Press Release –
Andrew Wins First Semi-Pro Final; Chris Nearly Sweeps Plus Classes; Taylor Suffers Season Ending Injury While Leading Pro Women Final
It may sound a bit cliché’ but the International Series of Champions (ISOC) Minnesota Regional race at Elk River Extreme Motor Park (ERX) spelled the best of times and the worst of times for Team Sportech.
The high of the weekend came with Andrew Carlson pulling off the most impressive race of his young career, winning the Semi Pro Super Stock #2 final in dominating fashion.
But just hours later, the low descended upon the Sportech hauler, as Taylor Carlson suffered a season ending injury while leading the Pro Women main event.
Andrew Captures First Career Semi-Pro Win
With huge crowds on hand and more than 260 race entries, there was not a better place for Team Sportech racer Andrew Carlson to land his first Semi-Pro win than in front of his hometown fans. With consistent qualifying efforts, Andrew found himself on the front row of the final field.
Improving holeshots has been a concerted effort for the entire Team Sportech crew these past few weeks and it obviously paid off as Andrew launched from the start line with the lead and proceeded to dominate the race flag to flag.
It was an emotional win for Andrew, as he bested some of the fastest Semi-Pro riders in the country including Kyle Stradlund and current point leader in all three Semi-Pro classes, Devon Bertoch.
In other Semi-Pro Action, Andrew continued with his new found confidence and pulled off a pair of fourth place finishes in Semi Pro Super Stock #1 and Open. The feat was doubly impressive in Super Stock #1 where Andrew clawed his way through the pack from the back row.
Taylor Leads Pro Women But Suffers Season Ending Injury with Just One Lap to Go All indications looked for this to be the biggest weekend of racing for Team Sportech this season. With Andrew bagging a win in Semi-Pro, it was Taylor’s chance to turn up the heat in Pro Women against the always fast and national pro April Moritz.
A monster holeshot by Taylor set the tone early in the Pro Women final, and as the laps progressed she began to pull a more comfortable lead over her archrival Moritz.
But then just as quickly as the weekend was shaping up to be one incredible high, Taylor was pitched awkwardly on the final lap, and was slammed into the backside of the next jump.
As a result she suffered a severe knee injury, tearing both her PCL and MCL, and will require season ending surgery.
“I knew it was pretty bad when I landed,” said a very upbeat and positive Taylor from her Elk River home on Tuesday. “I go in for surgery next week and I’ll know more then on how long I can expect recovery to take. I’m more mad than anything… there I was… first year Pro, leading the point chase and leading April who is so hard to beat and then I crash out.” While Taylor is done competing on the track for the remainder of the season, she still expects to join the team trackside. “I’m so proud of Andrew,” said Taylor. “He rode so well and it was exciting to see how happy he was after the race.”
Chris Carlson Nearly Sweeps Plus Classes
Team captain and self proclaimed weathered and burly snocross curmudgeon Chris Carlson shook off the highs and lows of the weekend and once again laid down an impressive run in the Plus classes.
Chris won both Plus 30 and Plus 40 and nearly swept the field in qualifying action, taking 7 of 8 heat wins.
“It was a tough weekend for us,” said Carlson after his final Plus victory. “We approach racing as a family, and Taylor’s injury really impacted us.
But I know she’s committed to coming back stronger than ever, she’ll be in the trailer and trackside the remainder of this season supporting her racing family.”
Next Up Team Sportech heads north to Hill City, MN and the always challenging track at Quadna Mountain Park for another round of ISOC Minnesota Regional competition, February 28-March.
