MINNEAPOLIS (March 11, 2009) – Nearly an entire season has unfolded during the inaugural AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, yet the most important race of the year remains as racers battle for the biggest prize of them all – a year end championship. When the factory teams and standout independents set-up shop along the hills of Lake Geneva, March 20-22, many will face the biggest race of their career as every lap, of every race will have an impact on the year-end final standings.
    Perhaps nowhere is that pressure cooker atmosphere more apparent than in the Pro Super Stock field, where Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat) and Levi LaVallee (Polaris) enter the weekend in a tie for the year-end crown. With a total of 195 points each, every race will matter, and with Ryan Simons (Arctic Cat) close on their heels just 10 points back, its anybody’s title to win.
    “It should be an exciting weekend,” said Bob Coffin, Race Director for the International Series of Champions (ISOC). “With our scoring system, a racer has the opportunity to capture as many as 37 points in a weekend, that’s if they win both their heat race and the final. With the points so tight, one bobble or mechanical issue can ruin their chances. It puts a lot of pressure on not just the racer, but the entire crew to perform.”
    In Pro Open, the chase is not as tight, but the top five are still in the hunt mathematically speaking. Polaris rider TJ Gulla sits atop the pack with 198 points, just 13 points ahead of his teammate Levi LaVallee and 25 points in front of first year pro Brett Bender (Polaris). Close behind are Brett Turcotte (Arctic Cat) and Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat).
    In Pro Women, the margin is relatively comfortable for Soldonta, Alaska racer Carly Davis (Arctic Cat) with 209 points. She sits ahead of JC Hupe – 188 points (Arctic Cat) and April Moritz – 169 points (Arctic Cat).   

Davis, Tremblay, Ebert and LePage Face-Off for Semi Pro Crowns
Equally exciting and tension filled is the race for the Semi Pro year-end championships. Here the cream of the crop have been trading wins and podium positions all season long and the close point race atop both the Open and Super Stock standings is evidence of this.
    In Semi Pro Open, Quebec hot-shoe Tim Tremblay (Ski-doo) holds a slim 11-point margin over Minnesota native Bobby LePage (Polaris). Close behind them just 15 points out is Dan Ebert (Arctic Cat) and on his tail is Swedish sensation Christian Salemark (Arctic Cat) with only a 20-point deficit.  
    “The racing action in the Semi Pro ranks has probably been some of the most closely contested and competitive of the season,” said ISOC Owner John Daniels. “Every week someone new steps up to take the win, and just when you think someone is going to break out from the pack to establish themselves, a crash, mechanical or fresh face comes on strong to change it up again. Lake Geneva will be interesting to say the least.”
    Such change was evident during the previous AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series race in Hayward, Wisconsin in the Semi Pro Super Stock final. Both Cory Davis (Arctic Cat) and Ebert encountered trouble on the track and finished deep in the field, while Tremblay and Salemark capitalized. A look at the point standings in Semi Pro Super Stock shows Davis with a slim 4-point margin over Tim Tremblay, with Ebert (31 points back) and Salemark (47 points back).   

Hentges Racing Leads Woody’s Team Challenge
Year-end supremacy is more than an individual effort on the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series tour. Every member of a national race team must bring their A-game in order to not only win but to simply compete. This reality is what prompted the ISOC crew along with help from Woody’s Traction Products to implement the Woody’s Team Challenge. The Team Challenge is designed to reward the best performing “team” for both the race weekend and the season, and with one race remaining there remains $25,000 up for grabs as part of the year-end payout with $10,000 going to the winning team.
    Currently the Hentges Racing effort which fields such riders at Brett Bender, Bobby LePage and TJ Gulla is leading the pack with 801 points, but with points awarded in both Pro and Semi Pro classes, they can add up quickly and teams trailing Hentges such as Christian Brothers Racing and HC Racing are still in the hunt for the $10,000 top prize.

 

 

(Pat Bourgeois, ISOC Report #20, March 2009)

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Warm temperatures earlier in the week, followed by a freeze turned the already technical track at the Hayward 300 into one of the toughest challenges of the season as the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series nears the end of the season. A huge crowd was on hand for Saturday’s main event, and the finals didn’t disappoint as restarts and crashes played a roll as the year-end championship point battle tightens.

Semi-Pro Open proved to be the race of the day, as multiple crashes and a mid-race accident characterized the outcome. Dan Ebert (Arctic Cat) entered the race as the number one qualifier, followed by Paul Bauerly (Ski-doo) and Darrin Mees (Ski-doo). While Ebert grabbed the immediate lead, he soon began to fade and Paul Bauerly went to the front of the pack with Darrin Mees in second.

By mid-race it looked as if it was Bauerly’s race to win, but then the tide turned quickly as Paul crashed in a rutted turn and Darrin Mees slammed into him with a viscous “t-bone”. That opened the door for then third place rider Tim Tremblay (Ski-doo) from Ste Jeanne D’Arc, Quebec. Tremblay had come oh-so-close to capturing his first National podium several times earlier in the season, and now the opportunity was upon him to capitalize. And capitalize he did with Dan Ebert following and the Swedish talent of Christian Salemark (Arctic Cat) in third as they crossed the line.

TJ Gulla Wins in Pro Super Stock; Kaufman Unable to Hunt Him Down

When the top guns on the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series came to the line for the final race of the day, it was veteran rider Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat) who held the number one qualifying position with TJ Gulla having the second pick at the line. However the start of the race was marred with a red-flag incident, which saw DJ Eckstrom (Polaris) unable to continue for the day due to a damaged race sled. 

At the green for the second go-around, it was Gulla who shot out for the early lead, and one he would not relinquish. Following the Vermont rider was Kaufman in second and Shaun Crapo (Polaris) in third. Further back, the point leader coming into the race, Levi LaVallee (Polaris), found himself mid-pack and dealing with a swarm of riders. Up front, Kaufman made several runs at Gulla but was unable to complete a pass. Crapo held fast to the third place position, and crossed the line 2-seconds behind Kaufman. 

More importantly, the year-end point battle tightened dramatically when Levi was forced to pull of the track on lap 8 as his front suspension gave way. That put Kaufman in a dead tie with LaVallee for the year-end championship with one race to go. Just ten points behind them is Ryan Simons (Arctic Cat) and only one point behind Simons is Gulla. This spells a dual of epic proportions as the season concludes in Lake Geneva, March 20-22 with the Nielsen’s Grand Finale.

For complete results visit HERE.

(Pat Bourgeois, ISOC Report #18, March, 2009)

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Participants log on to www.teambossracing.com after each snocross event where Ski-Doo/BOSS Racing competes. After creating a log-in ID, participants will be asked a series of challenging questions. Upon answering these questions correctly participants will then be qualified to enter the next round.

A winner will be announced during the Grand Geneva Finals in Lake Geneva, March 20-22nd, 2009.

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Valcourt, Quebec (February 21, 2009) – A cloudy sky and snow flurries characterized the early hours of the Saturday program of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series at the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt, in the Eastern Townships of Québec. In the opening morning practice session, Levi LaVallee (Polaris) showed his colors by recording the fastest time, ahead of Ryan Simons (Arctic Cat), Brett Bender (Polaris), TJ Gulla (Polaris) and Robbie Malinoski (Ski-doo).

With several drivers from the SCM, CSRA and Rock Maple circuits attending the event, a total of 62 entries were tallied for the two-featured races of the day, Semi-Pro Open and Pro Super Stock.

The Semi-Pro Open First Round produced at least one surprise, as Darrin Mees (Ski-doo) from Setanket, New York held off Dan Ebert (Arctic Cat) in the first round of qualifying. In other qualifying action, Bobby LePage (Polaris) won his flight; Tim Tremblay (Ski-doo) crossed the line first in front of his home crowd with a strong lead over Ryan Carey (Polaris); and the Swedish sensation Christian Salemark won his qualifier handily.

The Pro Super Stock first round followed without delay as bright sun was finally shining over Valcourt and its circuit Yvon Duhamel. Shaun Crapo (Polaris) took instantly the lead in the first heat, ahead of Brett Turcotte (Arctic Cat) and Bobby LePage (Polaris); T.J. Gulla and Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat) led the second heat with Malinoski as a distant third.  Ryan Simons went quickly off the block and took the lead of the third heat followed by Levi LaVallee. Behind them, an interesting battle took shape involving Brett Bender, Dave Allard (Ski-doo) and Dave Asselin, the leader of the Québec circuit. Bender broke halfway into the race and Asselin move to third keeping behind fellow Quebecer and ISOC regular Allard.

The long and fast Valcourt track didn’t produced any major battles during the qualifying rounds, despite its character of several tight corners, but would retribute the spectators later in the day. Morning flurries and clouds gave way to sunshine when the Pro Super Stock final drew to the line. At the green, Ryan Simons bolted out of the gate and quickly established himself as a strong leader after the first corner and through the long washboard section. On his heels, T.J Gulla rode a determined race all they way to the checkered but could not overtake Simons. LaVallee finished as a distant third.

“It was a fun race,” said the Albertan Simons after the race. “I love to battle with TJ and I could feel he was right behind me the entire race. He gained ground on me in the corners but Arctic Cat was wicked fast in the straight sections and it was well suited for this track.” The win for Simons was his first at Valcourt since he first raced there in 2003.

The Semi Pro Open scheduled for the end of the program was also a spectacular final animated mainly by local star Tim Tremblay. The Ski-Doo driver left the gate just behind eventual winner Bobby LePage and never let him breath a second. Tremblay came close to pass the leader on at least four occasions, but was unable to make it stick. At mid-race, the challenger tangled with LePage and was forced off the track. Tremblay however, managed to get back on track keeping his second place position and one again put the head on LePage.

“I really wished to win. But I’m feeling good about tomorrow and I’m confident the Super Stock final will be mine”, said a confident Tremblay who despite LePage’s win took the lead in the Semi-Pro Open year-end standings.

Special Thanks to Normand Prieur for submitting this report.

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Farmington, New York (February 15, 2009) – There was a fire brewing Sunday afternoon as the Pro Open final field came to the line for the showcase race of the Arctic Cat Eastern Nationals at the Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack facility. But there was no smoke, just a burning desire for redemption by TJ Gulla (Polaris) from a self-inflicted mistake the evening prior in the Pro Super Stock final that cost him the win.

Coming to the line as the third best qualifier of the day, behind teammates Levi LaVallee (Polaris) and top qualifier Brett Bender (Polaris), TJ squared up for the green near the inside adjacent to his National Guard teammates for the 18-lap final. Penned as the favorite by many in attendance, his opportunity to cover was postponed briefly as a red flag on the opening lap due to a violent get-off by Yamaha pro rider Steve Taylor, forced ISOC officials to restart the final grid. Taylor was shaken but managed to walk off the track yet was unable to continue.

Despite the added nerves of anticipation, Gulla remained focused and drilled the holeshot, leading a swarm of Open sleds down the front stretch. It was a position he would not relinquish, pulling out to a comfortable 5-second lead over the second place sled of Ryan Simons (Arctic Cat). Following them was Levi LaVallee in third and Brett Turcotte (Arctic Cat) in the fourth slot.

Turning sub 28-second lap times, Gulla was clearly the fastest sled on the track, and pulled to a comfortable lead over his pursuers. That put the focus on the battle for the remaining podium positions. With lap traffic coming into play, LaVallee on more than one occasion displayed ski-tips to Simons but was unable to overtake the Alberta talent, as Simons made his Arctic Cat buggy as wide as possible, keeping Levi at bay.

The order remained unchanged as they crossed the finish line for the final time, with a noticeably excited Gulla, as he fist pumped the air in front of what could be considered his hometown fans. “I had something to prove today,” said Gulla after the race. “Last night was my fault… I wanted to win today and win by a lot.”

Simons was equally happy with his results, specifically holding off the multiple attempts of LaVallee to make a pass. “I lost my brakes at the end of the race,” said Simons. “I had to do everything I could to block off Levi and keep him behind me.”

Cory Davis Sweeps the Semi-Pro Ranks with a Pair of Convincing Wins
With the final of Semi-Pro Open postponed from Saturday evening, Sunday marked a day of non-stop racing for many Semi-Pro riders and Cory Davis (Arctic Cat) made the best of it, with a pair of dominating wins.

His first victory may have been the most impressive as he charged virtually from last to first in a single lap. Starting from the back row of the 16-sled field, Davis combined a race savvy start and a turn one tangle to catapult his Arctic Cat to the front of the field. “I was hoping if I started on the inside (of the back row) the leaders would push wide and they did,” said Davis from atop the podium. “That put me in position to take advantage of the first turn crash and allowed me to get to the front.”

Aside from the first lap spectacle of Davis, Tim Tremblay (Ski-doo) perhaps demonstrated even more moxie as he battled back from an early race “get-off” that shuffled him to tenth, yet charged back through the pack to finish second.

In Semi-Pro Super Stock, it was Tremblay who pulled the holeshot, with Davis in tow. But the speed of Davis proved too much for the Ski-doo racer from Quebec, as Davis shot past Tremblay on just the third lap of the 14-lap final. Behind them it was Derek Ellis (Polaris) from Clayton, Idaho completing the podium.

(Pat Bourgeois, AMSOIL Championship Snocross Newsletter #16)

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It was anybody’s race in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series Pro-Super Stock final Saturday afternoon at the Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack facility. With the domination factor known as Tucker Hibbert out of the picture, a talented field of the world’s best snocross riders was hungry to prove their mettle on the national stage, especially top qualifier and local favorite TJ Gulla (Polaris).

Under fading sun and a track worn from a day’s worth of qualifying, Gulla set the pace early, grabbing the holeshot at the onset of the 18-lap Pro-Super Stock final. Close in tow was fellow Polaris pilots Shaun Crapo and New York native Brett Bender, fresh off his first pro podium from a week ago. On their heals was Driggs, Idaho pilot Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat) and Brett Turcotte (Arctic Cat) from north of the border.

Setting a blistering pace, Gulla edged out to a comfortable margin early and began to encounter lap traffic in the 15-sled field by lap six. Warm temperatures and rain earlier in the week, forced track officials to condense the track, creating a tighter playing surface and the necessity to exercise patience and heads-up passing strategies.

While Gulla and Crapo proceeded to edge away from the rest of the pack, a battle for third played out behind them as Bender, Kaufman and LaVallee rode nose to tail in search of a clean pass. Past the halfway point it appeared Bender might hold on for a second straight podium, but suddenly patience paid off for Kaufman as he hammered the massive back straight triple to overtake Bender. Four laps later, LaVallee mirrored the pass and shuffled Bender back to fifth with only four laps to go.

“I was trying to race clean,” said Levi LaVallee, “he’s (Bender) a teammate so I wanted to make a good pass. I was waiting for him to make a mistake but he was running strong. By the time I got around him the leaders had gotten away from me.”

With less than three laps to go, it appeared Gulla was a shoe-in for his first pro win of the season but suddenly his lead vanished as he got tangled up with the lapped sled of Matt Judnick (Polaris). That opened the door for Crapo, Kaufman and LaVallee to the podium and spelled disappointment for Gulla.

“I feel bad for TJ,” said Crapo as he stood atop the podium during post race ceremonies. “He deserves to be here. But our team has been working so hard for this, and this weekend we finally were in a position to take advantage of mistake and it paid off.”

The second place finish for Kaufman was equally as sweet, as it marked his third consecutive pro podium in as many races this season. “I couldn’t be happier with where we are at this point in the season,” said Kaufman. “Our team is really starting to come together and I love racing in front of the New York fans; they are always one of the best crowds of the season.”

(Pat Bourgeois, AMSOIL Championship Snocross Newsletter #15)

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As a host of yellow flag incidents shuffled the running order of the middle pack several times during the race, the real battle remained at the front, as Tremblay would creep up to Ebert’s bumper on more than one occasion, only to have Ebert shut the door. But on lap 13, Tremblay finally made a charge for the lead stick, as lap traffic played a role and Tremblay used it to his advantage to pass Ebert on the exit of the non-rhythmatic mogul section. Behind them, Salemark hung onto the third place position while a charging Cory Davis picked off Bauerly and Bauer to move himself into the fourth spot.

At the line it was Tremblay, followed by Ebert just a little over 4 seconds back, Salemark, Davis and Derek Ellis (Polaris) who also charged through the pack after a less than ideal holeshot to complete the top five.

(Pat Bourgeois, ISOC Report #12, February 7, 2009)

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Hibbert failed to capture the holeshot of the Pro Super-Stock final for only the second time this season, emerging from the turn one traffic jam in sixth position in the 25 lap Pro main event. Perhaps even more surprising was Hibbert was the number two qualifier on the day, as first year pro Brett Bender claimed the top qualifier honors with an impressive heat race victory earlier.

But before the first lap was completed, Bender was ejected from his sled while attempting to negotiate a nasty section of moguls coined the “manufacturer’s land mine”. That allowed another first year pro and last year’s semi-pro year-end champ, Andrew Johnstad (Polaris) to take over the lead followed by TJ Gulla (Polaris), Carl Schubitzke (Cat), Garth Kaufman (Cat) and Tucker Hibbert (Cat). By lap four, Tucker had already worked around Kaufman and Schubitzke for the third position, while further upfront, Gulla shuffled past Johnstad for the lead.

With just three seconds separating Hibbert from the front of the pack, it took Tucker only three more laps to find himself sniffing on the bumper of Gulla for the lead. And it was on lap 9, that Tucker and Gulla skied the finish line jump side-by-side with Tucker tucking to the inside of Gulla on the landing to allow Tucker to find himself at his usual position on the track – at the front.

“I didn’t have a great start,” said Tucker after the race. “The track was nasty and I had to check-up a few times; there was a lot of carnage and yellow flags out there. When I saw TJ (Gulla) in front of me I thought, man how did he get there from the back row. But I knew there was a lot of laps left and I was patient and kept charging.”

By mid-race the running order up front was Tucker, Gulla, Johnstad and Kaufman. With a significant gap behind Kaufman, a pack of sleds ridden by Schubitzke, Matt Piche (Cat), Brett Turcotte (Cat), Robbie Malinoski (Doo) and Ryan Simons (Cat) battled for the remaining top five position.

Back at the front, Tucker continued to click-off smooth, consistent laps and TJ Gulla kept pace with Hibbert just 6 seconds back, but was unable to gain ground as the race wore on. Behind them, Kaufman worked his way around Johnstad on lap 13 and also kept pace with the leaders, 13 second back. It was as a running order that would hold until the checkered flag on lap 25. They were followed by an impressive ride by Johnstad for fourth and Ryan Simons in fifth.

“I made a few mistakes early in the race,” said TJ Gulla from the podium box after the race. “After he (Tucker) got around me I started to follow his lines and learned a lot. My lap times actually picked-up as the race went on.”

Kaufman, who led a strong showing for Christian Brother’s Racing who placed three sleds in the final top ten, was pleased with the run. “We’ve got such incredible teamwork going right now,” said Kaufman. “It’s not just with Christian Brothers but the entire Arctic Cat racing effort. It makes it a lot of fun to know everybody is working together.”

(Pat Bourgeois, ISOC Report #12, February 7, 2009)

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