Record crowds and beautiful weather is what was in store for the Snocross fanatics at day two of the US Air Force Deadwood Snocross event at the Days of ’76 Sports Complex. With Rounds 7 & 8 proving to be pivotal rounds in the points championships, racers and teams worked hard to put on an unforgettable show for the fans. In the Pro Lite class Daniel Benham would continue his event podium streak and earn the victory in Round 8. Kody Kamm and Tucker Hibbert put on an epic battle here in the Black Hills but tonight the advantage went to Hibbert. Hibbert would make a charge from 11th to 1st and earn his seventh win of the season. With the season at the half-way point and the points championships taking shape AMSOIL Championship Snocross Powered by RAM is bound for a great second half of the season.

 

 

As the sun set on the Days of ’76 Sports Complex, the Pro Lite competitors arrived at the line for their first round of qualifying for Round 8. The first heat saw last seasons Round 8 winner Evan Daudt lead his first laps of the weekend as he earned the hole shot over a stout field. Daudt would lead the entire eight lap qualifier and looks to be a favorite again this season in Deadwood. Korbyn Anderson and Mike George would battle for the other top two positions in the top three. Anderson would get the best of George and earn another top two finish in his qualifying efforts. The second heat of round 1 featured three of the top four riders in the championship points standings. Red plate holder Jacob Yurk would get the holeshot and have an early lead over Factory Arctic Cat teammates Travis Kern and Daniel Benham. As the qualifier progressed the duo of Kern and Benham would have the edge in this heat over the points leader of Yurk. Yurk would have an issue in the FXR corner taking him out of the race putting Team Southside rider Viktor Herten into third. The race finished as followed: Travis Kern, Daniel Benham, Viktor Herten. The final heat in the first round featured none other than last nights winner Cole Cottew jumping out to the early lead. Cottew was passed early by fellow Polaris rider Zak Mason forcing him down to second. Martin Moland who sits third in the points standing is also running third in his first round. Cottew would earn the lead back over Mason and run away to victory seemingly like the night before. Martin Moland would drag race with Zak Mason to the AMSOIL Finish Line to solidify the second and third positions. Advantage Moland.

 

In round 2 Daniel Benham was able to jump out to the lead early and run away with the victory. Benham would win the race over three riders battling for the second position. Mike George, Cole Cottew and Andrew Lindholm would swap the 2nd-4th positions at a blistering pace. Andrew Lindholm would receive the second position, Cole Cottew third and Mike George closing out the top four. The second heat showcased the speed of the all new Arctic Cat once again. Dylan Jansen would have the edge on the start but was passed quickly by the points leader of Jacob Yurk. Yurk would hang on to the win while Travis Kern would run second and Martin Moland in third. Arctic Cat received the top three spots in this heat race. The final heat race of the weekend for the Pro Lite class saw Aki Pihlaja nail his first holeshot of the weekend. Aki would lead the entire race flag-to-flag while Ski-Doo teammates Korbyn Anderson and Max Taillefer would swap positions for the runner up spot. Anderson would narrowly earn the second spot over third place Taillefer.

 

One of the most anticipated finals of the weekend, the Pro Lite final! With Cole Cottew coming off his first career win in Round 7 the sell out crowd was left pondering who it would be tonight in Round 8. As the light went green, Daniel Benham blasted off to the early lead with last years champion Aki Pihlaja in a near second. The two riders started to pull away from the field early in the race as points leader Jacob Yurk ran in the third position. Korbyn Anderson would start the race on his Ski-Doo in the top four while Andrew Lindholm rode fifth. Last nights winner Cole Cottew runs in the seventh position with Andy Lieders ahead of him in sixth. Cole Cottew starts to move through the pack like the evening before and now find himself in fifth after the 8 lap mark. Red plate holder Jacob Yurk starts to set his eyes on second place Aki Pihlaja as the race starts to wind down. Yurk would get close to the #128 but would fall short to the former champions speed ands composure. With five laps to go in the race Daniel Benham has nearly a 5 second lead but finds himself buried in lap traffic. As the racers see the flags symbolizing two laps remaining, Aki Pihlaja has cut the lead of Benham down to two seconds and Korbyn Anderson starts to close in on the third place of Jacob Yurk. As the white flew, it was still Benham leading over Pihlaja but this time with only a two second lead. Pihlaja would give his all en route to his first win of the season but would fall short to the Factory Arctic Cat riders speed in 2018. Jacob Yurk would fill the final position on the podium. Korbyn Anderson and Cole Cottew would round out the top five here at the US Air Force Deadwood Snocross.

 

1. #221 Daniel Benham

2. #128 Aki Pihlaja

3. #727 Jacob Yurk

4. #17 Korbyn Anderson

5. #21 Cole Cottew

6. #75 Martin Moland

7. #63 Zak Mason

8. #144 Max Taillefer

9. #58 Marcus Ogemar

10. #122 Kevin Wallenstein

11. #413 Evan Daudt

12. #46 Andrew Lindholm

13. #57 Andy Lieders

14. #201 Travis Kern

15. #37 Mike George

 

 

As the premier class arrived at the starting line, all eyes were on the 10x champion and points leader Tucker Hibbert. Hibbert would be edged on the start by AMSOIL Ski-Doo rider Lincoln Lemieux. This heat race was as near to a final as it gets, due to four of the top five riders being in this qualifier. Lemieux would ride a perfect race and was able to gap the second place of Hibbert. Privateer rider Corin Todd would start the race in third but was passed at the end by last nights third place finisher Kyle Pallin. Johan Lidman would pull grab the holeshot in heat 2 and run an incredible race as he gapped the field by a near 12 seconds. Logan Christian would move his way through the pack coming from fifth to second and cutting the lead in half, of the leader Lidman.  Christian would cut the enormous lead down to 6 seconds but would fall short to the Woodies Racing rider of Lidman. Freaky Fast Ryan Springer would finish the race in third giving him a great chance of making a front row for the final.

 

Tucker Hibbert once again jumped out front to kick off round 2 in South Dakota. Although being out front, Kyle Pallin gave the points leaders a handful and did not let him run away and hide. Pallin would finish a close second while Pro rookie Travis Muller finished with another third place finish. In the final heat of qualifying at the US Air Force Deadwood Snocross, Logan Christian would lead the pack around the first corner. Reigning Pro Champion #1 Kody Kamm would move quickly from fourth to second and start challenging the Arctic Cat of Logan Christian. Christian would have troubles late in the race taking him out of the top three and giving Kody Kamm the win. AMSOIL Ski-Doo rider Lincoln Lemieux would finish second while Corin Todd will round out the top three in the final heat of pro qualifying.

 

The moment the sell out crowd has been waiting for, the Pro final. When the light went green reigning champion Kody Kamm earned the covenant Studboy holeshot award and jumped out to the race lead. Following the #1 Polaris was Logan Christian and fellow Arctic Cat racer Johan Lidman. After lap two and the race starting to take shape, Lincoln Lemieux passed the #52 of Johan Lidman moving himself into podium contention. Tucker Hibbert started the race in the 11th position and at this early stage he has already moved to third just five laps in. After eight laps Kody Kamm starts to gap the second and third place riders of Logan Christian and Tucker Hibbert. With ten laps completed in the twenty four lap main event, Logan Christian and Tucker Hibbert start to reel in the leader of Kamm. Three laps later, the 10x champion of Hibbert moves past his training partner Christian and into the second spot. With 9 laps remaining, the field remains the same with Kamm leading, Hibbert second, Christian third, Lemieux fourth and Lidman fifth. As the race nears the end and five laps still to be raced, Kamms’ lead has been shrunk down to one second. Two laps later, the lead is now .3 seconds and the red plate holder Hibbert is on the charge. Also heating up with three laps to go, is the battle for third. Lincoln Lemieux has caught third place rider Logan Christian and has officially made the pass. The two leaders have one and a half laps left, and Hibbert darts to the inside makes a move on Kamm and takes the lead. Tucker Hibbert would take his Monster Energy Arctic Cat one more lap to victory earning the sweep at Deadwood. Kody Kamm would solidify the second place position and Air Force rider Lincoln Lemieux charges hard to third. Logan Christian would earn the fourth spot and a great ride by Johan Lidman gives him a top five finish.

 

1. #68 Tucker Hibbert

 

As the vets of the sport take to the track for their first time of the weekend, former pro racer Matt Pichner would battle with past class champion Kurt Bauerly. Matt Pichner would have the edge tonight and take the victory over the former champion Bauerly. Zandstra would take the final spot on the podium.

 

In Round 8 of AMSOIL Championship Snocross Powered by RAM, points leader Megan Brodeur jumped out to the early lead and ran away with the victory extending her points lead. Malene Anderson piloted her Arctic Cat to a second while reigning champion Elina Ohman earned her first podium of the weekend with a third.

 

Duluth, MN // November 24-27, 2017

Jackson Hole, WY // December 8-9, 2017

Shakopee, MN // January 5-6, 2018

Deadwood, SD // January 19-20, 2018

Salamanca, NY // February 16-17, 2018

Mt. Pleasant, MI // February 23-24, 2018

Dubuque, IA // March 9-10, 2018

Lake Geneva, WI // March 16-17, 2018

About ISOC Racing