Courtesy of Jamie Anseeuw of BMRT.com, Race Team Manager

The week prior to the Hill City National event again saw the team testing at the home test track. Solid results at Canterbury the week before had the riders and mechanics hungry for even better results.

The Hill City track layout is one of the drivers’ favourites with the 1:10 laps taking you through three uphill, downhill sections including many kickers and moguls. Saturday January 21 was cloudy and fairly cool.

Pro Vet, Earl Reimer was the first team member on the track. Earl repeated his Canterbury performance, sweeping his qualifiers and leading the final wire to wire in convincing fashion.

Semi-pro Open qualifiers went well for the three team riders, Elam, Coonishish and Turcotte. Elam and Coonishish went direct into the Sunday final and while Turcotte won his second and third qualifiers, a last place finish in his first qualifier relegated him to the LCQ race, which he did not transfer out of.

Pro Stock qualifiers on Saturday for the Sunday final and Saturday evening saw the day end with only team riders Morgan and Allard making the cut for Sunday’s final. Taylor’s Rev 440 was loaded in the trailer, its weekend ending a little early.

Sunday morning the weather was still cool and cloudy but sunshine was predicted for later in the day.

Semi-pro Open final Elam and Coonishish was buried on the start and they had to fight back from just inside the top ten. Coonishish eventually worked his way up to third and held that position to the finish, Elam didn’t fare as well colliding with another rider and falling back out of the top ten. Jeff Snow carried his holeshot through to a win.

Pro Stock final, the start didn’t go well, Dave Allard got the holeshot, but promptly was ran into by 3 sleds. Morgan got a poor start and rounded the first turn just ahead of his team mate Allard near the back of the pack. Poor visibility played a factor for all the riders back in the pack, Morgan and Allard finished 7th and 9th, with Arctic Cat’s Robbie Malinowski taking the win.

Semi-pro Stock final, always tough this class. Elam did not make the final alongside his team mates Turcotte and Coonishish. At the start, with the sun now shining and visibility great, Turcotte pulled the holeshot and took off with Coonishish rounding the first turn mid pack. Turcotte ran out front with points leader Zack Patton nipping at his heels, Coonishish worked through to 3rd and gave chase on the leaders. With 2 laps remaining Coonishish had caught Turcotte and Patton at the top of the 3rd uphill, Katejun pulled an outside inside move to pass Patton for 2nd. Turcotte, Coonishish and Patton battled hard for the remaining lap and a half with no change to the finish order, Turcotte getting his first win of the season.

Pro Open final was all that remained… All three BMRT riders made the cut, and at the start Taylor and Morgan were the first to the corner with Morgan coming out first, Taylor in fifth after briefly tangling with Morgan. Blair ran out front wire to wire with Polaris’ DJ Eckstrom giving chase the entire time. A now 4th place Taylor battled the first half of the race with Steve Martin and Mike Shultz. Taylor got some lines figured out and left that battle behind him, taking off in pursuit of Levi LaVallee and the last spot on the podium. Steve’s last 4 laps were his fastest, in fact, the fastest of anyone for the entire race, but at race end, it wasn’t quite enough, Levi just clearing Taylor’s charge at the checkers. Dave Allard worked his way up to an 8th place finish from his back row start.

The team loaded up quickly and headed west for Aspen Colorado, where Coonishish, Elam, Allard, Taylor and team leader Blair Morgan will carry the momentum of their strong finishes at Hill City into the ESPN Winter X-Games competition with only GOLD on their minds.