Press Release –
The 2007 WPSA National Team of the Year amassed 5 podiums and 2 X Games invitations at the season kickoff in Duluth, MN amongst one of the best Duluth tracks in years!
The team picked up the new season right where we left off last year by opening the Friday X Games qualifier with two riders, Levi LaVallee and Bobby LePage, earning invites to the big show in Aspen.
Levi finished second in the first X Games final and Bobby infused the hometown crowd with a third place. TJ Gulla received a manufactures pick from Polaris prior to the event. That leaves us with three riders already qualified for the ESPN Winter X Games Snocross event held January 25th- 28th in Aspen, CO!
Pro Open found TJ caught up in a first corner incident put was able to work through the pack and muscle his way into a great 6th place finish. That is why he is a true champion! Levi also cut through the pack coming from 10th all the way to 2nd and attacking Tucker Hibbert for the lead when his goggle strap malfunctioned and he actually had to throw off his goggles with a couple of laps to go. He finished the race with a crowd loving 2nd place.
Pro Stock started with TJ and Levi mid pack working their way through the crowd together passing the competition one right after the other. The hard work from the duo paid off as TJ finished 4th and Levi 5th. It capped off a 1-5 Polaris finish.
Bobby continued to bolster the crowd Saturday afternoon as he took the holeshot in the Semi-Pro Open final. He held the point for two laps until teammate Brett Bender passed him and started to check out. Bobby just kept his race pace and was able to track down his teammate and make the pass with two laps to go.
Brett stayed within striking distance but it was Bobby who took home the checker first and Brett a close second. Chris Kafka finished 9th but had worked his way up to challenging for the third podium before a last lap mishap dropped him back. Scott Vig also rode well to a 14 place finish in the final. Congratulations to the semi-pros for putting on a great show and posting great finishes!
Sundays Semi-Pro Stock was a little bit different. But not by much. Bobby and Brett came out of the hole in 1st and 2nd again and the crowd knew they would be in for another great show.
Bobby led the race to the half way point until Brett took advantage of a mistake by Bobby to take the point and the eventual win! Chris Kafka was caught up in a first turn tangle but picked his way through the field to finish a very respectable 6th all the way from the back of the pack.
