Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Team LaVallee finishes the Canadian National on the podium!



For the last eastern race on the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series the team headed across the border to the Quick Draw Canadian Nationals held at Hiawatha Horsepark in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

With unseasonably warm weather, the entire rack was made by snow that was hauled in by the truck load from surrounding Ski Hills. “I was happy to see the endless preparation for this race, it is a great opportunity for us to do this Canadian National and I am really glad it all worked out” stated LaVallee.



Race Results: Pro Stock. Team LaVallee’s Pro Rider, Levi LaVallee, had a great start for the weekend with qualifying 5th and 2nd in his heats. With those two successful rounds, Levi was the 6th qualifier going into the Pro Stock Final. With 10 sleds lined up tight off the start for the final, Levi got pinched between a few sleds and was pushed towards the back of the pack. With 20 laps of head of him, Levi was hungry and worked him way up to an excellent 6th place finish.

Pro Open. With the pain in LaVallee’s heel/foot still there, he pushed through it and had an outstanding day of racing. Round one, LaVallee took the holeshot and held his lines to win his heat. Round two, LaVallee’s lap times were super consistent and he finished high with a 2nd place spot. With awesome qualifying, LaVallee was the 2nd place qualifier for the Pro Open Final. Levi chose the far - outside line for the Final and it worked in his advantage, by taking the hole shot and quickly moved out in front of the pack. With leading for 8 laps, LaVallee was bumped by Ross Martin, causing just enough force for LaVallee to get pushed back to 2nd place. LaVallee continued to ride strong throughout the entire race and ended with an exciting 2nd place. Levi was thrilled to be back on the podium!



Semi-Pro Super Stock #1. Semi Pro Rider, Chris Kafka had a similar day of riding to teammate LaVallee. With solid riding, Kafka made his was straight to the final with 5th and 1st place finishes in his qualifying rounds. In the final, Kafka came off the track right after the start, putting him in last place in lap 1 - with 16 laps to go, Kafka road hard, chose great lines and made his way up to 6th place. Unfortunately Kafka was disqualified after a debatable call for jumping under a yellow flag.

Semi-Pro Super Stock #2. Kafka had another day of exceptional racing with taking a 2nd and 4th place in his qualifying rounds. He made it into the final in the 9th place spot. Off the start for the Final, Kafka ripped the hole shot and pulled a sizable lead on the field before the race was red flagged because of a down rider. The green flag dropped for the restart, and Kafka pulled off the track with mechanical issues, ending his race way to early.
Levi LaVallee is currently sitting in 2nd place for the Points Championship in the Open Class - so these final two races are really going to count. Keep an eye out for Team LaVallee as we head back to the Midwest for the final two Nationals.

Coming Up Events
• March 6-7, 2010 Hayward PowerSports/Polaris Hayward 300, LCO Casino, Hayward, WI
• March 19-21, 2010 Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale, Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva, WI

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Team LaVallee’s New Hampshire Race Recap.



The Eastern Swing of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series was in full swing and the next stop on the series was the HK Powersports New England Nationals held at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH.

With Team LaVallee staying out in New York to train all week, it eliminated more travel and allowed more practice time for LaVallee and Kafka. “Its a lot of fun being on the road with the team, it allow us to solely focus on racing and making sure our sleds are running top notch for the next race.” stated LaVallee “I am looking forward to this next stop on the series, with Hibbert done for the season, everyone will be hungry and eager to get to the top spot.”

Race Results: Pro Stock. Team LaVallee’s Pro Rider, Levi LaVallee, had a tough day of racing on Friday. With his right heel/foot being bother-some from a motocross injury last spring, he was not riding to his full potential. In LaVallee’s qualifying rounds, he got 5th and 6th place finishes, causing him to be in the LCQ. LaVallee’s chances of going into the final were stopped, after a crash off of the start of the LCQ, caused him to be mid-pack and finishing 3 places shy for the final.



Pro Open. On day two for the Salem, NH Race - LaVallee was determined for a more successful day of racing. In his qualifying rounds, he took a 3rd in round one and 9th in round two, after an early-on crash. Levi headed into the LCQ and rode strong to get a 2nd place spot and allowing him to be one of the five riders in the back row for the final. LaVallee had nothing but enduring determination in this Pro Open Final, and with a great start, Levi found himself in the 6th place spot. He worked his way through a couple riders and battled on the last lap of the 20 lap final to take Cory Davis’ 3rd place, but there wasn’t enough time and finished in a terrific 4th place. The crowd went crazy and a smile couldn’t leave Levi’s face.

Semi-Pro Super Stock #1. Semi Pro Rider, Chris Kafka had an exceptional day of qualifying, with 1st and 6th place finishes in his qualifying rounds, allowing Kafka to go straight into his Final. With a tough start, Kafka found himself towards the back, but kept a great momentum and worked his way into the 9th position.

Semi-Pro Super Stock #2. Kafka kept a solid attitude for the 2nd day of the races, and took a 6th and 6th in his qualifying rounds. Kafka was set for the LCQ before he could make it into the final. With 10 eager riders wanting to take the top 5 spots, Kafka had a difficult start and missed his spot for the final by 2 positions.

Team LaVallee is looking forward to crossing the border for the next stop on the ACSS Tour and is ready to bring high-energy for the Sarnia, Ontario National.

Coming Up Events
• LaVallee is featured on Good Morning America (Time TBA)
• February 19-21, 2010 Quick Draw Canadian Nationals, Hiawatha Horsepark - Sarnia, Ontario Canada
• March 6-7, 2010 Hayward PowerSports/Polaris Hayward 300, LCO Casino, Hayward, WI

Saturday, February 13, 2010

LaVallee featured on Good Morning America.




Jackson Hole, WY is known for its beautiful scenery, breath taking views, and in the winter time for it’s well-traveled destination for snowmobiling. Levi LaVallee and fellow Red Bull Athlete, Heath Frisby, were given the opportunity to do some back country riding for Good Morning America.

Levi, Heath, and about 10 other Red Bull and Good Morning America correspondents traveled up the snowy paths from Jackson Hole, WY to Togwotee Mountain Lodge, a lodge that has earned its reputation as the World’s Premier Snowmobile Resort for vacation winter sports. With help from a local guide, the GMA crew was brought to a secluded spot to do the shoot.



“The scenery was amazing and the snow was untouched. I couldn’t believe it! I was pretty pumped and ready to get rippin on my sled in this new powder.” said LaVallee. “I feel pretty fortunate to be apart of this shoot, its a great way to show people from all over, the beauty of the Mountains and the thrill and joy of backcountry snowmobiling.”
Levi and Heath will be featured on Good Morning America this Sunday, February 14th, 2010. Check your local listings for accurate times.


MGA abcnews.go.com/GMA
Red Bull redbullusa.com
Togwotee Mountain Lodge togwoteelodge.com

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ESPN Winter X Games 14 and Athletes Set New Records


Record TV Viewership, Attendance and Groundbreaking Performances

A record number of fans and spectators enjoyed the unprecedented hours of Winter X Games 14 content across ESPN’s numerous global platforms. The annual winter action sports event welcomed 200 world-class athletes for a ninth straight year to Aspen/Snowmass at Buttermilk Mountain where a record number of spectators saw a number of record performances while more people than ever watched on television.

“It is always our goal as a network and event to deliver the best in action sports to fans worldwide,” said Rick Alessandri, senior vice president, X Games Franchise. “The continued success of Winter X Games, coupled by our increase to an all-time high in programming hours, speaks to the amazing talents and dedication of the athletes competing at Winter X.”

For the third straight year, the Winter X Games was ESPN’s highest-rated and most-viewed, and more than 43 million viewers tuned in to watch on ESPN and ESPN2. The ESPN telecasts posted a 1.2 household rating, representing an average of 1,147,000 households. In addition, both ESPN and ESPN2 recorded their highest-rated and most-viewed individual Winter X telecasts (1.3 on ESPN and a 0.8 on ESPN2).

ESPN and ESPN2 televised 24.5 hours of live high-definition programming Jan. 28 - 31. Additionally, the Winter X Games were also televised on ESPN's International networks to 172 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa, Israel and Canada.

Winter X Games 14 set a new attendance record in Aspen with a total of 84,100 spectators over four days, beating the previous Aspen best of 76,150 set in 2007 – an increase of nine percent.

The world watched Shaun White make history as he won Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe for the third time in a row, despite a scary fall during practice. Athletes who broke Winter X Games records:

Ophelie David: Four-peat in Women's Skier X. It was the first four-peat in Skiing history.

Tucker Hibbert: Four-peat in Snowmobile SnoCross. It was the first four-peat in Snowmobile history.

Nate Holland: Five-peat in Men’s Snowboarder X. It was the first five-peat in Winter X Games history.

Lindsey Jacobellis: Three-peat in Women’s Snowboarder X. Jacobellis was the first person to three-peat twice in the same discipline.

Shaun White: Three-peat in Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe. It was the first three-peat in Snowboard SuperPipe, Men or Women. White is also the second person to three-peat in two separate disciplines.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Team LaVallee’s Farmington, NY Race Recap.

With the Winter X Games a near memory, Team LaVallee was on the road again and gearing up for the Eastern Swing of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series and the next stop was at the Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington, NY.

“I was really looking forward to this next race, mostly because I knew that with X Games being over with, I could put all of my concentration back into racing.” stated LaVallee.

Team LaVallee’s Crew; Glenn Kafka, Terry Gilomen, and Jeff Leffel had the sleds ripping awesome hole shots all weekend. LaVallee and Kafka put together some great rides in both qualifying rounds and finals.

Race Results: Pro Stock. Team LaVallee’s Pro Rider, Levi LaVallee, had a tough round of qualifying and he just missed the top 10 spot, by qualifying 11th for the final, Levi entered in the LCQ, winning that and giving him great momentum for the Final. Coming from the back row and get tangled up with another rider in the final, caused LaVallee to end in the 15th position.

Pro Open. After having bad luck in the Pro Stock class, LaVallee was ready to bring the heat in the Pro Open Class and he did just that. He qualified really strong with 4th and 2nd place finishes, putting him in the 8th spot of the Final. With Team LaVallee’s Sleds ripping, LaVallee got a great hole shot off the start and after the 20 lap final LaVallee finished with a consistent 5th place position.

Semi-Pro Super Stock #1. Semi Pro Rider, Chris Kafka had an excellent day of qualifying, with 2nd and 3rd place finishes in his qualifying rounds, it allowed Kafka to take the 7th spot in the final. With high energy and smart lines, Kafka finished his Friday Night Final with a strong 5th place finish.

Semi-Pro Super Stock #2. Kafka continued his strong streak of racing, with qualifying again with 2nd and 3rd place finishes in his qualifier rounds. This time allowing him to be the 4th place qualifier for the Final. With sleds flying high, Kafka’s final was ended early when he and other rider got tangled up. Luckily, no one was hurt but the race was over for those two riders.

Team LaVallee is excited about the new event in Salem, New Hampshire next weekend, be sure to come check it out in person or click to www.teamlavallee.com for results and race recap.

Coming Up Events
• February 12-14, 2010 HK Powersports New England Nationals, Rockingham Park - Salem, NH
• LaVallee is featured on Good Morning America (rescheduled tentative time)
• February 19-21, 2010 Quick Draw Canadian Nationals, Hiawatha Horsepark - Sarnia, Ontario Canada

Saturday, February 6, 2010

GMA: Featuring Levi, Postponed.

Breaking News: For those of you who set your alarm clocks for tomorrow morning's GMA segment with Levi LaVallee and Heath Frisby, you can sleep in. Due to the news coverage of the tragic plane crash in Colorado, the segment has been postponed, likely until next Sunday. (Watch for further updates).

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Winter X Games Fourteen: Twice as Nice.



Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado was the home of this years Winter X Games Fourteen. If you remember last year, Levi caused a lot of hype with the only snowmobile athlete competing in all 4 snowmobile events and also being the first person to attempt a Double Back Flip on a Snowmobile.
At this years Games, Levi put the Double Back Flip on hold and concentrated his attention across four different snowmobile events. Levi was the only snowmobile athlete to compete in 4 Winter X Games Events; Snowmobile Freestyle, Snowmobile Best Trick, Snowmobile Snocross and a new event this year, Snowmobile Knock Out.

The Results:
Snowmobile Freestyle. A total of 12 riders competed in this years Freestyle Event and with new riders and a lot of new tricks, the competition was going to be tough. Fortunately, Levi had an awesome qualifying round and going into the Final, Levi found himself tied for 2nd place. In the Final, Levi pulled out the best tricks in his bag. With time running out and in high excitement Levi pulled a BackFlip Seat Grab and his hands missed his seat and he plunged to the ground. With a broken sled, Levi was eliminated from the Final.

Snowmobile Best Trick. This is an event where 8 riders get 2 chances to beat their competitors with one, Best Trick. Last year Levi attempted the unthinkable, a Double Back Flip on a Snowmobile. With still suffering from an injury he acquired last summer, Levi knew the Double Back Flip was out of the question this year. Instead, he pulled a Back Flip Superman. With full extension and a great, clean landing - Levi took home a Bronze Medal.


SnoCross. Levi has had bad luck with SnoCross at the Winter X Games in the past and each year he tries to redeem himself and get into the top spot. With qualifying in the 5th spot in the First Round, Levi was able to skip the Last Chance Qualifyer and go directly to the final. With a bad start in the final, Levi found him-self sitting in the 11th place position. With the new Talladega Turn added to the track, Levi was taking the high-line in the turn and was passing a guy each lap. Then 6 laps in, Levi’s ski hooked off the top of the Talladega Turn and caused him and his sled to come crashing down and ending his SnoCross Final.

Snowmobile Knock Out. A brand new event at Winter X Games 14 involved 6 riders and the simple concept of hitting a ramp, flying through the air and trying to out jump your competitor. This event was right up Levi’s alley. With a need for speed, the love of hitting ramps and the desire to fly through the air, Levi was able to out-jump all of the riders one-by-one and took home the Gold.

Winter X Games Highlights
• 2010: Only athlete to medal in all snowmobile events
• 2009: First double backflip attempt on a snowmobile
• 2008: Male Athlete of Winter X Games
• 2008: Double Golds: Freestyle and Speed & Style