Once And Future Kings: Team Arctic Wraps Up 2015 Hillclimb Season

Thief River Falls, Minn. – Team Arctic hillclimb racers swarmed the final two RMSHA events of the 2015 season, unleashing an unstoppable display of power, speed and handling to capture 15 wins, two King titles and three high-point championships aboard Arctic Cat M series snowmobiles featuring the ProClimb chassis.

Nine wins and two King titles came at last weekend’s event at the Grand Targhee Ski Resort in western Wyoming. Kyle Tapio stamped his authority on the big power classes, taking wins in both 800 and 1000 Improved classes before capping the weekend with the Improved King title. Joining Tapio with multiple class wins were Garth Kaufman, who took victory in 600 Stock and 700 Stock; David McClure, who won both 600 and 700 Improved; and Eben Abshire, who won Semi-Pro Stock, Mod and King titles. Todd Tupper nailed the ninth victory for Team Green by winning Masters Improved, making it a Team Arctic sweep of all the Improved classes.

It was a similar story two weeks prior, at the penultimate round of the 2015 RMSHA season in Crested Butte, CO, with Tapio, Tupper and McClure each winning a class and Abshire sweeping all three Semi-Pro events. The late season success by Team Green culminated for a combined 27 podium places from Grand Targhee and Crested Butte.

Team Arctic’s McClure, Tupper and Abshire proved their winning consistency by capturing a RMSHA season high-point championship title despite an abbreviated race season due to marginal snow conditions.

“Our success at the final two RMSHA races is the true measure of our fantastic racers and their HCR and M series snowmobiles,” said Al Shimpa, Team Arctic Hillclimb Race Coordinator. “Ending the season on top and with so many victories will set the foundation for continued success next season. On behalf of everyone at Arctic Cat, we’d like to thank all our racers and crews for their hard work and dedication during the entire race season. We’re proud of everyone on the team.”

Team Arctic Results from 2015 RMSHA Hillclimb  in Grand Targhee, Wyoming

600 Stock

1. Garth Kaufman

2. David McClure

3. Russ Tapio

600 Improved

1. David McClure

600 Mod

2. Garth Kaufman

700 Stock

1. Garth Kaufman

700 Improved

1. Dave McClure

700 Mod

2. Garth Kaufman

800 Improved

1. Kyle Tapio

1000 Improved

1. Kyle Tapio

3. Trace Tupper

Open Mod

3. Garth Kaufman

Masters Stock

3. Todd Tupper

Masters Improved

1. Todd Tupper

Semi-Pro Stock

1. Eben Abshire

Semi-Pro Improved

2. Eben Abshire

3. Matt Wenger

Semi-Pro Mod

1. Eben Abshire

Improved King: Kyle Tapio

Semi-Pro King: Eben Abshire

Team Arctic Race Results from 2015 RMSHA Hillclimb in Crested Butte,Colorado

Pro Masters Stock

2. Todd Tupper

Pro Masters Improved

1. Todd Tupper

600 Improved Stock

1. David McClure

600 Mod

2. Garth Kaufman

3. Russ Tapio

700 Mod

3. Garth Kaufman

800 Improved

1. Kyle Tapio

Semi-Pro Stock

1. Eben Abshire

Semi-Pro Improved

1. Eben Abshire

Semi-Pro Mod

1. Eben Abshire