Team Rockstar Energy Polaris Racing’s Iain Hayden wrapped up the CSRA Ontario Provincial Pro Open Snowcross Championship this weekend in Kitchener, ON, with podium finishes on Saturday and Sunday.
Hayden, who led the provincial points chase from the get-go aboard the explosive Polaris IQ race sled, finished the season in style with a second place in Saturday’s final and a dominating win on Sunday.
“We knew from in the beginning that we had a winning sled in the Polaris IQ and we approached the season with a race-to-race game plan that helped insure us a successful end to the season,” said Hayden. “Winning championships is a team effort and I’d like to thank everybody involved with Rockstar Energy Polaris Racing for their input and hard work behind the scenes as well as all our other sponsors for helping to make it possible.”
Hayden, who had a 42 points advantage on second place David Joanis going into the final round of the championship, rode calculated qualifying heats on Saturday that saw him deliver 2-2 results. He went on to replicate that number by finishing 2nd in the final.
On Sunday Hayden snared 2-3 results in the qualifying heats and then, in true championship style, showed the competition no mercy by claiming the top spot on the podium in the final.
Unfortunately Hayden’s teammate Lee Butler was not able to race at Round 7 due to a foot injury sustained two weeks earlier in Sudbury. Although it was originally believed he had not fractured the foot, subsequent x-rays determined that there was indeed a fracture. It is expected that he will be able to join the fray this weekend in Barrie for the final round of the CSRA National Championship at Horseshoe Valley.
Although Butler was not on the track this weekend, his No.73 Polaris IQ sled did make an appearance on Sunday. Manning the machine was none other than top-three Canadian National Motocross star Bobby Kiniry. The American joined the team as guest rider in the Sport class. Even though the New York native he had never ridden a snowmobile before, he managed to stay aboard the sled and not get in anybody’s way.
“I had a blast! It’s incredible the way these sled’s handle over terrain that at one time was only the domain of dirt bikes. How did I finish? Let’s just say I didn’t make the final,” Kiniry said.
Kiniry and Hayden (pictured above left and right) are slated to team up this year for the CMRC Canadian Motocross Nationals in the MX1 class under the OTSFF Sports Marketing Group banner, and used the Kitchener event to get acquainted.
