The USXC Cross Country Racing circuit moves on to Willmar, MN January 18, for round three of competition. This race marks the final all-ice race of the season as the circuit transitions to terrain racing in two weeks. Point battles also start to become more heated, especially in the Yamaha Pro Stock and Speedwerx Pro Open classes.
Most of the pressure in the top classes isn’t necessarily on the leaders, though. Christian Brother’s Zach Herfindahl (Cat) has a fairly comfortable lead in pro stock, but second place rider Wes Selby (Cat) and Gabe Bunke (Pol) are only separated by six points. The same close margins exist for the Pro Open runners-up, where Selby sits in third place only two points behind Ryan Faust (Pol). Vet Gabe Bunke finds himself with a comfortable lead in Pro Open, as long as he can maintain the consistent riding he has displayed so far through two rounds.
Anyone paying attention has, no-doubt, picked up on the fact that Bunke has come ready to compete this year. Even though the long-time Polaris pilot is racing against much younger competition, he has shown a wily edge on the ice that’s been entertaining to watch. “I’ve been doing a lot of testing on the ice and I think it’s paid off,” Bunke said. Bunke certainly has an ulterior motive in spending so much time prepping for the ice, with the Soo-500 endurance race only a few weeks away. Bunke and his team won last year’s Soo event and would certainly like a repeat performance.
In the Riders to Watch category, Brian Dick (Cat) is certainly an interesting story. Riding like a man possessed in Detroit Lakes, he managed to charge all the way from the back to take the lead and the win in Pro Stock. With the troubles he experienced in round one at Pine Lake leading to a DNF, Dick has some serious ground to make up. The big win, however, puts Dick right in the middle of the points pack with six races, including the Seven Clans Casinos I-500, left to run. Dick is banking on the fact that, in cross country racing, anything can happen.
The Willmar Area Lakes 100 will again be setup as a 10 mile lake course, arranged lemans-style, on Foot Lake right in the middle of Willmar, MN. Helping to put on the event are McDonald’s, Willmar Forklift, Baker Graphics, Dahlberg Boot & Trailer Sales, Spicer Sports & Marine, Country Stop, Days Inn, Holiday Inn/Express, and Country Inn and Suites.
Following the Willmar Area Lakes 100 is the Oslo 100, January 25, in Oslo, MN, the first terrain race of the year on the USXC circuit.
The Current USXC Point Leaders:
Yamaha Pro Stock: Zach Herfindahl (Cat); Speedwerx Pro Open: Gabe Bunke (Pol); Semi Pro: Casey Pries (Cat); AMSOIL Semi Pro Improved: Casey Pries (Cat); Drift Racing Super Stock: John Koch (Cat); Polaris Expert 85: Brad Cierzan (Doo); FOX Expert 85 Improved: Brad Cierzan (Doo); Ski-Doo Masters 40+: Corey Davidson (Yam); Action Graphics Sport 600 Improved: Dylan Parsons; Red Lake Outdoors Legends 50+: Erik Nymann (Cat); Carver Performance Sport 85: Ryan Weidemann (Cat); Woody’s Sport 600 Stock: Dylan Parsons; C&A Pro Trail: Kevin Tinjum (Cat); FLY Racing Vintage: Brett Lessman (Yam); Arctic Cat Vintage Legends 50+: Gary Tintes (Cat); TEAM Industries Classic IFS 18-50: Brad Naplin (Cat); On Snow Magazine Women’s: Jolene Bute (Cat); Seven Clans Casinos Junior 10-13: David Brown (Cat); Mattracks Junior 14-17: Mason Kallock (Cat); Applied High Performance Products Junior Girls 14-17: Kelsey Pladson (Pol).
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Zach Herfindahl goes into USXC Willmar in the lead
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