Hentges Racing Rider Levi LaVallee came to Aspen, Colorado for these years ESPN Winter X Games in search of Gold, and Gold is exactly what he found!
Levi started the event Thursday with the brand new event in Speed and Style and won the event in convincing fashion! Levi actually squared off against his Hentges teammate, Joe Parsons, in the semi final round in which was the most exciting round of the night. Both riders put down huge clean runs but it was Levi who went on to the Gold medal round and win and Joe advanced to the Bronze medal round where he also won bringing home the Gold and Bronze to the Hentges Camp!
The snocross event was a little more difficult with only Levi and TJ Gulla advancing to the final from Hentges Racing and an off by each rider kept them off the podium. TJ was unable to continue and Levi worked his way through the pack for a sixth place finish.
Sundays' Freestyle event was more exciting than could have been dreamt! Joe Parsons was the number one qualifier through the eliminations and Levi was the number three qualifier. The brackets paired Joe and Heath Frisby together while Levi and Daniel Bodin faced off head to head. Both Hentges Racing riders utilized their Polaris machines to the fullest to win the first round of Head to Head competition.
That meant that it would be a full Hentges Racing Freestyle final where Joe and Levi squared off Head to Head for the Gold! Levi was first up and left it all hang on the track, literally. He scored an 87.66 with the cleanest run of his life where he hustled around the course and used his speed to hit two additional ramps. Joe was up next and also threw a fantastic run and earned a score of 87.33 giving Levi the Gold medal and Joe the Silver in the closest Winter X Games Freestyle final in history!
Levi LaVallee was named later that night the male Athlete of X Games and was awarded a brand new 2008 Jeep Liberty! Rob Powers of the World Powersports Association added "How great it is that Levi was able to impress the world and bring home the coveted Jeep Athlete of the Winter X Games to the remainder of the WPSA National Tour."
A congratulation to everyone at Hentges Racing and its sponsors as the hard work has paid off with two Gold medals, one Silver medal and one Bronze medal from the 2008 ESPN Winter X Games!
The 2007 WPSA National Team of the Year amassed 5 podiums and 2 X Games invitations at the season kickoff in Duluth, MN amongst one of the best Duluth tracks in years!
The team picked up the new season right where we left off last year by opening the Friday X Games qualifier with two riders, Levi LaVallee and Bobby LePage, earning invites to the big show in Aspen. Levi finished second in the first X Games final and Bobby infused the hometown crowd with a third place. TJ Gulla received a manufactures pick from Polaris prior to the event. That leaves us with three riders already qualified for the ESPN Winter X Games Snocross event held January 25th- 28th in Aspen, CO!
Pro Open found TJ caught up in a first corner incident put was able to work through the pack and muscle his way into a great 6th place finish. That is why he is a true champion! Levi also cut through the pack coming from 10th all the way to 2nd and attacking Tucker Hibbert for the lead when his goggle strap malfunctioned and he actually had to throw off his goggles with a couple of laps to go. He finished the race with a crowd loving 2nd place.
Pro Stock started with TJ and Levi mid pack working their way through the crowd together passing the competition one right after the other. The hard work from the duo paid off as TJ finished 4th and Levi 5th. It capped off a 1-5 Polaris finish.
Bobby continued to bolster the crowd Saturday afternoon as he took the holeshot in the Semi-Pro Open final. He held the point for two laps until teammate Brett Bender passed him and started to check out. Bobby just kept his race pace and was able to track down his teammate and make the pass with two laps to go. Brett stayed within striking distance but it was Bobby who took home the checker first and Brett a close second. Chris Kafka finished 9th but had worked his way up to challenging for the third podium before a last lap mishap dropped him back. Scott Vig also rode well to a 14 place finish in the final. Congratulations to the semi-pros for putting on a great show and posting great finishes!
Sundays Semi-Pro Stock was a little bit different. But not by much. Bobby and Brett came out of the hole in 1st and 2nd again and the crowd knew they would be in for another great show. Bobby led the race to the half way point until Brett took advantage of a mistake by Bobby to take the point and the eventual win! Chris Kafka was caught up in a first turn tangle but picked his way through the field to finish a very respectable 6th all the way from the back of the pack.
The Hentges Team settled back into the shop today and is busy preparing for another round of X-Games qualifying this weekend, Dec. 1st, at Park X.
Amsoil Duluth National, Duluth MN. marks the season kick-off to the exciting, high-flyin, world of the national snocross racing and Avalanche Racing "came to the show!" This year's line-up of Pros are incrediably talented racers and earning one of the top honors this weekend is our Pro - Mike Schultz. Mike captured a Pro Super Stock podium, was in the top five of the Pro Open National and qualified for the Winter X-Games. A great start within a group of fierce competitors! He says, "It feels great to be back on the track and I plan to spend A LOT of time in the winner's circle!"
Our own Kylie Abrahamson (breast cancer awareness spokesperson) dominated the Pro Womens division finishing 1st in both rounds and earned a 1st place finish in the final which was one of the most exciting races of the weekend. She had a tough holeshot and was in last place in the first corner, but she turned on the heat and with her usual style and grace drove her way to the checkered.
Andrew Johnstad captured an outstanding podium of his own in the Semi-Pro Open Class, running excellent in rounds, taking a third in the final, plus brother, James Johnstad, Junior 10-13, captured an exciting second place trophy. Kudos Racers! A SUPER start to the season!
"In between podiums we had the opportunity to make a donation to the Pink Ribbon Riders on behalf of Avalanche Racing in addition to Kylie sled proceeds at the end of the year. We believe whole heartedly in the work they do! We try to help when we can." said Bonnie Glefke Avalanche Racing Team co-owner.
Fans...you need to stay tuned! Your not going to want to miss a minute of this season's edge of your seat, incredibly awesome competition.
Avalanche Racings Crew Member for a Day was Melissa DeRosier in Duluth. Don't forget to sign up for the "Avalanche Racing Crew Member for a Day! " You too could be right in the action as a member of the Avalanche crew and win great prizes!
Register to win now online at www.PowerSportsTour.com
Avalanche Racing is PROUD to represent all their outstanding sponsors: Polaris Racing; Parts Unlimited; Liberty Coach; Yellow Book USA, Arctiva, Z1R Helmets, Rockstar, Trukke Boots, Subway, Torco, Giordano's, Scoretix.com, Volvo, Smith, Powermadd, Ogio, HMK, Walker Evans, Stud Boy, Tekvest, Culligan, BRRP, CA Pro, Best Western, Camoplast, NGK, VP Racing, Ultimate Transport, Prevost.
The Avalanche Racing Team consists of team owners, Mike and Bonnie Glefke, Pro rider Mike Schultz, Semi-Pro rider Andrew Johnstad, Sport rider David Glefke, Pro Womens Kylie Abrahamson and Junior rider James Johnstad. Crew Chief Jayme Cheney, mechanics Chad Kyllo, Cody Braaten & Josh Ree and Crew Support Chris Glefke, Team Driver/PR Dean Turcotte.
For more information, please visit www.AvalancheRaceTeam.com.
