Milwaukee, Wisc. Dec. 18, 2009 - Day one of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series in the Milwaukee Mile National proved to be a driver’s race. On a very challenging track from the first qualifying round to the final double-checkered flag, it was race after race testing the skills of each and every driver.
As the pros took the tabletop for their intro before the Caterpillar Pro Super Stock final, the Milwaukee crowd went wild. They appeared to have caught the fever cured only by more racing action.
In the pro final of the evening 15 drivers battled to the end of 22 tough laps of intense competition combined with a gnarly backside rhythm section. In the end, Tucker Hibbert of Goodridge, Minn., 68 on Arctic Cat took his 49th trip to the first place on the podium.
The win didn’t come easy — even for Hibbert. Racers tangled right from the start and Hibbert managed to pull through and nab the holeshot. But it was Ross Martin of Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., #837 Polaris who ended up in the first-place position that made for fervid anticipation in the race the people came to see.
Well into the 5th lap, it was Martin in first, Hibbert in 2nd and Levi LaVallee in 3rd. With 16 laps until the end, Hibbert gave Martin a little shove in the corner and snuck underneath him putting Hibbert in the lead.
Ryan Simons sled caught on fire at the halfway mark and Steve Taylor suck underneath LaVallee with 9 laps to go. By then Hibbert and Martin were cruising through lap traffic like poetry in motion.
Garth Kaufman of Alta, Wyo., 48 Arctic Cat, picked his way up through the crowd and finished the race in the third place position at the podium.
The snow conditions were tough with monster-sized holes creating bowls of sugar. Every lap was a different race forcing drivers to choose different lines on a nearly a lap-per-lap basis.
The Arctiva Semi Pro Open was a wild rush for the podium right from the green with Dylan Martin of Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., #937 Ski-Doo, and teammate Justin Broberg of North Prairie, Wisc., Ski-Doo, close behind. Logan Christian of Fertile, Minn., 443 Arctic Cat had a tangle in corner one but straightened it out putting him in the third-place position.
The Fox Shox Pro Plus 30 Super Stock final battle of the day had Justin Tate of Scandia, Minn., 28 Polaris, taking and early lead in the grueling 12-lap race. Tate led the express train all the way through the backstretch and right on to the finish landing him in first place. Tate was followed by Early Reimer of Waldnor, 100 on Ski-Doo in second and Chad Bauerly of Sauke Rapids., Minn.,
Mike Bauer of Owen, Wisc., 717 Polaris who was rocking the backside rhythm section working the outside line led the Track Inc., Semi Pro Super Stock. Within four laps of the 16-lap race, Bauer put the sled on cruise control and soon it was a flawless game of single-file follow-the-leader.
At the checkered it was Bauer in first followed by Kyle Pallin of Ironwood, Mich., 324 Arctic Cat and Derek Ellis of Clayton, Ida., 106 Polaris in third.
The Camoplast Pro Women Super Stock was a race of cat and mouse with Carly Davis of Soldonta, Alaska, 905 Arctic Cat, taking the early lead position in a tight drag race with Kylie Abrahamson of Merrifield, Minn., 87 Polaris.
Lap traffic created tension and Abrahamson made a beautiful pass on the outside of turn two with only two laps to the finish. Once Abrahamson got out clean she never looked back.
Abrahamson finished in first place with Davis in second and Samantha Tarnowski of Roscommon, Mich., 234 Arctic Cat in third.
The Milwaukee Mile National truly proved that snocross is a sport for athletes and the track insists the drivers be in top physical and mental condition.
Racing begins again at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. |