Yamaha Factory Sno-cross racer Iain Hayden put in one of the best drives of his career to score a strong third-place podium finish aboard his Yamaha FX Nytro in the ISOC AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series race held in Hayward, WI on Sunday, Mar. 8. Hayden’s efforts showcased not only Yamaha's four-stroke power advantage, but also the FX Nytro's ability to handle the big air and rough whoop sections found in the world's premier sno-cross series.
Pro Open... In a format similar to Supercross, two heats and a last-chance qualifier determined which drivers would make Sunday afternoon’s 26-lap final. Hayden quickly transferred by finishing fifth in his heat, while teammate Steve Taylor, still hampered by a heel injury, grabbed the last transfer spot in the LCQ. Unlike Supercross, however, two rows make up the start of an ISOC Snocross race. With Hayden near the outside of the first row and Taylor in the second row, it would take some kind of horsepower to get to the first turn ahead of the pack. But that’s exactly what the talented Hayden did, using his Yamaha’s four-stroke torque advantage to holeshot the start and then command the lead for the first half of the race. Eventually though, lapped traffic slowed Hayden just long enough for rivals Robbie Malinoski and Brett Bender to slip past. The three battled furiously for the remaining laps, with the podium order ending up Bender, Malinoski and Yamaha’s Hayden.
The achievement marks Hayden’s best-ever finish on a Yamaha in the premier ISOC Pro Open class. “This was a great race,” Hayden said in his post-race comments. “The team has been working hard to prove just how competitive the FX Nytro is and this result can build pride for all of our fans. The holeshot was key and the sled really delivered." Yamaha's Sno-cross race team manager Andre Laurin added, "I’m really pleased with the crew’s effort and abilities with the FX Nytro this weekend. It’s an extensive project and Iain’s efforts on the track really reward us all. But most importantly, only three brands can fit on top of the podium and our team’s combined efforts put Yamaha up there while leaving one of the other established brands off. This is even more impressive when you consider that out of 15 sleds in the final, there were only two four-strokes out there – both Yamahas.”
Pro Open: Round 7 |
| 1 |
Brett Bender |
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| 2 |
Robbie Malinoski |
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| 3 |
Iain Hayden - YAM |
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| 4 |
Matt Judnick |
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| 5 |
Garth Kaufman |
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| 6 |
Ryan Simons |
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| 7 |
TJ Gulla |
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| 8 |
Dave Allard |
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| 9 |
Andrew Johnstad |
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| 10 |
Levi LaVallee |
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| 11 |
Steven Taylor - YAM |
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Point Standings |
| 1 |
TJ Gulla |
198 |
| 2 |
Levi LaVallee |
185 |
| 3 |
Brett Bender |
173 |
| 4 |
Brett Turcotte |
164 |
| 5 |
Garth Kaufman |
162 |
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