Sooner or later, this day was going to come.
Tucker Hibbert is now retired as a professional snocross racer.
Press Release:
TUCKER HIBBERT RETIRES FROM PROFESSIONAL SNOCROSS RACING
After 25 years of chasing checkered flags in snowmobile competition, Tucker Hibbert today announced that he’s reached the finish line of his remarkable racing career. The 33-year-old from Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, is now officially retired as a professional snocross racer.
“It’s time for me to retire from professional snocross racing,” Hibbert said. “It’s been a great career and now is the right time to move on. I’m healthy and happy. I’ve accomplished my goals, which were to do my best and enjoy the process of working hard with the people around me. We just finished a great season where I felt as good as I ever have and won my 11th Championship.”
Reflecting on his career, he added, “I’ve dedicated a huge part of my life to racing snowmobiles. I’m thankful for the lessons and experiences that racing provided me over the years. It’s been an incredible ride.”
Hibbert leaves the sport as the most decorated racer in snocross history. He began racing snowmobiles as an amateur at age 8, won his first X Games gold medal at 15 and turned professional at age 16. In his 18 years as a professional snocross racer, Hibbert won 138 of the 235 Pro National events he entered in addition to 11 Pro Championship titles, 10 X Games gold medals and two World Championship titles.
Hibbert’s storied career is a testament to the talent, determination and hard work of his own as well as those who were integral to Team 68 over the years.
“Working hard, as a team, has been the most rewarding part of racing,” Hibbert said. “There are so many amazing people who have played a role in my career. I’ve been fortunate to work with some extremely talented, dedicated and all-around good people. I’ll cherish the memories we’ve all made together for the rest of my life.”
The team’s success was also the result of the support given by key sponsors. “I’m proud of the relationships we’ve built with the brands that have supported me,” he said. “Many of them were career long sponsors and that’s something I’m really thankful for.”
Hibbert also credits his fans, saying: “I’m blessed to have met a lot of great people through racing. Their energy and excitement helped push me to do my best. I truly thank all of them for their passion and support.”
Hibbert’s retirement from professional snocross is effective immediately. He is currently working on event opportunities at which he can personally thank his fans, sponsors and the snowmobile racing community for their contribution to his career.
Now check out these two posts to see a post on his career highlights plus another post of his career in photos.
Congratulations Tucker,great career,good luck in the future!
A class act. He will be missed this winter for sure.
I retired from watercross to pursue freestyle full time.
CONGRATULATIONS Tucker, it has been a blast to watch you from the 1st time I seen you race at Duluth in the 98/99 season until the last. Their probably will never be another sno-x racer like yourself or a team like yours that is so dedicated and organized as yours. THANKS for the memories to me and my family you have given and especially the come from the back nail biters, you have been a class act. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
Congradulations Tucker ! We miss you, tell us when you Will do : « event opportunities at which he can personally thank his fans« and see you there ??????, the best fans in Québec, Sylvain & Christiane xx
Congratulations Tucker!! Very sad to see you go but I know it feels good to retire. It will never be the same without you. You made it so exciting. I keep watching your 100th win in deadwood. Every time I watched you race you gave me the same excitement. Thank you for all you do and did for us fans. Now go enjoy your retirement.
Two more things.
Congratulations to Team 68 too!
John: I hope Arctic Cat and others put on a huge retirement party for Tucker. I also hope I can come.
It may be deserving of a congrats but for selfish reasons, let’s be honest – it’s also very sad. We all loved watching Tucker, hell my kids are obsessed with watching him (I too, I must admit). And to see him go, is bitter sweet. I understand going out on top, but they guy had a couple more years to dominate. There could be some other reason we find out in the near future. Maybe he’s starting a family, who knows. I just know I’m happy for him but disappointed we can’t watch him anymore. I have mixed emotions. But I will say Cat has got big shoes to fill. And Polaris and Doo are jumping for joy right now.
Tucker racing yet represented to me the golden era of snox. So many big names from back in the day that I thought of every time I watched him still racing. Morgan, Vincent, Scheele, Pake, Kohanaki, Wolf, Kuster, John, Reimer, etc.
Tucker came up on equpment that these days is inferior to sleds we ride on the trails. Pretty neat to see how he was able to evolve with the times and he “the man” for so long.
For what ever reason Tucker retired is his own business and no one else’s. He knew the time was right, but I know he has some KICK BUTT years left in him. Yes, the boys from Doo and Poo are very happy now cause the don’t have to see his tail light no more.
Tucker and his entire team are a class act and will be surely missed by all of us. Even my 2 girls 11 & 17 and my wife have always cheered on AC and Team #68. Maybe he will try cross country racing next season?
Hey I like the idea of him racing cross country!…just think the excitement he would bring to that. And why not, his dad raced all those different races too. He said he was retiring from SnoCross, not racing in general. So hey maybe there’s a hint of hope for something like this to happen. We shall see.
It was indeed a pleasure to watch Tucker change his riding style as the sleds improved. Early races saw him move his feet back and forth on the running boards, brake in mid air to bring the front end down and use much more body English to control the corners and later to get the machine set up so he could RIDE….like no one else!!!Continue to enjoy life in whatever you choose to do BUT continue to influence Arctic Cat to LEAD.
I heard Polaris and ski doo employees get a paid day off tomorrow to celebrate
I can still remember the 2001 (?) Winter X-games where Blair was in the lead and Tucker was reeling him in, on the Firecat sno-pro. Tucker was giving it everything he had and I can remember the announcer yelling in the microphone: “Look at Hibbert cross it up!” while he was leveling out his sled mid-air across a nasty section of the course. Blair ended up winning, but not by much. Another lap and Tucker would have had him. Probably my favorite memory growing up, him showing so much determination and ability to fight through the pack and get up front. A guy couldn’t have asked for a better role model growing up. Hard to count how many hours I spent on the WSA website tracking his points standings while at school. Congrats Tucker, and thank you so much for all the memories! Go Team 68!
We will miss watching Tucker race. He was a role model for many and very friendly to the fans. I hope he stays connected with racing in some way.
I have so many Tucker racing stories that bring back some wonderful racing memories. My 1st and one of my favorites was Tucker winning his 1st X Games race in 2000 at 15 Years Old. The race was on TV Sunday afternoon and I got together with a group of snowmobiling friends to watch it and everyone thought it was live. I was the only one who knew the race was actually the Friday before and Tucker had won it as my boss at Arctic Cat informed me. Everyone was placing bets on his dad Kirk to win or one of the other top Sno-X racers of the day. They all thought I was kidding when I predicted Tucker would win against all the top riders and after all this was his 1st X Games race. Boy did I look like a genius after the race cause he just plain kicked everyone’s butt that race. I could have really cleaned up that day but eventually I could not hold back the truth of my inside information. Good Luck to you Tucker and to Mandy and your whole crew and THANKS AGAIN for the memories. The only party that will probably bigger than yours is the one Cody Kamm will be throwing.