JOLIET, Illinois (Mar. 7, 2016) – Massachusetts-based Jess Racing enjoyed another solid outing on the national snocross tour over the weekend, competing in ISOC's annual Hollywood Casino Snocross National at the beautiful Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
Pro Lite rider Montana Jess kicked off the weekend in impressive fashion on Friday evening, earning first and fourth place finishes during qualifying rounds. In the 14-lap final, Jess inherited the lead shortly after the start when two riders came together in the first corner. The points leader set sail and held the lead until the final circuit, settling for second to notch his 10th podium finish in 13 starts.
On Saturday, Montana finished second in his first 10-lap qualifying heat. In Round 2, he got the holeshot and quickly checked out on the field. After that strong heat win, Jess lined up for the final with confidence and optimism. After slotting into third at the start, Montana was running his usual steady pace until a broken belly-pan from a hard landing allowed the belt to slip. He was sixth at the finish.
"I knew after the sled landed that I had problems; the power just wasn't there any more," Jess explained after the final. "The track was as rough and holed-out as we've seen all season. If you didn't keep your speed up and work those rollers just right, it was going to bite you. I'm thrilled we came out of here with another podium and kept our lead in the points. I'm ready to head for Lake Geneva in a couple of weeks and get this thing wrapped up. I've just got to stay focused like I've done all winter."
Jess Racing operated as a single-rider team at Route 66 Raceway after having New York native Jake Scott on the squad most of the season. Jake made his debut with fellow Arctic Cat team Christian Brothers Racing over the weekend, and scored a top-10 finish on Saturday night. Congratulations to Jake on landing a high-profile ride substituting for an injured Logan Christian – you earned it.
Team owner Carl Jess has bitten his nails almost completely off as his son continues one of the most impressive rookie seasons ISOC fans have witnessed in years. At the national level, the Pro Lite class is a tough battle; much like the NASCAR Xfinity Series for those aspiring to reach the premier Sprint Cup Series.
"It has been nothing short of amazing to see Montana take on the factory-supported teams and beat them on a week-to-week basis," the elder Jess said. "The job Ziggy has done in the trailer all year keeping that Cat dialed in is incredible. I'm blessed to have a smart rider, a dedicated mechanic and partners who support the team without fail. The new ZR has performed better than we'd hoped, so we can't complain about the damage that occurred tonight. I'm just ready to see it wrap up with no major setbacks or late-season gremlins."
Jess Racing would like to thank its fine group of marketing partners for their continued support, including Arctic Cat, Central Mass Powersports, Woody's, Arctic Wear, That's Great News, Rox Speed FX and Ski Nautique Boats. We simply could not compete at this level without their assistance.
The season finale for the 2016 International Series of Champions' AMSOIL Championship Snocross (ACS) tour is set for Mar. 18-20, at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. For more info, go to www.facebook.com/Jess-Racing-339184942858218/
