Jess Racing notches another podium finish at Pirtek Snocross National Massachusetts native holds on to points lead in Pro Lite
SHAKOPEE, Minnesota (Jan. 13, 2016) – After a tough night of racing Friday, Massachusetts native Montana Jess bounced back in style on Saturday with a podium finish as Jess Racing completed Rounds five and six on the 2016 AMSOIL Championship Snocross (ACS) tour at Canterbury Park.
Jess, 18, of Westminster, was fast in Friday's qualifying rounds with a pair of second-place runs. During the final, he charged up to the sixth position from deep in the field before having a mechanical failure (broken shock) pitch him off the sled at lap six (of 10), sending him to a 13th-place finish.
On Saturday, Jess was forced into the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) to make the final before powering his way to an impressive second-place finish in bitter cold conditions (wind chills dipped below zero). The amazing rebound allowed him to retain the points lead by 22 over Michigan native Kevin Wallenstein.
"That was quite an up and down weekend of racing," a relieved and excited Jess said after Saturday's final. "Our Friday night didn't go as planned, but we don't suffer mechanical failure often so we knew we could bounce back. It took a little luck and misfortune by others to get here, but we'll take it. When I crossed the line tonight and realized where I finished, I was more than happy."
Unofficially, the points tally after six rounds of competition stands at 212 for Jess and 190 for Wallenstein. The gap remains at 22, just as it was going into the weekend. The teams motto of "never say die," was evident at Canterbury Park, where International Series Of Champions (ISOC) officials laid out the nicest track this sport's athletes and fans have enjoyed in quite some time.
Weekend results were mixed for Jess Racing's Pro Open rider, New York native and former Pro Lite champion Jake Scott. The pride of Port Jefferson missed making Friday's final by two spots in a talent-filled LCQ. On Saturday, Scott once again found himself in the LCQ yet this time secured a spot in the final. While not among the front-runners, Scott soldiered on to claim a respectable 11th-place finish. When you battle against the world's best riders, progress is measured in small increments.
"We had our share of tough luck, yet still came out of Canterbury Park with momentum on our side," team owner Carl Jess said. "Montana didn't let the bad luck on Friday spoil his weekend, and Jake bounced back and made the show on Saturday. For Montana to keep the red plate and for Jake to get more seat time on his Cat in a final is very satisfying. We'll get ready for the next one with a smile."
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, Rox Speed FX and Malibu Boats. We simply could not compete at this level without their assistance.
Rounds 7 and 8 on the ISOC ACS tour are set for Jan. 22-23, 2016 at the Days of 76 Rodeo Grounds in Deadwood, South Dakota. For more info, go to www.facebook.com/Jess-Racing-339184942858218/
