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Day Two For Duluth Duo
Aspen, Colo. ~ The first test at Winter X is over for
Team AMSOIL/Scheuring Speed Sports pilots Dennis "D.J." Eckstrom
and Carl Schubitzke. Both riders ran strong during Monday night's qualifying
rounds, which was aired worldwide on ESPN and ABC. Both Eckstrom and
Schubitzke qualified for the semi-finals on Tuesday, February 1, 2005.
Eckstrom qualified by taking third in his two qualifying
heats. He will be the number eight qualifier during Tuesday night's
races. Schubitzke, who battled former X-games champion Tucker Hibbert
in each of his heats, finished with a fourth and third. He will be 11th
qualifier tonight. Only the top 16 riders made the final, and Eckstrom
and Schubitzke are the only two Polaris riders in the field.
Eckstrom qualified for the 2005 Winter X Games by finishing in the top
5 at last year's games. The 24-year-old won the silver medal in 2003
and a bronze in 2001. He is also the defending Super Snow Cross Indoor
Series Pro Open Champion. Already this season, Eckstrom won the WSA
Pro Open Final and placed 2nd in Pro Stock at the AMSOIL Duluth National
during Thanksgiving weekend.
Schubitzke, or "Showtime" as a race announcer
dubbed him three years ago, returned to Winter X after placing second
in a qualifying race Winnipeg, Manitoba in mid-December. Schubitzke
joined Team AMSOIL/Scheuring Speed Sports this past off-season. During
his seven years of racing snowmobiles, he has numerous wins on the World
Snowmobile Association circuit and a top-five finish at Winter X.
D.J. and Carl are excited to get last night's qualifying
runs behind them," said AMSOIL Racing Coordinator Jeremy Meyer
from Aspen. "The team has the sleds dialed in and strongly believes
they can add another medal to their Winter X collection."
The ESPN Winter X Games began January 27, 2005 and end
February 1, 2005. The SnoCross events began January 31, with the finals
on February 1. Tuesday's races will air on ESPN, with coverage starting
at 9 p.m. EST.
The AMSOIL/Scheuring team is based in Aurora, Minn.
They have won four medals at the Winter X games, including a silver
medal in 2004. To learn more about Scheuring Speed Sports, go to www.scheuring-speedsports.com.
News Contact:
AMSOIL Racing Coordinator
AMSOIL Building
Superior, WI 54880
(715) 392-7101 ext. 220
racing@amsoil.com
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