Tucker Hibbert clinches Pro Snocross championships

After sweeping the Pro classes in the first three events of this season’s Amsoil Championship Snocross Series it looked like Monster Energy/Arctic Cat rider Tucker Hibbert was a lock to win the Pro Open and Pro Super Stock championships. He managed to do just that at this weekend’s Grand Finale in Lake Geneva, Wis., but it certainly didn’t come as easy as many thought it would.

As the season wore on Jack Link’s/AMSOIL/Polaris pilot Ross Martin started to pick up wins and put Hibbert’s title hopes in jeopardy. Hibbert, however, rebounded with a sweep of the Pro classes at the season’s penultimate round. He took a nearly insurmountable lead into the Grand Finale and managed to secure both Pro championships.

Tucker Hibbert wrapped up both Pro titles at the season finale.

In Saturday’s Pro Super Stock main event Foremost Insurance/Warnert Racing/Ski-Doo rider Tim Tremblay put himself near the front of the pack early and survived a crash filled race that saw both Martin and Hibbert both suffer massive dismounts during the 12 laps. Dan Ebert (Arctic Cat) led the opening five laps before Tremblay moved to the front. But Ebert held on for his best finish of the season in second.

Brett Bender (Polaris) and Martin both looked impressive early, before Martin crashed out at the bottom of the second downhill and retired from the event.  Bender would also tail off before having bigger issues. Hibbert, who wrapped up the season championship merely by taking the start in the main, moved his sled into third spot and was hounding Ebert when his sled got away from him at the top of the second downhill. The bobble dropped him back as far as seventh, but the champ was able to remount and make his way back to fifth.

Tremblay and Ebert finally enjoyed the view from the top two tiers of the box, while steady Garth Kauffman (Arctic Cat) brought home the third for Christian Brother Racing. Matt Piche (Polaris) had his best ride of the season scoring a fourth.

Tim Tremblay finished the season on a high note with a Pro Suepr Stock win.

Martin rebounded from his crash in the Pro Super Stock finale by coming up big in Sunday’s Pro Open. The Polaris rider won both heat races and ran away with the AMSOIL Pro Open final in front of his hometown fans.

Martin was able to gain one point on Hibbert in the qualifying rounds, but the Arctic Cat superstar had all but sewn up the title by taking the start in the main. Martin didn’t let that knowledge hold him back as he left little doubt that he is capable of besting the champ on any given day.

Ross Martin crosses the finish line first in the Pro Open final.

Tremblay finished his season in grand style as well, following up his Pro Super Stock with a runner up spot in the Pro Open main. Tremblay’s performance aboard his Ski-Doo cemented his number three overall position in the season points ahead of Robbie Malinoski who grabbed the number three spot in the main on his AMSOIL/Air Force/Ski-Doo.

For Hibbert, a steady ride over a demanding course in a mid-summer like downpour of rain was all that was necessary to secure his second championship in as many days. The newly crowned champ admitted that he had struggled a bit in the second half of the season and that all three riders in front of him on the box today had stepped up their games.

Thomsen Sweeps Air Force Semi Pro Super Stock

Cody Thomsen was the man to beat in Semi Pro this season.

Cody Thomsen had a couple of less than perfect rides as the tour entered the home stretch, but he finished the season in the same dominating fashion that he used to mount an early lead in the championship. Thomsen guided his Russ Ebert prepared Arctic Cat to a wire-to-wire win over championship contender Mike Bauer (Polaris) who took second and Kody Kamm (Polaris) who took home the third place.

For Bauer, the finish locked in the number two spot in the championship ahead of Kyle Pallin (Arctic Cat). Pallin and Darrin Mees (Ski-Doo) have been engaged in a battle for the number three spot overall that went right down to the last day. Mees got off to a bad start back in the tenth position and despite working his way up to fifth, fell short in his bid to overtake Pallin.