Press Release –

Winning weekend for Simons, Ebert and Dick

There may have been an anniversary celebration at the ISOC Snocross Series race in Valcourt, Quebec, but Team Arctic racers weren’t in the gift-giving mood.

With wins by Ryan Simons in Pro Stock and Dan Ebert in Semi Pro Super Stock, Team Arctic spoiled their host’s hopes en route to another dominating weekend.

Simon’s wire-to-wire win in Pro Stock marked his first national Snocross victory this season and thrust the Camrose, Alberta, racer into contention for the class championship.

Matt Piche was oh-so-close to notching his first podium of the season, taking a strong fourth, while teammate Garth Kaufman’s sixth place finish kept him in the championship point hunt.

A contingent of Team Arctic Semi Pros destroyed the field in the Super Stock final. With snow falling hard and fast, Dan Ebert of Lake Shore, Minn., led a Team Green sweep that included Cory Davis (second), Christian Salemark (third), Cody Thomsen (sixth), Logan Christian (seventh) and Matt Pichner in tenth.

It’s good to win so strongly in a region that’s loaded with one particular color of race sled,” said Mike Kloety, Team Arctic Race Manager. “We don’t have a high number of racers out east, but our success in Valcourt and New York a week earlier proves that we have the best sleds and drivers.”

While the snocross stars were celebrating victories in Valcourt, Team Arctic cross-country racer battled 100 miles of fast river and ditch at the USCC Forks Equipment 100 in Grand Forks, N.D. Rising to the occasion with a win in Pro Open was Team Arctic racer/engineer Brian Dick.

Dick, of Thief River Falls, Minn., held off teammate D.J. Ekre, a huge feat considering that Ekre has won three Pro Open classes already this season. Dick also ran strong and near the top of the Pro 600 class, finishing in third place roughly one-minute out of top spot. Top speed proved to be the trick on a course that surprised the green team.

“We weren’t expecting such a high-speed course,” said Kloety. “Big holes never developed, and with so much wide-open river running, the sleds that were set up for pure speed held an advantage. We missed having the best set up, and that was the difference.”

Team Arctic’s cross-country racers get their next shot at winning at the Munising 300, Feb. 27-28 in Munising, Mich. Go to www.usccracing.com for more details.

The next ISOC Snocross Series national is March 6-8 in Hayward, Wis. Learn more at www.isocracing.com.

Press Release –

Extreme Motor Park and Professional Snocross Racers April Moritz and Taylor Carlson to Host Free Women’s Snocross Clinic

Anything boys can do, girls can do better – that’s the attitude of professional snocross racer April Moritz and her female competitors in the rough and tumble world of professional snowmobile snocross racing.

In a sport dominated by men both on and off the track, professional women racers have recently caught the attention of fans, factories and race promoters alike and now April along fellow female racer Taylor Carlson are looking to break down the barriers even further.

In partnership with Extreme Motor Park (ERX) in Elk River; April and Taylor will be hosting a Women’s snocross clinic, Friday, February 20 from 3:00 to 5:00pm – designed to expose women to the sport of snocross and to allow them to try the fast paced and exciting sport in a safe, non-threatening environment.

“We’ve (female athletes) come a long way in the past five years, not just in snocross but in all forms of competition,” said April. “High school girls hockey has exploded and other forms of motorsports are being rejuvenated thanks in part to female racers. I feel we can have that same type of impact in snowmobile racing.”

The impact April refers to is evident it other forms of motorsports, where some of the most popular drivers are women. Drivers like Kathyrn Legge in F1, NHRA’s Ashley Force and Indy Car driver Danica Patrick are top draws in their respective disciplines.

What’s more, these women have broken down barriers and have encouraged young girls to take up racing and perhaps pursue a career in motorpsorts.

April and other women snocross racers hope to take women’s snocross racing to a new level as well and to perhaps be included in future ESPN Winter X Game events.

The Women’s Learn to Ride Snocross Clinic is open to all women/girls with an interest in learning about and experiencing snocross.

No experience, snowmobile or gear is required and what’s more, the clinic is free! Participants are encouraged to bring personal riding gear or borrow some from a friend, as jackets, pants and helmets will be limited.

Participants are also asked to bring a mechanically sound snowmobile if available. For those without, ERX will provide necessary safety equipment and snowmobiles free of charge.

“Snowmobiling is a great family sport,” said April. “Everyone involved is so friendly and willing to help out, it’s a great place to learn the values of competition, integrity and sportsmanship, and of course it’s a lot of fun.”

To register for the Women’s Snocross Clinic simply call the staff at ERX Motor Park at (763) 633-7433. For more information, clinic details and directions visit www.erxmotorpark.com

Women’s Learn to Ride Snocross Clinic: February 20, 3:00-5:00pm; ERX Motor Park, Elk River, Minnesota.

Press Release –

The world’s best snocross riders gathered for Round 5 of the AMSOIL® Championship Snocross Tour this past weekend at the Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack facility in Farmington, New York.

Above-freezing temperatures and heavy rain in the days prior to the event led officials to trim the modified oval track, creating a much tighter competition stage and faster lap times, all to the enjoyment of the 7,000 plus appreciative fans in attendance.

Although a podium finish keeps eluding Yamaha Factory Racing’s developmental four-stroke FX Nytro® program, it proved to be another weekend of valuable information gathering that culminated in excellent qualifying runs for Steve Taylor and Iain Hayden. Unfortunately for Taylor, who seemed on the cusp of a breakthrough weekend, a crash in the first lap of the main event put him on the sidelines as a spectator.

While Hayden was forced into the LCQ after just missing a qualifying spot in his heat race, Taylor qualified for the front row with a fifth place finish in his heat race. Hayden, who went on to grab the LCQ holeshot, ran up front early in the race eventually settling for third at the finish line. But that was all he needed to join his teammate on the starting grid for the main, albeit on the second row.

Both Taylor and Hayden pulled off lightning fast starts for the 18-lap main. For Taylor the race ended as quickly as it started, however. Before the first lap was even over, his sled got clipped by another racer resulting in a tumble that caused the race to be red-flagged for a restart. Although thoroughly shaken by the incident, Taylor was not seriously injured and able to walk off the track under his own power.

“With a good qualifying spot and a strong running sled it started as a good day for me. I was really pumped, feeling this was going to be the weekend I was finally going to walk away with nothing less than a top-five result,” said Taylor.

“Unfortunately, I got taken out by somebody else before I even knew what happened. It’s frustrating but that’s racing. You just never know how things are going to turn out.”

After Taylor’s crash and exit, the restart went less smoothly for Hayden. Some technical issues getting his sled started saw him at the back of the pack after the restart. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Hayden soldiered on to record a 12th place finish.

“Ultimately it’s about putting in track time when you’re in a situation like that. Getting the FX Nytro® to a point where we’re in contention for the title is a work in progress,” said Hayden. “Even though the results at the finish line don’t quite reflect that yet, every weekend we’re making improvements. There are some things that still need to be worked out and the entire team is focused on achieving that.”

Yamaha USA Snowmobile Racing Manager Greg Marier echoed Hayden’s sentiments. “The superior power of the 4-stroke FX Nytro® is easy to see. We’re getting excellent holeshots and the throttle response needed over the timing sections, but we still need to improve our cornering speed. Both Steve and Iain have the talent, heart and drive to succeed, so once we’ve got the cornering speed up, you’re going to see different results,” he said.

Press Release –

The bright sun and mild temperatures brought out a full crowd of spectators for the second round of the Amsoil Kawartha Cup held last weekend in Peterborough, Ontario.

After a weekend off from racing, competitors were ready to hit the track with a handful of Pro racers within reach of the prestigious Kawartha Cup.

In the Pro Stock class it was #73 Lee Butler (Royal Distributing Polaris) who took the lead from the start followed by #115 David Joanis (Royal Distributing Polaris) with #999 Michael VanDolder (Dayco Ski-Doo) and #202 Joey Sagan side-by-side in third position.

Sagan quickly made the pass on VanDolder taking over third and holding on for the remainder of the race putting himself on the podium along with Joanis in second and Butler taking the win.

The Pro Open race played out quite similar to the Stock with Butler grabbing the win ahead of team-mate #115 David Joanis followed by #202 Joey Sagan, giving Team Royal Distributing full domination on the podium. Butler’s win, combined with his fourth place finish from Round #1 in Lindsay, gave him the points needed to narrowly edge out VanDolder for the 2009 Amsoil Kawartha Cup.

One of best races of the day was in the Pro Women class. Current points leader, #55 Angela Vacchino (Shorline Racing Arctic Cat), got off to a bad start coming out of corner number one at the back of the pack with her work cut out for her. #989 Wakenda Peters (Peters Motorsports Arctic Cat) took the lead with #111s Stacey Orr (Rosko Ski-Doo) following closely behind.

Vacchino worked her way through the rest of the field in a matter of laps, taking over the lead and leaving Peters and Orr to battle for second while #33 Danielle VanDolder (Dayco Ski-Doo) moved up quickly in fourth. After some contact in the corners, Orr came out ahead finishing the race in second place behind Vacchino.

VanDolder put herself on the podium with a last minute pass for third. Semi-Pro action was heated as usual as tight battles took place in the top 5 in both the Stock and Open classes.

Making their first appearances on the podium for 2009, #219 Jamie Byers (Byers Equipment Polaris) held on for second place in the Semi-Pro Stock race ahead of #217 Sean Macaulay (Rosko Ski-Doo) who took third position.

No stranger to the top, #87 Dustin Vandrie (Monster Arctic Cat) grabbed the win. The Open race finished off with the familiar trio of #173 Corey Watkinson (Shorline Racing Arctic Cat) in first, #87 Dustin Vandrie in second, and #333 Jeremy VanDolder (Dayco Ski-Doo) rounding out the top three.

Semi-Pro and Pro racers joined forces to support injured racer and friend, Blair Morgan, in the Blair Morgan Rehabilitation Fundraising Race. #166 Spencer Moncrief (Shorline Racing Arctic Cat) took the win ahead of #98 Michael Island (Rosko Ski-Doo). #23 Jonathon Sloot (Kodiak Ski-Doo) rounded out the top three in third position.

Semi-Pro and Pro racers are off to Valcourt, Quebec this weekend for the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt. The best racers in North America will battle in the hometown of Bombardier to mark the 50th Anniversary of Ski-Doo snowmobiles. Regular racing will resume February 27th – March 1st in Kirkland Lake, Ontario kicking off with Friday night racing under the lights.