Wanderscheid competed at the second race of the ORA race
schedule January 22-23 in Big Lake, Minn., where he swept
all three rounds of Pro Open qualifying before taking a
comfortable win in the final. Wanderscheid was running
second in the Pro 440 final and closing in on the lead
before a blown coolant hose took him out of the
race.
Wanderscheid will compete this weekend at the
Wausau 525 race in Wausau, Wis., where he will look to win
the event for the third straight year.
Wanderscheid Becomes First Four-Time AMSOIL
World Champion
The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby took place
January 13-16 at the AMSOIL Eagle River Derby Track in
Eagle River, Wis. and featured one of the most exciting
races in the event’s 48-year history, with Team AMSOIL ice
oval racer P.J. Wanderscheid coming out on top and making
history in the process.
The event kicked off
Thursday with practice and time trials, where Wanderscheid
clocked in third fastest. Friday featured the Friday Night
Thunder program, where pole position in Sunday’s feature
race was at stake. After winning his eight-lap heat race,
Wanderscheid took the early lead in the 16-lap final and
didn’t look back, taking the win, securing the pole
position in Sunday’s feature and earning a day of rest and
preparation on Saturday.
Starting
Sunday with practice laps, Wanderscheid clocked in with
the fastest time. The World Championship race featured a
different format this year, increasing from 25 to 30 laps
that were split into two sections. Drivers raced 15 laps,
took a five-minute pit session, then resumed the final 15
laps with a staggered start according to how drivers
finished the first 15 laps.
Upon the start,
AMSOIL-backed driver Gary Moyle jumped out to the early
lead with Wanderscheid close behind. Moyle led the entire
15 laps, with Wanderscheid narrowing the gap slightly on
lap 13. After the pit stop, Moyle and Wanderscheid
thrilled fans with an epic battle for the title as they
continually exchanged the lead. Wanderscheid took the lead
for good on lap 29, taking the win and going down in
history as the only racer to win four AMSOIL World
Championships. Moyle took second, followed by ice oval
racing legend Jacques Villeneuve.
Team AMSOIL oval ice racer P.J. Wanderscheid competed
December 18-19 at the first race of the Oval Racers
Alliance (ORA) series in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Racing his 440
sled against the larger 600 sleds in the Pro Open class,
Wanderscheid took a win and two second-place finishes in
his three heat races to earn the #3 position in the final,
where he finished fourth. In the Champ 440 class,
Wanderscheid took a win, a second and a third in his heats
for the #3 position in the final, where he grabbed the
lead at the first turn and never looked back, taking his
first win of the season.
Wanderscheid will compete
at the first round of the USSA schedule this weekend in
Amherst, Wis.
Team AMSOIL oval ice racer P.J. Wanderscheid competed in
his first race of the season December 11-12 in Beausejour,
Manitoba. Racing his 440 sled against the bigger 600
sleds, Wanderscheid skillfully moved from his ninth place
starting position to finish fifth in the Pro Open class.
In the Champ 440 class, Wanderscheid moved up the pack
from his seventh place starting position to take the third
place podium.
