Morin, LePage split Pro finals in Malone for Rock Maple Racing snocross series
MALONE, N.Y. (Jan. 11, 2010) — In almost every form of motorsports, when a talented rider, driver or team gets on a roll, they can be difficult to stop.
 Just ask anybody in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series garage, as they try to figure out how to stop four-time champion Jimmie Johnson from dominating their sport. Momentum plays a huge role in week-toweek results, and snocross racing is no different.
Veteran riders Mathieu Morin and Bobby ‘The Rage’ LePage carried the momentum from last month’s season opener into Malone, splitting the Pro finals as Rock Maple Racing (RMR) completed Round 2 of its 2009-10 season Sunday at the Franklin County Fairgrounds.
Morin (Ingles Performance/Ski-doo), of Val-D’ Or, Quebec, chased down early leader Danny Poirier and checked out to win Pro Stock. Poirier crossed the line four seconds later as the runner-up, while LePage settled for third. LePage (Hulten Speed Sports/Polaris) used lapped traffic to his advantage in Pro Open to take top honors. Morin settled for second in this one, giving Ski-doo and Polaris a true split in the manufacturers battle for supremacy. Only three riders completed all 20 laps in the Open final, while seven went the 20-lap distance in Pro Stock.
 Perhaps the best show all weekend in the Pro division was the inspiring performance Poirier gave in the Open final. The defending champion got upside down in a major off-sled venture early on, then steadily powered all the way up to third at the finish. Poirier redefines determination when it comes to battling back from adversity.
Defending Pro Am champion Joe Lemieux continued his hot streak in Malone, winning the final over fellow Vermonter Rene Desrochers and Jason Soucy of Sabattus, Maine. Jennifer Pare prevailed in a hotly-contested Pro Women final, with RMR veterans Melanie Acker and Steffanie Lemieux filling out the podium.
In Semi-Pro action Sunday, Garrett Mees and Corin Todd were the guys to beat. Mees, of Setauket, NY, piloted his All-Island Plumbing Ski-doo to victory in the Open final in dominant style. Lincoln Lemieux grabbed the holeshot, but he and Todd got together in the moguls and crashed. Mees carefully snuck through the snow dust and proceeded to check out on the field. Cody Flach made an outstanding return to RMR, coming from dead last to finish second. Ash Woskob stepped up big-time Sunday, as the motocross veteran from Pennsylvania claimed third ahead of Lucas Brunelle.
Todd powered his way around Mees with two laps remaining in Semi-Pro Stock and hung on for top honors. The young athlete from Otego, NY, was the pre-season favorite to win the Semi-Pro title in 2010, and he’s proving why every time the green flag is waved. (more)
In Junior division action at Malone, Montana Jess and Edward Bandel each won multiple finals. Jess, of Westminster, Mass., rode his Ski-doo to victory in Jr. 10-13 380 and 600c action each day, while Bandel won Saturday’s 600 liquid final and two more races on Sunday. Max Burrier and Mason Pierce also earned wins in Jr. 8-10 action at Malone.
 Other final round winners over the weekend in Malone include Daryl Nutting (Plus 25 Stock); Rene Desrochers (Plus 35 Masters); Joe Bishop (Sport 500); and rising star Jake Scott (Sport Super Stock Sat.& Sun., and Sport 600).
Rock Maple Racing would like to thank Steve Bailey and everyone at the Malone Chamber of Commerce for hosting last weekend’s event. Thanks to extra effort in providing snow, the track was one of the best seen in many seasons.
Next up is a trip north of the border for RMR’s Pro and Semi-Pro teams, as they travel to Mirabel, Quebec, for a joint race with Marcel Fontaine’s SCM group. This will be a points race for these teams while Sport, Junior and Women riders have the weekend off.
To see full results in all classes from Malone or for more information, please go to www.rockmaple.com.
News Contact:
AMSOIL Race Program Manager
AMSOIL Building
Superior, WI 54880
(715) 392-7101
racing@amsoil.com
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