hibbert and morgan split pro podiums

Defending season champion Tucker Hibbert claimed a storming victory in the Ford Trucks Pro Stock class at the Ski-Doo Duluth National, the opening round of the World Snowmobile Association's (WSA) international series, the Snocross Worldwide Championship (SWC) presented by Ford Trucks. And, the near record crowd saw Blair Morgan romp to victory in the Bud Light Pro Open final, lapping all but the top seven finishers.

But, the first appearance of the sport's top guns and hopefuls happened under the lights on Friday night, as the first of a series of ESPN Winter X Games Qualifiers unfolded, with the top five finishers being added to the list of competitors heading to Aspen, Colorado in January. In a perfect twist of irony and poetic justice, after rookie Pro Curt Peterson was injured in a morning practice crash, with a return this season doubtful, second year Pro Mike Island was moved over to the Bud Light sled, and promptly went on to dominate the Qualifier final. Second went to Earl Reimer (Woody's/Spy Arctic Cat), with Semi-Pro Steve Taylor (Coldwave/C&A Pro Ski Ski-Doo) and Levi LaVallee (Polaris) third and fourth. The final qualifier wasn't decided until the last rush to the finish line as Semi-Pro Matt Judnick (Polaris) just snuck past Johnny Mold for fifth.

In the Pro Stock final, top qualifier Morgan (Woody's/C&A Pro Ski-Doo) got bottled up off the line with four other sleds, and when the snow dust cleared, only one was damaged. Morgan. Meanwhile, rookie Pro Shaun Crapo (Team Industries Polaris) leapt off the line, putting the new Polaris "launch control" to good use, and earned the first ever Sportech Holeshot Award. He would only lead for the next lap, as Kent Ipsen (Olah Racing/Speedwerx Cat), returning after a year's absence due to a basketball induced knee injury, took over.

Meanwhile, Hibbert (Chevy Trucks/Speedwerx Cat) was buried off the line as well, but at least emerged in eighth at the end of lap one and had worked his way to fourth by the halfway point of the 12-lap race, but the leaders were well clear. Hibbert simply started flying in pursuit, and with three laps to go caught Crapo for second, who then came under attack from Carl Kuster (VP Fuels/Oakley Ski-Doo). Hibbert caught and snuck past with a little over a lap to go, only to have Ipsen repass him for the point. On the last lap, Hibbert attacked once again and they went bar-to-bar through the final two corners, and Ipsen emerged slightly ahead. But, Hibbert just pinned it down the inside over the final jump leading to the finish line, landed and eased ahead of Ipsen at the line. Crapo fought off Kuster for third, with Island (Bud Light Ski-Doo) rounding out the top five.

Morgan again went undefeated and was top qualifier for the Pro Open final, and this time he was third at the end of lap one. Dennis Eckstrom, whose AMSOIL team switched to Polaris in the off-season, nailed the Sportech Holeshot award.

It was new independent pilot Todd Wolff (Ski-Doo) that came out second, and he quickly slipped by Eckstrom for the lead, followed by Morgan. Out of the hairpin starting lap two, Wolff exploded into the air, tripling over some monster whoops on the climb up the backstraight, and Morgan went with him with both delivering a stunning aerial display. Morgan slipped by Wolff on lap three, and proceeded to disappear, eventually lapping the eighth place finisher. Wolff and Eckstrom held station for second and third, with Kuster having another strong race to fourth and Carl Schubitzke (Polaris) in fifth. Hibbert had another abysmal start, but this time the competition and snow dust was just too much, and he could climb no higher than seventh. Defending series champ Amanda Johnson (EPI/Tekvest Ski-Doo) won the Parts Unlimited Pro Women final, and Tracy Smith (Arctic Cat) claimed the US Air Force Pro Vet class.

The next round of the Snocross Worldwide Championship presented by Ford Trucks is the inaugural Canadian Open Snocross the weekend of Dec. 14-15 2002 in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.