Team Rockstar Energy/Polaris Racing/Piller’s presented by Huber Motorsports and OTSFF’s foray to Round One of the Amsoil ISOC Snocross Nationals in Duluth, MN, proved to be a productive testing ground for the rapidly approaching 2017 CSRA Nationals in Canada.
The Polaris IQ600R sleds, which had undergone comprehensive prepping this past month, performed according to expectations and saw Pro Open rider Colby Crapo easily qualify for the Dominator races. Although Crapo would have to bow to Corin Todd—also Polaris mounted—in the head-to-head showdown, he crossed the finish line just 1.4 seconds behind Todd.
In the Pro Open action, staged at Spirit Mountain Place, Crapo nailed down a fourth place finish in his first heat, which he followed up with a third place in his second heat. Unfortunately, those results meant missing a direct berth in the final by one spot.
Crapo found himself relegated to racing the LCQ, in a last-ditch effort to advance to the final. A great start, which placed him with the frontrunners, looked promising for Crapo to grab a qualifying finish for the final. A glitch with his handlebars, however, meant an early retirement from the race and an end to the day’s competition.
“I was feeling great on my sled and confident of finishing top-two in the LCQ. But unfortunately, a minor fluke with the handlebars was enough to put me on the sidelines,” Crapo said. “The good news is that the IQ performed beautifully and the Duluth event gave us a good indication that we have a great racing machine for the 2017 season in Canada.”
RJ Roy, making his debut in ISOC racing south of the border, claimed a sixth place finish in his first Pro Lite heat. He followed that up with a seventh place in his second heat, which automatically eliminated him from the LCQ and the possibility of lining up for the final.
“This being my first time racing in the U.S., I didn’t really know what to expect,” Roy said. “With fifty guys in Pro Lite, racing for a spot in the final, nobody was giving an inch, so the competition was very tough. For me it was a great experience and I learned a few valuable lessons out there. And it gave me the opportunity to race the new IQ sled, which was awesome.”
Although Crapo and Roy were eager to redeem themselves in Sunday’s racing action, all scheduled events were cancelled by officials due to extreme fog conditions, which shrouded the entire area.
Team Rockstar Energy/Polaris Racing/Piller’s presented by Huber Motorsports and OTSFF will remain stateside, for Round Two of the Amsoil ISOC Tour, which will be held in Fraser, CO, Dec. 16-17.
The 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink CSRA Snowcross Championships kick off at the Rouyn-Noranda City Centre on Jan. 14-15 in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.
In dedication to Gerhart Huber’s youngest son, Kurtis—who has autism—Team Rockstar Energy/Polaris Racing/Piller’s presented by Huber Motorsports and OTSFF will be racing the entire 2017 season in support of Autism Awareness.