Eckstrom Takes Pro Stock Victories in Valcourt and Buffalo
With two races remaining, D.J. Eckstrom remains on track to win a snocross title.
Team AMSOIL snocross star D.J. Eckstrom started the 2004-2005 WSA snocross season with a dominating Pro Open victory at the AMSOIL Duluth National in Duluth, Minn. It’s been an up and down year since then, but with three podium finishes in the Pro Open class and four podium finishes in the Pro Stock class, he remains in solid contention for a title.
Heading into the Ski-Doo Grand Prix de Valcourt in Valcourt, Quebec, Eckstrom was determined to close in on superstar Blair Morgan for the Pro Open and Pro Stock points lead. A win in each class and a less-than-stellar performance by Morgan would successfully vault Eckstrom to the top of the standings. However, Morgan would see his quest for two more championships end in his first qualifying race. Misjudging a jump, Morgan crashed his sled, only to have it land on him and break his leg. He is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Morgan’s accident leaves both the Pro Open and Pro Stock point races up for grabs. After strong fourth and fifth place finishes in his first two Pro Stock qualifying races, Eckstrom took first in the last qualifier. In the main event, Eckstrom took charge and took the checkered flag.
Two rounds of WSA racing took place in Buffalo, N.Y. during the weekend of February 26-27. Eckstrom followed up his dominating Pro Stock victory in Valcourt with another first place podium finish at the U.S. Air Force Eastern National on February 26, and he earned a second place Pro Open podium finish at the U.S. Air Force Buffalo National on February 27. He currently holds second place in the overall Pro Stock standings and third in the overall Pro Open standings. Unfortunately, the season is over for Eckstrom’s teammate, Carl Schubitzke. A crash in his first Pro Open qualifying race in Valcourt resulted in a broken arm.
