Hibbert Earns Sweep at Pirtek Snocross National

The AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series made its way to Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. this past weekend for the first race of the new year – the Pirtek Snocross National. Tucker Hibbert started the new year off right with a clean sweep of the Pro Open main events to build a sizeable lead in the championship standings.

Friday Pro Open

In Friday night’s Pro Open main event, Hibbert got off to a quick start and earned the Stud Boy Holeshot and went bar-to-bar with Logan Christian down the front stretch. Hibbert was able to break free build a lead, which he kept until the checkers.

“I was very happy with my riding tonight.” said Hibbert, “We regrouped after the first two rounds of racing and made the changes we needed to make coming into tonight.” said Hibbert.

Adam Renheim battled past Petter Narsa for third place about halfway through the race and set his sights on Christian. Both Renheim and Narsa got past Christian when the Arctic Cat pilot landed on the downside of the AMSOIL finish line jump and came off his sled. Christian was able to regroup and finished fourth, behind Renheim in second and Christian in third. Tim Tremblay, who found himself completely off the track at one point, fought his way back to a fifth place finish.

Saturday Pro Open

The Pros took to the field again on Saturday night and were met with frigid temperatures and a big crowd of fans.

After sweeping both heats leading to Friday’s Pro Open  Final, Hibbert took the long route on Saturday after some trouble in the second heat put Hibbert in the LCQ, where he took first and moved on to the final.

Narsa shot out to an early lead in the final to claim the Stud Boy Holeshot, but was quickly overtaken by Hentges Racing teammate Kody Kamm. Hibbert, who started in the back row, worked his way to mid-pack by the end of the first lap and was all the way up to fourth place by lap three. Hibbert worked his way past Lincoln Lemieux for third place and set his sights on the two Hentges Racing riders.

Hibbert and Narsa battled for a few laps, before Hibbert took over second place with six laps remaining. Kamm was holding his lead with a few laps remaining, but after landing a double on the edge of the track he went off-course and was sent flying over the bars, handing the lead to Hibbert.

Hibbert held off Narsa to claim first place, while Narsa took second and was followed by Lemieux in third. Christian and John Stenbert completed the top five.

Pro Open Standings

1 – Tucker Hibbert (Arctic Cat) – 267

2 – Kody Kamm (Polaris) – 235

3 – Tim Tremblay (Ski-Doo) – 229

4 – Adam Renheim (Ski-Doo) – 216

5 – Petter Narsa (Polaris) – 214

6 – Kyle Pallin (Polaris) – 189

7 – Lincoln Lemieux (Ski-Doo) – 188

8 – Corid Todd (Polaris) – 179

9 – Logan Christian (Arctic Cat) – 170

10 – John Stenberg (Ski-Doo) – 169

Pro Lite

In Friday’s Pro Lite main final, Jake Angove claimed the Stud Boy Holeshot after a close battle out of the gate. Angove got out to an early lead followed by Elias Ishoel and Travis Kern falling into the third spot.

Ishoel ran into trouble on the second lap rhythm section when his sled stopped dead, leaving Kern to take over second place. At the halfway point, Kern closed the gap on Angove, while Kevin Wallenstein was starting to make his move in on Kern for a great battle for second. As the laps came closer to the checkers, Angove continued to hold the lead and go on for the his first ever Pro Lite win of the 2015-2016 Season followed by Kern and Wallenstein rounding up the top three.

Saturday’s Pro Lite final saw Daniel Benham take the Stud Boy Holeshot with James Johnstad tight on his heels over the AMSOIL Finish Line. Coming into the Polaris Turn on lap one, Kevin Wallenstein, Kern and Maxime Taillefer all got  tangled up going for the same line with Kern and Taillefer both going down. Ishoel was sitting in fourth place in pursuit of Montana Jess. With the battle for second heating up half way through, Johnstad, Jess and Elias Ishoel were all fighting bar-to-bar. Jess made the move over Johnstad, followed by Ishoel moving into third and quickly making a hard charge into second.

Ishoel was on a rail and made a big aggressive pass in the FXR Turn to take the reins and move into the lead, but it is short lived as Ishoel got out of shape through the back stretch and off the track, slid back onto the track behind Benham and then went down in the Ski-Doo Corner. Back up front it is Benham followed by Jess and moving into third is Cole Cottew and that is how they would finish.

Pro Lite Standings

1 – Montana Jess (Arctic Cat) – 212

2 – Kevin Wallenstein (Ski-Doo) – 190

3 – Daniel Benham (Arctic Cat) – 182

4 – Jake Angove (Polaris) – 175

5 – Travis Kern (Arctic Cat) – 174

6 – Maxime Taillefer (Ski-Doo) – 172

7 – James Johnstad (Polaris) – 168

8 – Zak Mason (Polaris) – 152

9 – Cole Cottew (Polaris) – 130

10 – Elias Ishoel (Ski-Doo) – 127