Poirier sweeps Pro finals at Eastern Nationals for Rock Maple Racing snocross series
FARMINGTON, N.Y. (Feb. 8, 2010) – It might be an old, well-worn cliche, but the fact you can’t keep a good man down for long sure is accurate for veteran racer Danny Poirier.
After going winless in the season’s first four events, the famed ‘Canadian Blast’ swept the Pro finals as Rock Maple Racing (RMR) completed Round 5 of its 2009-10 snocross schedule at the ISOC Eastern Nationals Saturday evening at the Finger Lakes Gaming Center and Racetrack.
Fans at the Eastern Nationals were treated to points races for both the ISOC national and RMR regional circuits. The program began Friday afternoon and featured ski-to-ski action from the nation’s top racers. In his final race of the season, Tucker Hibbert (Monster Energy/Arctic Cat) notched his 54th and 55th career wins when he swept the ISOC Pro finals.
Poirier (Hulten Speed Sports/Polaris) went flag-to-flag in the 20-lap Pro Stock final, grabbing the holeshot and running off to a huge 10-second victory over runner-up Mathieu Morin and third place Jason Boron. Bobby LePage made contact with Jason Stone, and after the ensuing collision, both riders failed to complete the race.
In Pro Open, Morin (Ingles Performance/Ski-doo) blasted off the line and led the first 12 circuits. Morin’s sled suffered a rare mechanical failure as he worked the 13th lap, while Poirier, who had slotted into second at the start, inherited the lead and never looked back. LePage kept his JoJo Energy Drink No. 244 on-track and brought it home second, while Canadian sensation Iain Hayden claimed third on his factory-backed Yamaha.
Defending Plus 35 Pro Am champion Joe Lemieux held off Greg Weaver and Michael Berghorn to claim Friday night’s final, while daughter Steffanie out-gunned RMR veterans Martha Wells and Paige Calderwood for top honors in the Pro Women final.
In Semi-Pro action Saturday, Nick Pattyn and Lincoln Lemieux both earned final round wins. Pattyn, of Ravenna, MI, rode his Arctic Cat to victory in the Super Stock 600 final, with Brett Nastala second and Corin Todd making a late-race charge up to third. Lemieux, of St. Johnsbury, VT, used superior horsepower and aggressive riding to chase down Pattyn and score his first career Semi-Pro victory in the Open final. Pattyn settled for second while Justin Ochsner (New London, MN) came home third.
Action in the Sport division was also intense at the Eastern Nationals. Jake ‘The Snake’ Scott powered his Hulten Speed Sports Polaris to victory in the first Stock final, while Joe Bishop took top honors in the second tilt. Bishop also won the Stock 500 final to cap a great day.
In Junior division action at Farmington, Edward Bandel led the way with a pair of wins. Montana Jess, Tyler Adams and Leo Patenaude also earned final round wins in front of a packed house. From the youngest junior riders to the rising stars of RMR’s Sport classes, they all got to showcase their talents in front of the sport’s top riders and high-profile team owners.
RMR would like to thank ISOC and the staff at the Finger Lakes Gaming Center for hosting such a world class event. With nice amenities for fans, strong competition and a great track, it was an honor to be part of the show.
For complete results in all classes from the Eastern Nationals, visit the ISOC Web site at www.isocracing.com. Teams and officials from both ISOC and RMR will join forces again this coming weekend, Feb. 12-14, for the inaugural HK Powersports New England Nationals at historic Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire.
To learn more about Rock Maple Racing, go to www.rockmaple.com.