Ski-Doo Ingles Performance Team looks forward to ‘well-deserved rest’
Ingles Performance, one of the Northeast’s top snowmobile race teams, earned a second straight Pro Snocross championship, riding Ski-Doo MXZ snowmobiles. Racer Danny Poirier notched his second straight and fifth career East Coast Snocross Pro Open title March 29. It capped a season full of great races, highlighted by a clean sweep of the Pro and Pro Lite classes at the Louiseville, Québec, event.
Poirier, 35, of St. Theodore, Québec, won 14 of 17 finals on the northeastern regional circuit. Had it not been for an injury to teammate Mathieu Morin during round two in Schaghticoke, N.Y., the team might have achieved its goal of going 1-2 in year-end points. Morin, who won a final in Bangor, Maine, before his injury, is expected to return for the 2015-16 campaign.
Poirier wasn’t the only Ingles Performance rider to enjoy a strong 2015 season. Vermont native Leo Patenaude ran strong in the Sport class on the ISOC national series against stiff competition.
“Although we suffered more than our fair share of injuries this season, we still managed to win races and another Pro title,” team co-owner and manager Robin Ingles said. “Danny continues to ride fast and smooth, and we’re just so proud of him. I think Leo progressed a lot this season, so when he and Hunter get back to 100 percent physically next winter, we’ll see what they can really accomplish.
A newcomer to the Ingles umbrella this winter was Joe Bishop, a former motocross racer with a newly discovered talent on snow. Bishop was impressive all season, hitting the podium a few times against some pretty seasoned competitors. Look for him to advance and turn heads in snocross in the coming years.
“We put together a great team of athletes for the 2014-15 season; they just didn’t all get to race every event,” Ingles added. “Those who stayed healthy all winter carried the Ingles and Ski-Doo brands to new heights. Mike and I are thankful for the wins and title; we know the work and commitment it takes to succeed in this sport. We hope the guys heal up quickly and get some well-deserved rest this summer.”
