In an unique USXC doubleheader in Park Rapids, Minn., Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Lindbom scored wins in Saturday and Sunday’s Semi-Pro Improved races and added podiums in both days’ Pro Open events, his best result of the season. The effort gave Lindbom an overall win for the weekend in Semi-Pro Improved, and an impressive second overall in Pro Open. It also poised him to take the Semi-Pro Improved championship at the series finale scheduled for Mar. 9 in Warroad, Minn. Also in USXC racing, teammates Jake Muller and Ross Erdman brought home top-five finishes in their respective Semi-Pro Improved and Pro Open classes.
The USXC doubleheader in Minnesota greeted racers with subfreezing temperatures, sunny skies and a pair of 26-mile courses featuring mostly woods and field on Saturday – and then switching to ditch and woods on Sunday. With plans to turn pro next season, Lindbom was determined to step up the pace in one of his last career Semi-Pro Improved events. And he did just that, pushing hard throughout the twin 52-mile races. The effort paid off, rewarding Lindbom with the win in Semi-Pro Improved and a podium in the simultaneously scored Pro Open event on Saturday. He repeated the win in Semi-Pro Improved and stepped it up even more to finish second in simultaneous Pro Open on Sunday – the best result in the class for Yamaha this year. “The Nytro handed everything I could throw at it,” Lindbom said afterwards. Yamaha racing technical coordinator Brian Strawsell added, “The durability of our engines really prevailed this weekend. And thanks to our fuel injection, we didn’t lose power or have to re-jet like some of the two-stroke teams.”
| Semi-Pro Improved |
| 1 |
Ben Lindbom - YAM |
|
| 2 |
Alex Hetteen |
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| 3 |
Timmy Kallock |
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| 4 |
Jacob Muller - YAM |
|
| 5 |
Craig Ritzinger |
|
| 6 |
Andrew Hawkins |
|
| 7 |
Nathan Moritz |
|
| 8 |
Cale Anseeuw |
|
| 9 |
Adam Mach |
|
| 10 |
Lucas Kemper |
|
|
 |
| Standings |
| 1 |
Ben Lindbom - YAM |
392 |
| 2 |
Travis Faust |
304 |
| 3 |
Nathan Moritz |
292 |
| 4 |
Alex Hetteen |
276 |
| 5 |
Jacob Muller - YAM |
267 |
| 6 |
Adam Mach |
240 |
| 7 |
Craig Ritzinger |
226 |
| 8 |
Cale Anseeuw |
220 |
| 9 |
Timmy Kallock |
204 |
| 10 |
Quintin Rettler |
200 |
|
| Pro Open |
| 1 |
Zach Herfindahl |
|
| 2 |
Ben Lindbom - YAM |
|
| 3 |
Wesley Selby |
|
| 4 |
Aaron Christensen |
|
| 5 |
Ross Erdman - YAM |
|
| 6 |
Ryan Faust |
|
| 7 |
Re Wadena - YAM |
|
| 8 |
Bobby Menne IV |
|
| 9 |
Jacob Muller - YAM |
|
| 10 |
Ryan Simons |
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