Champion snowmobile racer and inventor Mike Schultz has now partnered up with premium synthetic oil manufacturer, Royal Purple.

Royal Purple will provide support to Schultz by furnishing its advanced lines of synthetic lubricants, coolant and fuel system additives for his efforts both as a competitive snowmobiler and dirt bike rider. Schultz for his part, will provide the Royal Purple technical team with valuable feedback helping to make the company’s products even more effective.

Schultz, a veteran snowmobile and motorcycle racer for more than 15 years, can effectively split his racing career into two separate set of championship eras. From 1999 to 2008, Schultz raced internationally racking up a number of podiums. In 2008, while racing a professional snowmobiling event, Schultz abruptly lost control of his machine, crashing and hyperextending his leg in an accident that would ultimately require an above-the-knee amputation.

Facing a career ending injury, where many athletes would have called it quits, Schultz instead took himself to task designing and building one of the most advanced artificial limbs able to withstand the forces involved in extreme sports like Motocross, Snocross and snowboarding. Since then, Mike Schultz’ Moto Knee and his company Biodapt Inc. have provided products to other athletes and veterans returning from war. The Moto Knee has been so effective, Schultz was able to return to competition; recording five podium finishes and four wins in ESPN’s winter and summer X-Games competition for adaptive Snocross and Supercross.

“Mike has shown incredible tenacity in the face of tremendous circumstances,” says Royal Purple Marketing Director, Randy Fisher. “An accomplished able-bodied athlete in his own right, the work he’s done following his amputation both as a sportsman and as an inventor is truly remarkable and we couldn’t be happier to help support him in all his future endeavors.”

Jake Scott was dominant in the second half of the 2012-12 AMSOIL Championshp Snocross season. The Mystic Lubricants/Loctite/Polaris rider wrapped up the Pro Lite championship this past Friday in Lake Geneva, Wis., besting rivals Andrew Lieders and David Joanis.

ISOC caught up with Scott to get his take on this past season, some of the highlights and his feelings on being crowned the Pro Light class champion.

ISOC: Jake, congrats on your Pro Lite title. What a dynamite year, especially the second half of the season when you were pretty much unstoppable. Talk about the 2012-’13 AMSOIL Championship Snocross season and where the turning point was that allowed you string together such an impressive run of victories.

Jake Scott: The 2012-’13 snocross season was for sure the highlight of my career so far. It was full of great competition and memorable moments. I think the turning point in my season had to be qualifying for the Winter X Games. I carried the confidence from that, back to the ISOC snocross series and just had fun with it!

ISOC: This may seem like no big deal to you, but how does a guy from Long Island, N.Y., become a Pro class champion in the world’s most prestigious snowmobile racing series?

Jake Scott: Growing up on Long Island definitely didn’t make snocross life easy. It isn’t a place that gets a ton of snow, so at 14 years old I had to make the decision to become homeschooled so I could start traveling more. After that I just had to work twice as hard. The home schooling made racing easier because I had much more opportunity to train on a sled, but the down side to it was the school work was incredibly hard. I had to be fully dedicated every day of my life to achieve this goal and now that I finally did it, I feel like I’m on top of the world! I couldn’t be happier right now.

ISOC: Flash back just a couple days … was that cool helping Team USA to a victory over the World Team in the inaugural Ram World Cup?

Jake Scott: Helping bring Team USA to victory was awesome! Being teamed up with Kyle Pallin, Kody Kamm, Andy Lieders and Andrew Carlson was like a dream team. It was a tough race but I’m glad the team was able to take the win!

ISOC: Talk a bit about the Seneca Allegany race. How cool was that to go 1st/1st in front of your home state fans and with such a massive crowd on hand?

Jake Scott: The Seneca Allegany race was a great addition to the ISOC series and I really hope we go back there for years to come. It was my home state race, but it was still about an eight hour drive from home – so I was extremely excited to see how many friends and family made it out to watch me race. With all the bad luck I had in the heat races and even going to an LCQ, getting 1st in both finals in front of all my family and home state fans was crazy! I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting weekend.

ISOC: How’s it working with snocross great Levi LaVallee? Did he ever dare you to hit is freestyle ramp?

Jake Scott: Working with Levi is a dream come true! Two years ago when my dad told me I was riding for Team LaVallee I thought he was joking at first. Levi has helped me progress my career to heights I never thought possible … I can’t thank him enough for all I’ve accomplished since I’ve been with the team. This past fall while Levi was jumping freestyle, it got me curious as to what it would be like to hit a freestyle ramp on a snowmobile. I jumped on his freestyle sled and gave it a shot! Even though he only had it set at a 45 foot gap the first few jumps were pretty scary, but really fun I’m glad I went for it!

ISOC: You and David Joanis and Travis Muller had a pretty good battle going there. Andrew Lieders came on strong towards the end of the season, as did Andrew Carlson. Talk a bit about the talent in this year’s ACS Pro Lite class and some of the strategy you and your team put in place in order to come out on top.

Jake Scott: This year’s Pro Lite class was crazy! There were at least ten of us that could have won any race. It was just whoever was on it that weekend would take it. The game plan we put together for me at Team LaVallee was just to have fun, ride my own race and just do the best I can. In the end that’s all you can ask for, so I tried not to get stressed out over a bad heat race. I just kept my head up and kept having fun.

ISOC: It’s likely that not many people are aware of the extent of the knee injury you dealt with for much of the season. Talk about that, how it affected you and if you’re going to have to get it cleaned up over the summer.

Jake Scott: I actually injured my knee at X Games on one of the smallest jumps on the track. I over jumped one jump into the lip of the next and hyperextended my knee. For a while I could barely walk on it but come race time I just had to put the pain aside and push through it. I have an appointment with a specialist coming up so I’m hoping everything goes well.

ISOC: What are your plans between now and Duluth this fall?

Jake Scott: Between now and Duluth I’m planning on riding my dirt bike and doing some races and hopefully I can get out wakeboarding a ton this summer! I can’t think of any better way to pass the time than my two favorite hobbies.

ISOC: Finally, you ran well in the Pro Open class this past Saturday at Lake Geneva. There’s certainly been talk of you moving up to the Pro Open class. Is that decision a “for sure” yet?

Jake Scott: My plan is to make the jump to Pro Open – which would be awesome. But nothing is official yet.

ISOC: Thanks again, Jake, and congrats from everyone at ISOC on your championship season.

Jake Scott: Thank you!

(Photo courtesy Gary Walton)

Andy Lieders has been hunting for a Pro Lite win all season on the AMSOIL Championship Snocross series and finally managed to take the checkers at the season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis.

The victory was pivotal in the outcome of the season standings, as Lieders finished two positions ahead of rival Dave Joanis, locking down the runner-up spot in the championship. Lieders swept both rounds of qualifying on Saturday, backing up a strong night of racing on Friday, where he also won both heat races and finished fourth in the main event.

Jennifer Pare wrapped up her second straight Pro-Am Women’s Championship. (Photo by Gary Walton)

For the second time in as many weeks, the Pro-Am Women’s class witnessed a season-high number of competitors with Jennifer Pare repeating her performance and sweeping the field. The result sealed Pare’s fate as the class champion, making it back-to-back titles for the racer from LaDore, Quebec.

Trevor Leighton turned in strong performances all weekend on the giant ski hill course, winning one round on Friday and earning two seconds on Saturday. Leighton finished ninth on day one and was given a penalty at the start on Saturday’s race, that required him to go to the back of the pack.

Pro Open racer Colby Crapo returned from Idaho where he was tending to a family medical emergency. Unfortunately, after winning his first qualifier, Crapo had a serious crash on the big downhill, breaking his left arm.

Trevor Leighton and Jennifer Pare will finish out the season next weekend at a cross-country race in Russia.

Andrew Carlson found the podium twice at Lake Geneva. (Photo by Gary Walton)

Carlson Motorsports-sponsored racers ended the season on a strong note, capturing four podiums and a pair of top-10 year-end finishes as the AMSOIL Championship Sncross series wrapped up this past weekend in Lake Geneva, Wis.

The most dominating performances came from Pro-Lite athlete Andrew Carlson, whose second half of the season has been one of steady improvement, perseverance, and confidence.

The Geneva track has long been regarded as one of the toughest and biggest tracks in the sport, marked by nasty holes, a spooky vertical descent, and an up-hill starting line drag race that often separates the skillful “tuners” from those who end up simply being “tuned.” For Carlson, the results speak for themselves. In six starts up the hill, Andrew was first to the top five times.

Carlson qualified for the front row both days, with a 2-2 qualifying effort on Friday and a 3-1 showing on Saturday. Even more impressive were the main event results, where Carlson bested the group with a holeshot, battled with eventual Pro-Lite champion Jake Scott, and finished third. Saturday, it was more of the same for Carlson, who again grabbed the lead from the start and led for much of the race until his combatant, Andrew Lieders, went for the lead on a “checkers or wrecker” move on the sketchy downhill section and made it stick, barely. Carlson stood proud on the second place box on the podium, his second of the season and in the process moved up to fifth overall in the year-end standings.

Johan Lidman finished just off the podium on Friday night. (Photo by Gary Walton)

Not to be outdone by his teammate, the speedy Swede, Johan Lidman has also been showing much improved speed during the second half of the season, and he continued to lay down fast laps on the massive Geneva track. While he failed to make the podium, narrowly missing the box with a fourth place finish on Friday, a pair of qualifying wins and front row starts underscored his much improved performance. One race in particular showcased Johan’s improvement, as he battled with champ Tucker Hibbert; saw Hibbert pass him; and then regrouped, charged, and passed the multi-time champ back for the win. Lidman finished the season 10th in points, breaking into the elite group on the final weekend.

“I’ve been involved in snowmobile racing for a long time, but these past few race weekends have been the most fun I’ve ever had at the track,” says team owner Chris Carlson. “I’m so proud of the team and thankful to our sponsors and supporters who make it all possible.”

More wins for the team came from upstart rider Ryan Springer in the Sport class. While Ryan failed to make the final on Saturday due to a crash, he won both of his heat races on Sunday and finished second in the final.

The weekend was capped by the RAM World Cup, which pitted Team USA against a world team. Andrew Carlson qualified as one of five riders to represent Team USA, who defeated Team World in a three-moto format.

Team Carlson Motorsports scored eight ISOC podiums on the season plus an Eagle River World Championship podium, an impressive showing with much improvement over last season. The team has gelled, the sleds are some of the best tuned on the track, and more podiums are almost assuredly to come.

The team will now trek across the pond where they will compete in the Clash of Nations, March 28-29 in Fulun Sweden.

Team Arctic will tackle the upcoming snowmobile racing season on a fine-tuned 2013 Arctic Cat Sno Pro 600. According to Arctic Cat, the updated sled features improvements to durability, precision cornering and suspension control.

At the heart of the 2013 Sno Pro 600 is the 600R race engine with heated 40mm Mikuni rack style TM carburetors. Other key features include: Front Arctic Race Suspension (ARS) with Fox Float X Evol Shox, Race Slide Action rear suspension equipped with Fox Racing Shox, 1.7 in. Snocros track or 1.25 in. Cobra 2-ply Cross Country track, Arctic Drive System (ADS) with magnesium chaincase and Torque Overload Sensing (TOS) bottom sprocket, Torque Control Link (TCL), Radial Master Cylinder brake system, and five-gallon Snocross or 13-gallon Cross Country fuel tank.

2013 Sno Pro 600 Updates

For 2013 Arctic Cat has made several key changes to the Sno Pro 600. First is a new chassis geometry, which is designed to offer added ground clearance to improve predictability and allow the rider to attack the track with confidence while scrubbing less speed. A total of 1.35 inches of ground clearance has been added at foot pockets, along with flatter running board angles. As well, a single layer 0.8-inch thick tunnel offers increased strength, while new rear suspension mounting positions give the track drive more ground clearance.

Arctic Cat also made changes to the front suspension and steering geometry. Among these changes is an improved caster angle, increased ski stance to 43.5 inches (1.2 inches wider than 2012 model), new steering ratio, new ski damper which loads rear of ski for improved handling, and new front arm shock eyelet for improved durability.

The Sno Pro 600’s rear suspension also saw some changes. The front arm mounting position was moved rearward 2.0 inches to improve transfer control, front arm suspension travel was increased by approximately 1.0 inch, strength has been added to both front arm and idler arm, a new torsion spring was added for increased preload, and a new rear coupling position is designed to give the Sno Pro a wider range of usable adjustment.

Arctic Cat also made significant updates to the drive system. A new PTO engine plate was added for added durability, engine mounts have been made with increased stiffness, the dropcase was modified for increased strength, and the drive shaft, driven shaft, drive clutch spring, and drive belt were replaced.

Improving the brake system was also a priority for Arctic Cat this year and updates to the brake system were designed to give the rider a more positive feel and control throughout the race. Both the caliper and disc are new for 2013.

Other updates for 2013 include: heated 40mm Mikuni rack style TM carburetors w/TPS; new 1/4 turn assembly, hood pin, and hold down strap to secure side panels; added thickness to Snocross snow flap for increased durability; modified front heat exchanger engine mount bracket for increased durability; updated wire harness for improved routing; new throttle cable with increased temperature rating; new choke cable added; snocross seat has narrower (1.5-in. each side) leg profile than Cross Country seat; snocross has low-height windshield and Cross Country has mid-height; C&A XT Snocross or C&A ADX Cross Country Ski (Carbides NOT included); and new Team Arctic Green color.

With the 2012-13 snowmobile racing season quickly approaching, Polaris has unveiled its 2013 600 IQ Race Sled. According to Polaris, the sled features a new engine package that delivers improved performance across the power range.

The 2013 version of the 600 IQ Race Sled also features a redesigned track, enhanced shock adjustability, improved brakes and other changes designed to increase Polaris racers’ competitive advantage.

New Engine Package

The new Polaris Liberty 600 engine package in the 600 IQ Race Sled features a re-engineered cylinder head and cylinders that result in significantly increased horsepower. Polaris did not provide specific numbers.

“Our new engine package was developed with a focus on improving both snocross and cross-country performance,” says Matt Prusak, race program leader in the Polaris Snowmobile Division. “We’re seeing this engine produce increased horsepower across the entire RPM range. Polaris racers will experience crisper throttle response, improved holeshots, and stronger performance all the way across the powerband. There’s a significant increase in power over the 2012 race sled.”

Chassis Improvements

To match the improved power, Polaris also make changes to the chassis for 2013. Chief among the improvements are the Walker Evans 16-click compression-adjustable shocks all around – in the IFS front end and the front and rear track shocks.

In addition, rebound adjustability was added to the rear track shock to give racers easier on-track tuning. Terrain racers will be able to adjust all four shocks with a clicker to fine-tune their sleds’ performance for each day’s unique track conditions.

A new track that has been in development for several years is being introduced on the 2013 race sled. According to Polaris, it provides racers with improved performance in all snow conditions, from sugary snow on bitter cold winter days to wetter, softer snow on early spring race days.

The new 15″-wide track is .25″ wider than on previous race sleds and features a revised lug profile and pattern for improved traction.

The 2013 race sled is also equipped with DP Brakes brake pads. According to Polaris, these pads deliver consistently outstanding performance in all situations, including high-heat conditions that develop in racing. The DP brake pads were developed with extensive input from Polaris factory racers, and they are designed to deliver excellent performance with no brake fade when the action heats up.

In response to requests from Polaris racers, the new race sled has a 2″ handlebar riser, down from the 2.5″ riser height of previous race sleds. Prusak said racers asked for a slightly lower bar position to enhance their leverage in corners and position them over the handlebars more than before.

The 2013 Polaris 600 IQ Race Sled was developed as a snocross sled, but it also underwent extensive testing to determine the best setups for cross-country racing. The Polaris Racing Department will provide cross-country racers who compete on this sled with information about recommended setups and shock tuning for the most competitive terrain performance.

More 600 IQ Race Sled Details

The 2013 IQ Race Sled is built on Polaris’ IQ Chassis. It is built using advanced assembly techniques that minimize the chassis’ part count and optimize strength and reliability.

The IFS has Walker Evans Aluminum IFP (Internal Floating Piston) 16-position compression-adjustable shocks with piggyback reservoirs. The front end has 10.3″ (26.1 cm) of travel.

This same IFS design is available to recreational riders on Polaris RUSH models built on the PRO-RIDE Chassis, and on Switchback models.

The IQ Rear Suspension has a Walker Evans Coil Over Shock as the front track shock, and the rear track shock is a Walker Evans Aluminum IFP 16-position compression- and rebound-adjustable large body shock. The rear suspension has 13.9″ (35.3 cm) of travel.

The new liquid-cooled Polaris Liberty 600 twin features a redesigned cylinder head and cylinders for increased horsepower output. It has twin Mikuni Rack TM 40 carburetors, NiCaSil-lined cylinders for optimized heat dispersion and the Polaris VES (Variable Exhaust System) for outstanding power and instant throttle response.

The power delivery is managed by the Polaris P-85 drive clutch paired with a Lightweight TEAM Roller driven clutch.

The liquid-cooled brake package includes a Cyclone master cylinder and lever, Phantom dual-piston caliper and new DP Brakes brake pads.

The Polaris snowmobile racing paddock is going to look a lot different after this season as Polaris Racing Manager Tom Rager Sr. is preparing to retire at season’s end.

Rager, who joined Polaris in August 2000 and has directed the racing program ever since, will be succeeded by his son, Tom Rager, Jr., who currently serves as Polaris Race Coordinator.

“It’s been a great career,” says the elder Rager. “I’ve watched my son grow and develop and he’s ready to take this thing on. He has worked hard.”

Rager Sr. joined Polaris after spending over 15 years with the Ski-Doo snowmobile racing program, including the final seven years as race manager.

“I think he’s the best race director in the business, hands down, no question about it,” says Scott Judnick, co-owner with his wife Colleen of Judnick Motorsports, a Polaris racing team for the past 11 years. “[Former Polaris CEO Tom] Tiller and [former GM Snowmobiles] Bob Nygaard knew what they were doing getting Tom Sr., to come on board. They wanted to win and they wanted the best and knew what Sr. could bring to the table. Look at how the program has dominated for such a long time.”

Rager Sr. joined Polaris along with his team of Racing Coordinator Bill Rader and Tom Rager Jr., who originally focused on race sled technology and has remained a race team crew chief until this winter. The three formed a highly successful team known for treating teams fairly, successfully recruited young racers and helping to develop outstanding race sleds.

“We got involved with quality people like the Judnick and Hentges teams and Tim Bender, and we started building the program,” says Rager Sr. “Then [the Polaris snowmobiling engineering team in] Roseau came through and built pretty much everything we wanted. The problem initially was that we were fighting with the [Ski-Doo] REV [sled], which had just come out, but boy the guys in Roseau came through and built us a sled. Holy buckets, it’s still a good sled.”

Getting young terrain racers on Polaris sleds helped build a feeder program of future Pro racers.

“We just kept feeding the program and we knew in three, four years we were going to have a good crop,” says Rager Sr. “It’s fun to see success throughout the whole program, including terrain, ovals and hillclimb.

“The whole thing that leads to success is surrounding yourself with the right people. We’ve got a tremendous team, in my mind. The race teams are the heart and soul of the whole program. We’re very careful about bringing a new race team on with Polaris, and they usually don’t leave.”

Among the highlights Rager Sr., recalled from his years with Polaris was Carl Schibutzke scoring the first Pro victory for Polaris in a National snocross event in 2002 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. He also cherishes the first snocross points title ever won by a Polaris racer, TJ Gulla’s 2004-2005 Pro Stock championship.

Among the few low points during Rager’s dozen years with Polaris was Bill Rader’s battle with cancer and his passing away in February 2012. The two had been best friends for nearly 20 years, and coming to work without Rader around changed the landscape for the elder Rager.

“It hasn’t been the same for Sr. since Bill got sick and Bill passed away,” says Rager Jr. “It’s not the same vibe for him.”

Rager Jr. has seen his father’s leadership and accomplishments from up close.

“It’s going to be different without Sr.,” said his son. “The sport is going to miss him. I’m going to miss him. I’m lucky that I have such a legend in the sport that I can always go to for advice. I certainly plan on seeing him and spending a lot of time with him, even when he’s retired. The goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is often referred to as big snow country for its massive lake effect snowfalls that accumulate there every winter. While the snowfall has yet to inundate the region this season, the snowmaking equipment on the slopes of the Blackjack Ski Resort near Bessemer more than made up for the void. The deep snow was then transformed into a challenging snocross track that featured a pair of downhill bombs that proved to be an obstacle for virtually every rider on the tour.

For the Polaris/Arctiva riders of Carlson Motorsports the weekend was one of battles won and lost, starting with Lidman missing his traditional pre-race meal of cabbage rolls. Call it hunger pains or bad luck, but the usual “speedy” Swede was missing a gear in qualifying, resulting in a poor start and a nasty crash that ultimately forced the hungry Lidman to watch Saturday’s final from the sidelines.

Seeing the struggles of his teammate, Carlson slammed a double shot of Muscle Milk after practice, donned his Thor helmet and managed to salvage a back row start via the Last Chance Qualifier. From there Andrew battled traffic and rode a smart race, capping the day with a top ten finish in ninth.

Vowing to amend his poor Saturday performance, Lidman charged through qualifying enroot to a front row start and ultimately a sixth place finish, besting more than half the field of international heavy hitters.

“That was a perfect example of Johan using his experience and sticking with it,” says team owner Chris Carlson. “He could have packed it in after a very disappointing first day. Instead he charged the track and it speaks volumes about his mental make-up and the determination of this team.”

But where Johan faired better on Sunday, the tough luck returned and sunk its teeth into Andrew Carlson in the Pro-Lite competition. A pair of crashes in qualifying and just missing the transfer spot in the last chance race made for an early exit.

“It certainly wasn’t what we were hoping for,” says Chris Carlson. “The good news is we escaped the weekend unscathed, collected some points, and have three weeks of testing, training, and seat-time in front of us before Canterbury. We’ll be ready.”

Day 1 started off great, with all the riders putting in fantastic qualifying efforts. Locking them all into positions for the final. The Pro Lite final kicked off the evening’s excitement. With an aggressive left to right starting line that was eating up riders all day. Travis Muller got a great jump off the ling, but then was pushed far outside where he caught someone’s ski. This caused him to flip over, ending his chase for the night.

In Pro Open all three Warnert Racing Ski-Doo’s where able to get great starts and finish in the top ten. Justin Broberg charged hard to ride his way to eighth, while Emil Ohman was just a couple spots off the box finishing sixth. Tim Tremblay was running second when an ice ridge almost swallowed him up, causing his sled to catapult on its side. Tremblay was able to muscle his machine back over and finish off the night with a well-deserved third.

Hard riding paid off in Day 2 of the Blackjack National. Muller attacked the track right away coming out the back row in the Pro Lite final on his #436 NSK Ski-Doo. He was able push his way through the stacked field of talent, up to third place when the checkered flags flew.

With Broberg having an unfortunate tangle in the LCQ, Ohman and Tremblay were put on the hunt for the number One spot in Pro Open final. Ohman was putting a great ride in, when an unfavorable incident ended his race dropping him to 14th. Tremblay was able to keep his consistency toward the front. Pulling off a solid fourth place finish and locking up third place in the standings as the team prepares for the next round of the ISOC National Tour.

Warnert Racing would like to thank its sponsors: Ski-doo, Foremost Insurance, XPS Lubricants, NSK Bearings SSI Decals, Inc., Quadna Mountain Park, C&A Pro Skis, 50 Below, Stud Boy, Fly Racing, Rotax, VP Racing Fuels, Dragon, NGK, KYB, Mechanix Wear, DP Brakes, Rox, V-Force Reeds, Frog Z Skin, TekVest and SnoStuff.

Visit warnertracing.com for up to date info on riders, sleds, and more.

Photo by John Hanson

Monster Energy’s Tucker Hibbert put on an impressive show at the second stop of the ISOC National Snocross Series in Bessemer, Mich., putting to rest the questions surrounding Arctic Cat’s all-new Sno Pro 600. Hibbert won all of his qualifying rounds and ran away with the Pro Open final Sunday afternoon by taking the holeshot, riding flawlessly and crossing the finish line over 15 seconds ahead of second place.

“This was a big weekend for me. We (the team) made huge improvements on our overall race package and it showed,” says Hibbert. The track was long and rough. ISOC did an awesome job building a challenging track. I felt night and day better than I did at Duluth. With a weekend off, I was able to put more time on new ProCross chassis to get more comfortable. I was able to charge hard and ride to my potential. I felt strong, just like I have in the past.”

The Blackjack National featured a massive track built on the side of a ski hill stacked with deep rollers, towering berms and challenging rhythm sections. Hibbert, the defending Pro Open Champion, consistently turned the fastest laps of the weekend.

After a rough season opener two weeks ago in Duluth, Minn., Hibbert and Team Monster Energy/Arctic Cat went to work to improve his race package. He proved his hard work paid off by notching a near perfect race weekend. While leading the Pro Open final Saturday afternoon and with two laps to go, a mechanical issue forced him to back off and coast in to finish fourth, eluding him of a weekend sweep. He bounced back Sunday by winning both qualifiers and the final with a dominating race from start to finish.

Racing action resumes Jan. 6-7 at the historic Canterbury Park Racetrack outside of Minneapolis, Minn. Until then, catch the NBC Sports (VERSUS) broadcast of the Duluth National Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. ET.

“Going into this break, I have a lot of confidence and I’m excited to see how much more we can improve,” says Hibbert. “After our performance this weekend, I know we’re up-to-speed and fully capable of winning races.”

Hibbert’s 2012 Official Merchandise Line is now online with shipping available to seven countries. Visit tuckerstore.mybigcommerce.com for more information.