ProStar Cup Tour stops at Eagle River for third round

photo courtesy of Judith Olson Photography

EAGLE RIVER, WISC. — The USSA ProStar Cup Tour made their third stop of the season in Eagle River as drivers in the 440 Pro Champ and Outlaw 600 divisions battled for points in the nine-stop 2024-’25 season.

Following races at Beausejour, Manitoba and the Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus in the Upper Peninsula, Eagle River hosted teams for the first of two times this season as part of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby.

The second stop is set for Feb. 21-22 as part of the World Series of Snowmobile Racing at the Derby Complex.

Stephenson picked up 428 points on the day, winning one heat and finishing second in two others, to go along with his feature win which in itself gathered him 200 points.

Stephenson early in the race was buried in the field, sitting in 10th following the first two laps.

The veteran rider though picked his way through the field, and while the majority of the spectators were watching the No. 220 Gunnar Sterne, the No. 28 Matt Goede and No. 6 Gavin Peterson battle it out, Stephenson was waiting. Sterne was strong early on until Peterson cut inside of him in turn three and four and bumped Sterne’s Ski-Doo off its line and stole the momentum.

Goede pounced then also and set right behind Peterson when the sign for three to go came from the flag stand. Coming out of turn two, Goede then collided with Peterson and was ejected from his machine, bunching the sleds up again with three to go.

Stephenson was in second off the restart and took an opening in turn two and never looked back.

The win kept him in the lead in the season points standings as he rests in first with 1,286. He’s ahead of Gunnar Sterne (1,187) who picked up a spot in the standings at Eagle River by winning all three of his heat races and finishing fifth in the final.

Danick Lambert is just four points behind Sterne with 1,183 followed by Calvin Peterson (1,181) who won a heat race and finished 10th in the Friday night final.

A complete list of season points standings for the Pro Champ and Outlaw 600 can be found online at ussaprostar.com.

Gunnar Sterne 987
Danick Lambert 983