Round 11 & 12 Elk River, MN
Traveling back to the midwest from the two week stint of east coast rounds, we are happy to park the media van at a venue we have lots of history with. Logging hours and hours of media content & many of millions of steps. ERX Motorpark always brings the best of the best. Fans, athletes, sponsors and weather.
This weekend we were welcomed by Monster Energy being a partner of ISOC Snocross we haven’t seen them in the game since Hentges before they closed doors & Kody Kamm in 2024/25 season. Big moves happening in the arena, we did get word Monster Energy has jumped on as a partner for Champ Off-Road as well sister series to Amsoil Championship Snocross.
Friday forecast was calling for rain with a chance of snow, well weather people you were partially right. We saw rain on and off, very happy about that once Pro races got under way we saw a delay. To my knowledge only weather delay Snocross has seen was Soaring Eagle casino back In 2017/18 if I have my dates correct. That was a nasty one watching the live stream there was standing water and mud everywhere. Mother Nature did come through with much nicer weather Saturday blue bird skies with a small chill in the air. We had to wear out Fly Racing jacket all day. Man those jackets are warm and cozy. Check out Fly Racing’s gear lineup if you are in need, hands down best gear you will ever have.
ERX Motorpark fans came out swinging, we saw stands starting to fill up early mornings to afternoon. Cheering on the youth classes, every single fan had there favorite rider in each class, hearing these youth athletes have fans tells us this sports is growing, growing in the right direction too. Two classes to keep on eye on, Sport-Lite & Jr Girls 9-13. Any one of these young ladies can rocket off the start and lead wire to wire. Charlie Buteau is leading the pack in the points, with a large target on her back rest of the field is stepping up the game showing they are here to battle her to the finish. Competitors such as Lila Hemmer, Eva Gifford, Vivian Yager, Peyton Weisbrod are showing skis’s, ripping hole shots and putting a stop to Buteau’s record wins. One important key factor we see from Charlie, track side she is always watching the pro athletes to see where she can be better. Hemmer Motorsports Lila Hemmer put the hammer down during Friday’s final securing a win for herself, this win didn’t come easy hard work does pay off eventually and being the first win of the season for her right in her back yard and hometown crowd, right behind would be points leader Charlie Buteau. No stranger to he podium and first time winner in NY, Eva Gifford put her head down holding that throttle wide open to stand on the box in third, not where she wants to be but staying consistent in this championship fight.
Rolling into Saturday these up and coming Pro women athletes are hungry for more. Reset the field wait for that starting line to go green. Vivian Yager pulled a massive holeshot leading for a few laps to only relinquish the leas to wide open Charlie Buteau, looking for revenge after Friday’s performance. Vivian was a huge surprise for us, we do know Beson Team has the clutching dialed on those Arctic Cat sled’s. Yager would stay put in second holding off Michigan native Eva Gifford grabbing the first second place of her career and first podium of 2026. Eva Gifford was all smiles coming off a hard charge performance closing the gap on Vivian but having enough to close the deal, third is where she would stay another bronze not where she wants to be, with two more weekends there is four more chances to grab another gold before the season ends. Peyton Weisbrod was absent from the podium all weekend long with 11th & 5th, going into the weekend her we spoke with her and the goal was podium finishes. Those podiums will be at Eagle River & Duluth!
Thene Motorsports keeps growing the team, with a new race shop, trailer what more is there? You know what there is to do hire athletes with skills, talent to the team roster. Carter Van Horsigh signed with Thene going into ERX weekend, this move is the next chapter for Carters career, only limited time in the ISOC series he is becoming one of the heavy hitters as he will be making a big splash moving to sport next season. Wire to wire finished Friday & Saturday No.740 isn’t it make it easy for the rest of the field 78 point gap on second, could we see Carter wrap this one up early at Eagle River? Tune in on out socials channels to find out. East coast phenom Sal LaBeau where has this kid come from. Crashing out a lot last year now finding the podium now 4 times? Snagging his first podium at Ironwood the momentum train has been chugging along, Friday was one heck of a ride taking silver, one position away gold he can definitely taste it. To rebound get on the box again Saturday in 3rd. Will Eagle river be the place he gets that alluded first win? Riley Johnson would fight to third putting that skid-doo on the box Friday night.
After interviewing Lincoln Meyer after his heat race, he told us he’s ready to get on the box, what a performance and conviction he had to make it happen. No.863 held gold up high, well deserved from the performance he had. Living only 10 minutes up the road Zach Miller has logged a lot of laps at ERX knowing it like the back of his hand, someone had to know he would not miss the opportunity walk on that podium at his home track, must be all that beef HAHA #eatmorebeef. Sal LaBeau would not be denied a podium with bronze. Where was points leader Carter Van Horsigh? Crossing the line in 8th not a normal sight for this young man. We are sure the rebound will be huge in Wisconsin.
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See everyone at the Derby!