Rounds 4 and 5 of the 2023-2024 AMSOIL Championship Snocross series stopped in the historic Black Hills of Deadwood, South Dakota, on January 26 & 27 at the Days of '76 Rodeo Grounds – the westernmost stop of the tour and the most compact track of the season. 

For Team Judnick Motorsports Polaris, the Triple Crown weekend started out with Pro title contender Kody Kamm topping qualifying for the second time this season – the top 14 Pros were all within one second of each other in practice. 

In the first round of the three-race format, Kamm led from the start until lap 20 of the 23-lap race. 

“Friday ended up being a great night for me,” Kamm said Monday. “With not riding and healing the foot injury since Canterbury, we didn’t even think it was possible to race. But I was able to push through and be successful.”

Kamm finished second ahead of teammate, Emil Harr, who climbed from a seventh-place start to third out of 15 Pro racers.

In Round 2, Harr found his way into second after a third-place start with Kamm battling from 10th to find fifth by the finish. 

The third round saw Harr start fourth and finish second for second overall with 3-2-2.

"It’s really hard to pass on the track, but my Polaris was fast and I was tough so I was able to do great starts and be in front early in the races," Harr said after the race.

Kamm started fifth and dropped to eighth but found third overall with 2-5-8.

On Saturday, Kamm decided to sit out due to a previous injury “and a very sore back also now. “

“We decided to relax and be healed to safely go racing for the rest of the season and be the best I can be,” Kamm said, adding that the Triple Crown is exhausting. “I like it and dislike it!”

On Saturday, Harr qualified second and in Round 1 captured the holeshot, battled for the lead and came out victorious by over three seconds in the 24-lap race.

In Round 2, Harr finished first again but was penalized for jumping under a yellow flag. In the final round, Harr started second and dropped to ninth but edged out a third overall for the day. 

"I crashed in the last moto on Saturday and lost the number two spot but still happy with the podium," Harr said. "Praying for my friend, Elias Ishoel, who got injured really bad."

Representing KC Motorsports Polaris in the Pro Lite class, Evan Christian came out swinging in the first heat on Friday, leading the 10-lap race from the start. In Heat 2, Christian battled from third to finish second. A first-turn crash in the final found him in last. 

“I made up some positions just by running the outside lines and staying out the roost,” Christian said Monday. He finished 10th out of 15 in the 21-lap race. 

On Saturday, Christian finished third in the first heat, first in the second heat and second in the final 24-lap race. 

“It felt very good to get back on the box,” he said. “I’ve always really loved Deadwood ever since we started going there – the track has always been in my favor with having to be so technical and precise.”

“The gear worked great, never got wet or cold,” Christian added. “The goggles held up great with getting pounds of roost on them and not letting any snow come through.”

On the Krajicek Racing team, Ryan Frank found his way to the podium in the Pro AM Plus 30 class for the first time this season.

“That’s two years in a row now that I made it on the podium in Deadwood,” Frank said Monday. “I did really like the track. Snocross did an awesome job at making the inside line and outside lines equal so you always had options.”

Frank finished second in the first heat, fourth in the second heat and edged out a third-place finish in the final eight-lap race. 

As for strategy, Frank said it’s “mostly getting the start. My team and I focused a lot on that. If you get a good start in Deadwood and stay smooth on the track, there’s a good chance you’re going to get good results.”

His favorite piece of KLIM gear? The Revolt Pant. 

“They feel so light and you can move so freely in them but all while keeping you warm at the same time. Also the colors. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on the bright yellow set I wear,” Frank said of the Revolt’s Fiery Red - Hi-Vis colorway. 

Read bios of KLIM’s Snocross race team: here.

***

Up next: 

Snow: 

AMSOIL Championship Snocross - Valcourt, Quebec, Canada, February 9-11

Rocky Mountain States Hillclimb Association - Round 1, Salt Pass Border Dash, Geneva, Idaho, February 9-10

Moto:

AMA US Hard Enduro - Round 2, Oahu, Hawaii, March 2

AMA West Hare Scrambles - Round 1, Doyle, California, March 9-10

AMA National Hare & Hound Championship - Round 2, Murphy, Idaho, March 23-24

***

 

Have a race report we missed? Email us at racers@klim.com! 

Ride hard, ride often, ride KLIM. #KLIMLife