Huge Crowd Highlights AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series in Shakopee

With one of the biggest crowds on hand in the ten year racing history at Canterbury Park, Tucker Hibbert continued his season unbeaten streak in the Pro ranks with two driving away victories. Fans also got a taste of the new one-day, three-hour main event format, which featured an all-final show with back to back Pro and Semi-Pro finals.

With his unbeaten streak on the line and the competitors hungry to end it, Hibbert foiled their efforts once again by gaining the lead on the first lap by overcoming the holeshot lead of fellow Arctic Cat rider Brett Turcotte. In their wake was a swarm of AMSOIL riders, including DJ Eckstrom and Ross Martin.

In the early laps, Eckstrom went wide and off the track, shuffling him back in the pack while TJ Gulla (Pol), picked off Robi Malinoski and settled in to fifth. The running order remained Tucker, Turcotte, Levi LaVallee, Martin and Gulla until lap 13, when Martin and Levi began to battle for third, swapping the spot several times over the course of five laps.

The grueling 26 lap final was prolonged when Malinoski, who was running sixth, fell off on lap 19 forcing a red flag and a single file restart for the remaining seven laps. With the field bunched up, the chance for Hibbert to be knocked off his game was on once again. But a clean restart put him back in position for the win. A late charge by Gulla put the finishing order at the flag of Hibbert, Turcotte, Gulla, LaVallee and Martin.

The Pro Stock class started with a melee’ immediately following the start as Ryan Simons, Gulla, Martin and Andrew Johnstad, all legitimate podium contenders, were forced to work from deep behind the leaders. That set the stage for another Tucker Hibbert victory, continuing his unbeaten streak for the season and further securing his points lead.

At the close of the first lap, Hibbert edged out LaVallee and Brett Bender, with Garth Kaufman, Eckstrom, Brett Turcotte and AMSOIL rider Shaun Crapo rounding out the top seven riders. The running order remained consistent for more than half the race, as Hibbert began to checkout and encountered back runners on lap nine.

While Hibbert continued at the front, it was Kaufman who perhaps put on the second most impressive ride of the night, as he slowly edged towards the front, picking off Bender on lap 16 and then having an impressive battle with LaValle during the closing laps. The two swapped positions several times during the closing laps, with Kaufman eventually taking second. At the line is was Hibbert, who lapped every sled in the field except the top four riders, followed by Kaufman, LaVallee, Bender and Eckstrom to complete the top five.

For complete results from the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series and the Air Force Nationals, go to: National Results.

Next up for Team AMSOIL will be the ESPN Winter X Games, where Eckstrom will try to defend his bronze medal and Martin and Crapo will be looking for their first X Games medal. The ESPN Winter X Games will air live on ESPN and ABC January 22-25.

The next AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series race will be the BIR National in Brainerd, Minn. February 6-8.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.