Hibbert Wins Thrilling Race In Front Of Huge Crowd

Twenty-four hours after a fabulous Pro Open final on a rough track at Shakopee, Minnesota’s Canterbury Park, the best snocross racers on the planet did it again – putting on a spectacular final in front of a huge crowd at the ISOC National sponsored by Traxxis and Jimmy John’s.

.       Weather that has been mega-depressing for snowmobilers in southern and central Minnesota proved to be excellent for snowmobile racing. Under a full moon on a perfectly clear night, the crowd exceeded promoters expectations both nights. Virtually every seat inside and outside of the horse racing track was filled, and hundreds if not thousands of additional fans crowded the standing area near the track.

.       After two rounds of qualifying heats and a last chance qualifying race, Saskatchewan-native Robbie Malinoski and Vermont-based TJ Gulla were the top qualifiers on their Scheuring Speed Sports Ski-Doo and Hentges Racing Polaris, respectively. The 15 who made the final (out of 25 entries) included six Ski-Doos, five Polaris sleds and four Arctic Cats.

.       On green for the 22-lap final, the black Amsoil-backed sleds of Malinoski and teammate Darrin Mees lurched into the lead, with Tucker Hibbert’s Cat and Tim Tremblay’s Ski-Doo hot on their heels, and points leader Ross Martin right behind them.

.       The first couple of laps, Malinoski pulled out to a 2.5 second lead, but there was a war behind him. Mees struggled to hold off Tremblay, while Hibbert was running fast and loose in fourth on his Monster Energy Arctic Cat. Then came the three Polaris of Martin, Gulla and Mike Bauer, with Logan Christian, Mathieu Morin and Bobby LePage rounding out the top 10.

.       By lap 4, Hibbert was on the move, literally flying past Tremblay at the starting line tabletop jump, then chasing down Mees and knifing past him with a block pass on lap 8. The winningest racer in modern snocross history spent the next five laps searching for lines while reeling in Malinowski. The two flew past flagman Bruce Mosher virtually tied on lap 15, but then Hibbert held the gas deep into turn one, doubling over a big hole that had gotten worn in by other riders and sailing into the lead.

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Hibbert Wins Sunday ISOC Final

Tucker Hibbert apparently didn’t want to leave any questions unanswered on Sunday afternoon in Michigan.

.        After starting slowly and staging dramatic charges in both finals in rounds 1 and 2 in Duluth, Minnesota, last weekend, and then giving up the lead due to a mechanical problem Saturday in round 3 in Michigan, Hibbert got the early lead and absolutely checked out in Sunday’s Pro Open final at the ISOC Amsoil Championship Series Blackjack National.

.       With the victory, the winningest driver in snocross history has slotted himself firmly in second place in the season point and, more importantly, served notice to all who may have thought his run was over with a dominating performance.

.       Hibbert won both of his heat races on his Monster Energy/Speedwerx/Stud Boy Arctic Cat and went into the final as the No. 1 qualifier. That allowed him to choose his starting position in the final, and he didn’t waste the opportunity. He was one of a pack of sleds that launched into the first kink, but then his sled power surged ahead and climbed the hill much faster than his competition. Coming down the hill the first time, he already had a 5-sled-length lead on points leader Ross Martin’s Dupont-backed Polaris, with Tim Tremblay third on his Warnert Ski-Doo, Emil Ohman fourth on another Ski-Doo and then Robbie Malinoski and his Polaris fifth. [Read more]

Martin Wins Duluth National Final Sunday

Ross Martin proved that his Friday night victory was no fluke, while three-time defending Pro Class sweeper at Duluth Tucker Hibbert proved he and Arctic Cat have some work to be done as the Amsoil Duluth National wrapped up in northeastern Minnesota Sunday afternoon. It was the first round in what should prove to be a very interesting and competitive ISOC Amsoil Championship Snocross Series this winter.

.         After rugged qualifying rounds and a star-studded LCQ race (which saw Saturday night’s Pro winner Robbie Malinoski fall one spot short of qualifying for Sunday’s final) is was race time. Martin grabbed the Stud Boy holeshot award but ended up chasing Tim Tremblay’s Foremost Insurance-sponsored Ski-Doo down the hill for the first time and, in fact, for the first lap and a half. Behind them, carnage reigned, as first-year Pro Justin Broberg – the surprise No. 1 qualifier based on his excellent heat race results – tumbled in front of the pack while crowd favorite Levi LaVallee and LCQ winner Brett Bender also got caught up in the mess. Other sleds dove everywhere to stay out of the mess. LaVallee and Bender would rejoin the race in the back, but Broberg’s day was done.

.         Up front, Tremblay quickly built a nice lead, with Martin in tow and then a gap back to TJ Gulla (Polaris), Johan Lidman (Cat), Justin Tate (Polaris), Darrin Mees (Ski-Doo) and Dan Ebert (Cat), with cousins Tucker Hibbert (Cat) and Garth Kauffman (Cat) eighth and ninth.

.         It only took a couple of laps for things to change dramatically, and it started up front. Tremblay coasted off the track with an ill-running sled – an engine problem would end his day early and slot him into 14^th spot overall. Moments later, Justin Tate got separated from his sled just short of the start/finish line. Bender pulled off shortly thereafter – he reported having vision problems after his first lap crash.

.         Tremblay’s troubles left Martin all alone up front on his DuPont/Jack Links Polaris, and he didn’t spoil the opportunity. He put down one good lap after another with precision and pulled far ahead.

Ross Martin, right, pictured here with Colorado Rob Powers at Eagle River last year, earned two big victories at Duluth over the weekend. Look for photos from Duluth on this site later this week.

.         Deep in the pack, snocross dominator Hibbert was making a charge. He got a horrible holeshot and had to fight through traffic, similar to Saturday night’s final, but he was making it work. He worked his way past Mees on about lap 9, then sliced past Lidman into third on lap 11. He would spend the next 9 laps in pursuit of Gulla.

.         Gulla was making time on a track that almost ended his career two years earlier. On December 12, 2009, Gulla got separate from his sled in a qualifying race, scrambled to his feet and was running toward his machine when another sled landed on him. He ended up with a fractured skull that kept him off a sled until last November. A couple of weeks after that, he finished fourth here at Duluth last year. [Read more]

Hibbert Wins Fifth Straight X Games Gold In Snocross

If Tucker Hibbert keeps this up, he’s going to have to put an addition onto the house he and wife Mandi are building, just to hold all of his medals, trophies and other racing awards.

            The king of snocross was at it again today in Aspen, Colorado, where he won his fifth straight X Games gold medal in snocross and sixth overall on his Monster Energy Drink, Castle Racing, Stud-Boy and Speedwerx (among others) sponsored Arctic Cat.  

            Much like the last four years, there was very little drama in the event once things got rolling. Hibbert got out front, pulled away and was never seriously challenged, adding to the legend that he has built.

            Hibbert’s dominance of snocross has caused some to cheer against him – just so the finishing order isn’t so darned predictable. The career Arctic Cat racer now living in Pelican Rapids,  Minnesota, addressed that when interviewed on ESPN immediately after the race, with a “sorry if it was a little boring,” quip.

            “It feels amazing, that was an awesome race,” Hibbert said.

          The field for the 15-lap final was set with a set of qualifying races and a last chance qualifier. Bobby LePage of Duluth, Minnesota, racing on a Levi LaVallee Race Team Polaris, ran away with the first semi final in surprisingly easy fashion. Tim Tremblay (Ski-Doo) finished second, with fellow Canadian Robbie Malinoski (Ski-Doo) third, Johan Lidman (Cat) of Sweden fourth and semi-pro bump-up Kyle Pallin (Cat) super-excited to finish fifth and earn a bid into the final.

[Read more]

Tucker Hibbert Wins Piranha-X Western Nationals In Utah

PRESS RELEASE: Tucker Hibbert made his new sponsor proud winning the Piranha-X Pro Super Stock final at the third round of

Tucker Hibbert takes flight. Photo by Wayne Davis, courtesy of ISOC

competition in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series at beautiful Rio Tinto stadium in Sandy, Utah. Just as it has played out at each of the previous two rounds this season, Hibbert backed up his performance with a win in the AMSOIL Pro Open, sweeping the Piranha-X Western National presented by Fly Racing.

Ross Martin has been the quick starter at most of the rounds so far, but Saturday night it was Bobby LePage who jumped to the lead on his LeVallee Racing Polaris. This on the heels of a first lap red flag restart that saw several riders pile up on the back straight. Once in the lead, LePage stretched his margin with Ross Martin in tow. Midway through the final, Martin worked his way by LePage, while Hibbert began his charge.

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Hibbert Sweeps Again, This Time In Fargo

We’re two full weekends through the International Series of Champions Amsoil Super Snocross season, and the pecking order has taken shape.

            Combining Pro Open and Pro Super Stock, there have been four finals. In all four, Tucker Hibbert won the race on his Monster Energy-backed Arctic Cat. In all four finals, Ross Martin has finished second on his Dupont-backed Polaris. And, in three out of four, Tim Tremblay took third on his Warnert Racing Ski-Doo.  

            In Fargo, North Dakota, this weekend, Hibbert continued his domination of the national snocross scene, but Martin made it clear that he isn’t going to go down without a fight.

            In a change from the norm, the Pro Open class ran first this weekend, and Robbie Malinoski was the top qualifier after a couple rounds of heats. In the final, however, Martin was first off the line and jumped out to a lead he would hold for the first 16 laps. Hibbert actually dismounted briefly while in chase, but remounted and ended up taking the lead late and pulling away to a 4.8-second victory.

            If that sounds familiar, it’s because Hibbert followed Martin at Duluth in Pro Open, took the lead late and had a 4.4 second victory there.

            Tremblay overcame his own dismount and hung on for third, with Malinowski forth on his Amsoil-backed Ski-Doo. Finishing one lap down but in fifth place was first-year pro Justin Broberg. The rest of the top 10 were TJ Gulla, Dan Ebert, Christian Salemark, Zach Pattyn and Johan Lidman.

            It was chilly for the Pro Open final Friday night, but it was downright wicked cold Saturday for Pro Super Stock. The sun was shining, but the wind was howling, creating a windchill of minus 25. The area was spared the monster snow found across the border and further southeast in Minnesota, to the delight of race officials who wanted a crowd, but we’re guessing most riders in the area would have welcomed the fresh white stuff.

            Once again, Martin lead early but Hibbert overcame an early battle with Malinoski, then chased down and passed Martin late en route to a 3.6-second victory. A tussle in traffic resulted in a front suspension damage and an early end to Malinoski’s day. Tremblay held on for third. TJ Gulla was the only other sled on the lead lap and claimed fourth on his Polaris, with Cat’s Garth Kaufman fifth.

            Dan Ebert was sixth on his Cat, with Andrew Johnstad a strong seventh on a Polaris after being let go from the Schuering Speed Sports Ski-Doo team after the Duluth event. Pattyn, Lidman and Wes Selby rounded out the top 10.

Hibbert Reasserts Himself At Canterbury

Lessons in survival: Don’t get between a momma bear and her cubs; don’t tug on Superman’s cap; don’t try to take food away from Warren Sapp; and don’t antagonize Tucker Hibbert.

            The Arctic Cat racer known as T Train steamrolled the competition Saturday night in rainy conditions at Shakopee, Minnesota’s Canterbury Park, grabbing an early holeshot and winning in truly dominating fashion – crossing the finish line 32 seconds ahead of second-place Dan Ebert to claim his 51^st victory in national snocross racing.

            Hibbert suffered his only defeat of the past season-and-a-half a couple of weeks ago at the ISOC national near Salt Lake City, Utah. He entered this weekend ultra-determined, and it showed. He entered the final as the number one qualifier, and made a mockery of his competition in the final.  

            Off the starting line, the co-holeshots went to Polaris’ Brett Bender, who rocketed through the first turn on the outside, and Hibbert, who used a more central line. While Bender got caught up in some loose snow, Hibbert got traction and rocketed into the next set of turns. In the pack, Ebert traded paint with some other competitors and emerged in third.

            It took another lap for Ebert to move past Bender, but his efforts to chase down his mentor proved very much in vain. Lap after lap, Hibbert gained one or two seconds over the rest of the field, leaving everybody far, far behind. Four laps into the 20-lap final, Hibbert’s lead was 4 seconds. Four laps later, the lead was 8.5 seconds. Four laps after that, the lead was 13.8 seconds – and growing.

            While other racers tired, Hibbert got faster, slicing through lapped traffic with ease. Four laps later? The lead was now 22.3 seconds – and still growing. Ebert, the winning of the cross-country Red Lake I-500 one week earlier on his No. 60 Arctic Cat, ran a very solid race, and outran a very talented field to claim second, but he was no match for Hibbert.

            Bender similarly held third through most of the race and earned podium exposure with a third-place finish. Polaris racer Levi Lavallee held fourth through most of the race but couldn’t hold off a late challenge by Ski-Doo’s Tim Trembley, the winner at Utah who claimed fourth with two laps left and held the spot to the finish. Lavallee ended up fifth.

            The rest of the top 10 were Ross Martin (Pol), Emil Ohman (Doo), Corey Davis (Cat), Robbie Malinoski (Pol) and Matt Judnick (Pol).

            The Pro Open final will be run Saturday at Canterbury.

            In Semi-Pro Stock racing Saturday night, Logan Christian of Fertile, Minnesota, took the victory on his Arctic Cat. Combined with his second in this class at Duluth, third at Milwaukee and foruth in Utah, Christian is setting himself up well in the points race in this class. Justin Broberg finished second, followed by Dylan Martin and Matt Pichner.

Hibbert Takes National Win No. 50 Saturday Night In Milwaukee

This just in, Tucker Hibbert is human – and he was actually beat at the snowy and windy Milwaukee National.

Tucker Hibbert took Pro win No. 50 in his career at Milwaukee

The problem, at least for the competition, is that Hibbert’s defeats came in heat races. When it was time to chase the cheese, Hibbert again schooled the field in both Pro Stock on Friday night and Pro Open on Sunday night.

            For Hibbert, the driver who swept every Pro weekend last year before leaving the circuit to chase his motocross dreams, it was another weekend sweep to start this season after doing the same thing last weekend in Duluth, Minnesota. It was win number 50 on the national snocross scene – between WPSA and ISOC – for Hibbert.

            Saturday night, Hibbert again scored a come behind victory. The holeshot and early lead was claimed by Brett Bender on the No. 19 Polaris of New York, Bender held the point for the first three laps in the 22 lap final before being passed in the air over the main tabletop jump by Hibbert. Hibbert again methodically pulled away on his Monster Energy Drink Arctic Cat, pulling away to a 9 second victory.

            On the podium, Hibbert said about the only problem he has was with the roost, reporting that one time he got a mouthful of snow when pulling up behind a sled he was about to lap that made it hard for him to breath. From the outside, though, nobody could tell, as Hibbert again looked close to perfect.

            Bender held second the rest of the race – fellow Polaris racer Ross Martin closed within .8 seconds a couple of times, but he never got close enough to truly challenge. Those two took the last two spots on the podium.

            “Right before the race I was telling my dad [hall of fame racer Tim Bender] and everybody [on his team] that if I just got through the first corner I’d be excited because it seems I haven’t got through that first corner yet this year,” said Bender, who had gotten tangled up with riders early in the other three finals this year.

            “As soon as [Hibbert] got by me, I though, OK, just calm down and try to stay with him and see what he’s doing,” Bender said. But Bender bobbled a couple times and allowed Hibbert out of his sights.  

            Hibbert, meanwhile, admitted being human on the podium, saying that sometimes he struggles to find the motivation to keep training for riding. But, between devine inspiration for the religious rider, a desire to not let his team down and the threat of competitors sneaking up on him, Hibbert continues to push to improve.

            “I’d like to say thanks to the fans, the whole team, and thanks to the guys on the podium for giving me the motivation to keep working hard,” Hibbert said.

            Robbie Malinoski (Pol) finished fourth, followed be Brett Tucotte (Doo), Cory Davis (Cat), Tim Tremblay (Doo), Emil Ohman (Doo), Dan Ebert (Cat) and Paul Bauerly (Doo). Crowd favorite Levi LaVallee struggled deep in the pack before coming off his ride with about five laps left.

            Earlier, Logan Christian claimed a very entertaining Semi-Pro Stock victory.

Hibbert Completes Pro Sweep In Duluth

The T-Train kept rolling Sunday at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota, as Tucker Hibbert rolled over the competition in the Pro Open final.

Hibbert, 25, was unbeaten last year in ISOC racing action, and he started this season with the same dominating style, winning every time his Arctic Cat sleds took to the track. He now has 48 wins as a Pro on the national circuit.

Originally slated for the traditional Thanksgiving weekend but postponed due to unseasonably warm weather, weather today on the shores of Lake Superior was cold, making the racetrack hard and fast with thick snowdust that challenged the racers.

The early lead in the 22-lap Pro Open final was claimed by Robbie Malinoski, riding his first weekend as part of the Amsoil Schuering Speed Sports team in the Amsoil sponsored Pro Open class at the Amsoil Duluth National on the Amsoil Championship Snocross Series across the harbor from Amsoil’s headquarters in Superior, Wisconsin.

Pressure? Maybe, but the real pressure was being mounted by Hibbert. Within a couple of laps Hibbert moved into the lead and never looked back. He ended up winning the final by eight seconds, but it was never close, as he built a full straight-away lead within the first eight laps and then held it through lapped traffic.

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Polaris Donates Ross Martin’s Sled for Haydays Raffle

Polaris has donated the 440 IQ race sled that Ross Martin used to win two Championships in 2005.   The winning snowmobile will be raffled at Hay Days September 6-7, 2008, in Lino Lakes, MN.

Ross Martin on his Polaris 440 IQ

The raffle will continue on Monday, September 8, 2008,  at the 2nd annual CJ Ramstad Memorial Golf  Classic to be held at Forest Hills Golf Club in Forest Lake, MN.   All proceeds will benefit the fund set up in honor of “Mr. Snowmobiling.”

The winner need not be present to win, but will be notified after the drawing on Monday.

Be sure to stop by our booth at Hay Days and get your chance to win a history making sled!  We will be located on the west side of the demo track.

If you are interested in the Golf Tournament, please see our website at isocracing.com.