BRP’s Ski-Doo X-Team racers opened the season in fast style by dominating the ISOC National Snocross series opener in Duluth, MN.
It started with Pro rookie sensation Elias Isohel winning the Dominator race on Friday night and continued with teammates Lincoln Lemieux and Tim Tremblay taking first and second in Pro Open on Saturday.
Ishoel on his way to the Dominator win and $10,000
Racing on Friday featured all the amateur classes capped off with the top 16 Pro Open racers running head to head in a bracket style competition for $10,000 known as the Dominator race. X-Team racers started the season strong when National Sport class racers Camryn Anderson and Brady Love hit the podium with second and third place finishes.
Lemieux was all smiles after his first Pro win
Ski-Doo’s Tim Tremblay has had a stranglehold on Dominator race, having won the previous three, this year would be different as he and Ishoel paired off in round two. Racing hard down the front straight you could see each was determined, but they came together as both launched out of the first turn in the air headed for the same downhill line and it ended Tremblay’s night with the ensuing contact. Tremblay bounced back on Saturday night with a strong second place finish in Pro Open as he came from behind and was charging hard to catch his teammate.
Lincoln Lemieux had his best night ever winning (for the first time as a pro) the premier class with a first lap move to the head of the field and never looking back. His pace was strong as he stretched an early lead and then cruised home. But the fight behind him was fierce with positions changing hands multiple times through the 18-lap final. When the checkers flew Scheuring Speed Sports wrapped up the one-two finish by virtue of Tremblay’s charge to second with aggressive riding and smart line choices.
Aki Pihlaja of Rovaniemi, Finland came a long way to race in his first ISOC event and made the most of it with a second place finish in the always tough Pro Lite class.
Kamryn Anderson placed second in Sport 1
Hunter Patenuade made the most of day-two racing in Sport class by sweeping his qualifiers and taking the win in the final. The Sport classes were able to complete both of their races as scheduled but Sunday’s races were cancelled as heavy fog covered the Spirit Mountain facility.
Results
Pro Open
1.) Lincoln Lemieux
2.) Tim Tremblay
Dominator- Pro Open Head to Head
Winner - Elias Ishoel
Pro Lite
2.) Aki Pihlaja
Pro AM +30
3.) Kurt Bauerly
Pro Am Women
2.) Kassie Thibodeau
Sport Final Round 1
2.) Camryn Anderson
3.) Brady Love
Sport Final Round 2
1.) Hunter Patenuade
2.) Francis Pelletier