the SnoCross lineup.  Long Track SnoCross riders will have a chance to win an extra $1000 purse on top of the 80% rider entry payback.  Pro and Pro-Lite SnoCross classes will additionally feature a $500 purse for each class in addition to the rider entry payback.  X-Game Freestyle Exhibitions will also be going on throughout the day, which is a must see event for both spectators and racers!  The action will continue on Sunday with the HillCross and SnoDrag events.  All four disciplines offer classes for all levels of racers.   

For more information regarding sponsorship opportunities, race registration or information regarding lodging and award ceremony locations, please see www.RMSRracing.com.   Online registration at www.RMSRracing.com is due by midnight on Wednesday, February 26, 2014.