With only four rounds remaining on the 2022 AMSOIL Snocross Championship schedule, the series made a stop at Grand Geneva Resort in southern Wisconsin this weekend.
In addition to the National Championship, the event hosted a round of the regional Showdown Championship. The National was also held on Sunday. There was also a special non-championship Dominator race with a $10,000 purse for the winner.
This event pitted the top 10 Pros against the top 10 qualified Pro-Lites. The Pros started behind the Pro-Lites, to give a chance to the drivers of this class which is the antechamber of the Pros.
The race duration was ten minutes plus two laps, which usually gives the Pros time to make up the deficit and claim the win.
But this year the Pro-Lites, whose Quebecers were on fire. Théo Poirier took the lead. Listed in the result sheet as an Albertan, Poirier is from Quebec. Originally from Matapedia, he lives in Quebec City. The Arctic-Cat Krajicek Racing driver battled with Jordan Lebel Ski-Doo Warnert Racing for several laps.But this year the Pro-Lites, whose Quebecers were on fire. Théo Poirier took the lead. Listed in the result sheet as an Albertan, Poirier is from Quebec. Originally from Matapedia, he lives in Quebec City. The Arctic-Cat Krajicek Racing driver battled with Jordan Lebel Ski-Doo Warnert Racing for several laps.
Halfway through the race, Lebel broke away and no one could catch him until the finish line. Adam Peterson was the most aggressive. He took second place after four minutes of racing and held on to that position, followed by Pro Ishoel who was also threatening.
“I just had a good start that was a second behind Theo, who was racing well,” said Lebel. “I had a hard time passing him, but I found a line to get away and then, yeah, I just ran my race. I could see Peterson and Ishoel coming, but I knew I was good.”
It will be remembered that Tim Tremblay had won this Dominator race in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
On Saturday, it was back to business for the national championship. In the pros, Elias Ishoel won round 13 and extended his lead for the championship. Emil Harr and Adam Peterson completed the podium. Francis Pelletier was not having a good day and finished in seventh place, losing valuable points for the final ranking. Fortunately, on Sunday, he finished in third place. He was entitled to the podium and left Lake Geneva with a third position in the provisional ranking. “I finished my weekend on the third step of the podium, despite the unbearable temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. There have been colder days…” he said after the race.
The Warnert Racing driver will have to be at his best during the final weekend in Cannonsburg to reach the final podium in the Pro class.
In the Pro-Lite class, Jordan Lebel repeated his Friday race in the Dominator. Even better because he took the lead from the start and never let it go. He was credited with the fastest lap, and his consistency paid off to reach the checkered flag in the lead.
Behind him the Quebecer Théo Poirier was on fire. His Speedwerx-boosted Arctic Cat was in top form, and so was the driver. The great success in the Dominator had given him more wings than any energy drink. He was clearing the obstacles with relative ease, and he took second place and his first podium in 2022.
On Sunday, Jordan Lebel did it again. He was not in the lead and had to pass competitors. He did it with a relentless superiority. The Chicoutimi pilot was flying over the jumps, farther than his opponents. His Ski-Doo seemed to float over the obstacles, as if the whoops had been supplied by Dormez-vous mattress stores, so smooth did the landing seem. Accelerations were crisp with immediate Ski-Doo response and lines were chosen for maximum efficiency. Jordan even dared to overtake on the outside with ease. This ease is only apparent. It shows the level of preparation and performance of the rider and his machine. Out of 14 races, the Warnert Racing rider won 10 and was the only rider to reach the top step of the podium three times this weekend! He must now maintain his lead at the top of the provisional standings to win the Pro-Lite title.
Janathan Lebel, his father and mentor did not hide his pride after this successful weekend: “I am without words … every race he impresses me! He finds incredible racing lines… he is on a mission…”
Théo Poirier brought back a nice third place for his Krajicek Racing team. He seems to have found his marks and his confidence with three podiums in three days.
In Pro Women, Naëli Lebel of the Lebel Racing team obtained a 9th place in the thirteenth round and a nice 4th place the next day, at the age of fourteen.
In the Pro-Am 30 Plus, Maxime Bellerive of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel on a Ski-Doo placed sixth while Frederick Godcher of Shawinigan took ninth place in the only race on Saturday.
The youngest member of the Lebel family, Dylan, was not left out of the podiums. He won the Junior 10-13 class on Sunday and took third place on Saturday. He had less results in the Transitions 9-13 with a ninth place finish. Thanks to him (and his brother), the Lebel family comes home with 5 trophies.
The final two rounds will be held this weekend, March 25 and 26, at Cannonsburg Resort in Belmont-Mi. They will see the coronation or an honorary place for two Quebec drivers. We hope to celebrate with no ulterior motives, unlike last year when Megan Brodeur saw her third Pro-Women title slip away following a controversial decision by race management.
The final event of the AMSOIL Snocross Championship will be broadcast live on FloRacing and CBS Sports Network.
