Shakopee, Minn. (Jan. 23, 2014) –With the 2014 Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., starting Thursday, January 23, the premier Polaris factory backed Snocross team Hentges Racing team has some exciting news.
2-time Winter X Games medalist and premier athlete in the industry, Chris Burandt will be joining Hentges Racing for the first time with the snowmobile long jump event returning to the Winter X Games program. At the last long jump competition in 2010, then called Knock Out, riders went 160-plus feet. Burandt took home the silver medal in the debut year of the discipline. His goal is for nothing less than the gold medal this year.
“I’m hooked up with one of the best builders in the sport, Tim Bender from Hentges Racing and Polaris. His attention to detail will hopefully help me get that extra edge over the competition,” said Burandt who will challenge Levi LaVallee again and four other pro riders on Saturday.
Despite the fact this is a new experience for the Hentges Racing crew to compete in, sled setup is said to be the determining factor in who can fly the farthest. With a true decorated talent like Burandt and the knowledge and experience of the Hentges crew behind him, it should be a winning combination. The goal is to bring home the gold in this discipline for the first time ever.
“We are extremely excited to be bringing on a world class athlete like Chris Burandt onto the team for the weekend. We built a Polaris snowmobile for him to win the gold on Saturday in the Snowmobile Long Jump competition,” said Nate Hentges, Hentges Racing team owner.
Brett Bender, 7-time Winter X Games competitor and former Hentges Racing rider, is returning to the team to compete in Snowmobile Snocross with a full invite from X Games. This will be Bender’s 8th appearance. His record includes finishing at his best - 9th place in 2009.
Young Snocross prodigy Kody Kamm expects to medal this time. The Polaris/Monster Energy/FXR Racing rider placed 6th last year in first appearance at X Games. He is currently second in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross (ACS) series Pro Open point standings and will be one of the top competitors in the Snocross discipline.
Polaris/Pirtek/FXR Racing rider Justin Broberg is also returning to X Games this year for his third time in the Snowmobile Snocross discipline. Finishing 9th respectively in both 2011 and 2013, he says he will post his best result yet this time around.
The Snowmobile Long Jump finals are on Saturday, January 25, and the Snowmobile Snocross Finals on Sunday, January 26. Under the guidance of veteran Team Manager Tim Bender, the team is set to go for gold.