Amsoil Snocross Round 1, from the first round of the American Snocross Championship, the Quebecers have been on the highest steps of the podiums, thanks to the Lebels, a family from Chicoutimi very involved in the race.
In Shakopee (Mn) Friday’s temperature was one of the coldest felt early in the season, with a thermometer near -20 degrees C.
But before giving the good news, let’s start with the bad: The absence of Megan Brodeur, three-time winner of this American championship, who put her international career on hold this year. The official reason is that the Coaticook pilot is starting university. This is a valid argument. However, it should be remembered that last season, Megan lost the first place in the Pro Women’s category due to a decision by the race directors. She went off the track, then returned safely, but the official videos did not show the off-track action, hidden by a large billboard in front of the camera. The second video showed the exit, but not the return to the track. In the end, Megan was demoted to second place behind Malene Andersen (now Malene Cottew). This decision left a bitter taste for the Brodeur Racing team led by Patrick Brodeur.
Fortunately for the sport, a young 14 year old driver, Naeli Lebel # 518 entered the Pro Women’s championship, and showed the Americans that they would not get rid of the Quebecers just like that!
Naeli is the sister of Jordan and Dylan Lebel. She is a member of the Lebel Racing team run by her father Janathan Lebel. She has already raced in the American championship but this is her first year in Pro-Woman. The Chicoutimi driver showed great consistency and twice finished third on the podiums, which gave her second place after the first round. Her more experienced opponents had their share of surprises, including Malene Cottew who was thrown out of her Ski-Doo like a rodeo rider on Friday.
Naeli is at the beginning of her career. She and her entourage do not want to compare her to her illustrious elder, Megan Brodeur. The young rider has plenty of time to build up the experience to ride at this level. This second place finish is a nice gift for the first round, but there is no way she is going to put any weight on herself. It’s her first year in Pro-Women, the goal is to not get injured and to progress. The podiums are gifts. And Naeli is part of a family of champions. She wants gifts!
His brother Jordan Lebel #511 also distinguished himself in his Pro-Lite class. He races for the renowned Warnert Racing team. On the first night he started from the eighth position and put pressure to pass one by one all the drivers in front of him. He passed the checkered flag in first position.
In the second race he was running in third place and two minutes into the race he passed Riley Bester #151 and then Nickolas Lorenz #572 to pull away for a clear and uncontested win. Jordan Lebel said, “It was a great weekend. I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend to start the season. My Ski-Doo was perfect all weekend and everything went really well.
He finished the first round atop the Pro-Lite standings with 89 points.
The other Quebecer member of Warnert Racing, Francis Pelletier #220 was less lucky in his Pro class. He says: “For the first round of the championship. I fell in practice because of a block of ice at the edge of the track. I injured my shoulder. I gave it my all during the evening but I didn’t get the result I was hoping for”. Courageously, Francis decided to fight on despite his injury. He finished far from the podium in the second round, but he knows that his level is much higher, as he finished last season as Pro runner-up. This is only the first weekend.
The Sport Lite class saw the arrival of a new player, Quebecer William Coté #211 from Stanstead. The 20 year old driver rides a Ski-Doo 600 RS with the LRT Racing Team. He had competed in the Quebec SCMX series in 2017/2018, then took a break to focus on motocross. With a title of Pro-250 champion at the Quebec Challenge at the end. For his first presence in Isoc, he made two podiums in Shakopie and took the lead in the Sport Lite class.
Théo Poirier # 728 changed team this year for Krajicek Racing. A smaller team, but one that he feels comfortable with. He took his American mechanic Matthew with him. His dislocated shoulder problems are behind him, he had surgery to put all the chances on his side. This is his third year in the Pro-Lite, and there is no time for nonsense, the goal is the title!
The first round did not go exactly as he had hoped. On Friday, Theo finished 5th in round 1, and 7th in round 2. After qualifying, he finished in 7th place.
On Saturday, luck was not on his side. Despite a victory in the 1st heat, the final was disappointing. Théo Poirier left with a 14th place at the end of the weekend.
Emeric Legendre Perron #144 of Sainte-Julie was unable to score points for the first round. He crashed during training in December and suffered two fractures including the tibia. He had surgery and is in the process of recovering. He will be back with the Thene Motorsports team as soon as he can get back on his Ski-Doo.
He will be teamed up with Swedish Elias Ishoel #200 who won the first round in the Pro class.
In the Sport class, SCMX regular Jeremy Beaulieu #122 from Saint-Denis de Richelieu finished in 10th place on his Ski-Doo. In the same class, Nathan Mailloux #111 did not qualify for the final on Saturday, which caused him to lose points. He is in 20th place in the Sport class.
Dylan Lebel #522, the youngest of the Lebel clan at 13 years old, is registered in the 9/13 transition and 10/13 junior classes. A small injury prevented him from participating in Saturday’s final, but he will have other races to recover.
The Tetrault family from Lacolle moved father and son to continue racing despite the cancellation of competitions in la Belle-Province. Father Gaby #55 is racing in the Pro Am Plus 30 class, while son Emile #555 is racing in the Sport 200 class. This is not Emile’s first race and he has already won at the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt.
Francis Tremblay #211, from Mirabel, announced that he would be present for the second round in Dubuque, Iowa in the Pro Am Plus 30 class.
To watch the races this season, you must download a paid application called Floracing.com available on Appstore or Google Play.
The second round takes place on January 14 and 15 in Dubuque, Iowa.
