Pro Open point leader Tucker Hibbert’s came from dead last to first at ISOC's Deadwood, S.D. Pro Open on Feb. 1.

Pro Open

Pulling the Stud Boy Holeshot with authority, Hibbert was pulling away when he was drilled from behind by Friday’s winner Kamm, who ran into Hibbert in the exact same spot on Friday (where he knocked Hibbert off the track). But tonight, without hesitation, ISOC officials pulled the black flag and sent Kamm to the back of the pack, where he joined Hibbert.

Capitalizing off the mess up front, 2012 ACS Pro Open champ Tim Tremblay (Scheuring Speed Sports/AMSOIL/Ski-Doo) took the lead, followed by David Joanis (Royal Distributing/Arctic Cat). Tremblay was solid in the early going, increasing his lead up to 3.5 seconds early and looking like he’s secure his first victory of the 2013-’14 AMSOIL Championship Snocross season.

On lap six Justin Broberg (Hentges Racing/Polaris) and Cody Thomsen (Arctic Cat) got into a great battle for 3rd place, with Broberg getting the edge when Thomsen over-cooked a corner and went down. Tremblay (1st), Joanis (2nd) and Broberg (3rd) would share the spotlight for a couple laps, before all eyes in the packed Days of ’76 Rodeo Grounds turned their focus to Hibbert.

By lap ten Hibbert would move up to 5th place, while Kamm dropped out of the race for an unknown reason. Hibbert was on a mission, soon reeling in Broberg for 3rd and setting his site on Joanis, who he passed on lap 14. Down three seconds on Tremblay with six laps to go, Hibbert would pass the former Pro Open champ on lap 16 (of 22) and cruised home to the victory.

“I was motivated, man,” said Hibbert. “I was getting tired of being pushed around. So I just put my head down and went for it. Last night was one of the worst nights of my career and I really wanted that win. It’s been a long weekend and I’m glad it’s over.”

Rounding out the Pro Open top five at Deadwood on Saturday night were Broberg in 4th and Johan Lidman (Warnert Racing/Ski-Doo) in 5th.

Pro Lite

Andrew Carlson pulled the Pro Lite class holeshot of the year, rocketing out of the far outside gate with the No. 10 qualifying pick and arching his Polaris across the entire Pro Lite field and into the lead – a lead he’d hold for all 14 laps for the victory.

“That’s probably one of my best races ever,” said Carlson. “It was ‘Go or No go’ on the start – and I just went for it. My sled ripped. Got a great start and that was key.”

Carlson was joined up front early by Corey Watkinson (Watkinson Racing/Arctic Cat) and Jordan Kraus on a Relentless Racing Polaris. Carlson would go up by two seconds ahead of Watkinson, while James Johnstad (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) made his move past Kraus and into 3rd. Johnstad, who was leading Friday’s Pro Lite contest at Deadwood when he wadded up his sled and was unable to complete the race.

Carlson, Watkinson and Johnstad would set a torrid pace, separating from the rest of the field in a three-man train around the oblong Deadwood oval. Watkinson would click off one of the faster laps, a 27.5 effort, cutting Carlson’s lead down to just over a second with four laps remaining. Lapped traffic would group the trio even closer together, but the places would remain the same through the checkers. 1 – Carlson, 2- Watkinson and 3 – Johnstad.

“I really screwed up yesterday, and didn’t qualify well today,” admitted Johnstad. “Andrew and Corey ran a good race, I couldn’t catch them – but I’m happy to be up here on the box tonight.”

Rounding out the top five in Saturday’s Pro Lite class at Deadwood were John Stenberg (Bauerly Racing/Ski-Doo) in 4th and Friday’s winner, Corin Todd (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) in 5th.

AmSnow’s Vintage Expert, Les Pinz, participated in the 24th Annual Waconia Snowmobile Show January 24 – 26 in Waconia, Minn. Better known as the Waconia Ride-In!  

Each year this themed event is put together by Midwest Vintage Snowmobile Shows in partnership with the Carver County Sno-Runners, Chaska Sno-Hawks and Westonka SnoBlazers snowmobile clubs. This year’s theme was Yamaha and Yamaha engine snowmobiles.

Sleds of all makes are welcome, but there are special judging categories for several classes of ‘theme’ sleds.

The weekend kicked off Friday night with traditional Ice Breaker Party for those arriving early with special guests and stories galore.

Saturday began with one of the largest vintage rides you’ll see anywhere, an 800-plus sled parade over 11-miles. The day continued with vintage ice drag racing and was capped off with the annual fundraiser banquet complete with live auction. And, of course, what vintage weekend would be complete without a swap meet?

Sunday featured the “World’s biggest Vintage Snowmobile Show” with more than 45 classes and 140 awards for 2014. Attendees also had the opportunity to take in ice oval racing and an autograph session. And, if you haven’t already heard, there was a ‘Loudest Snowmobile Contest’.

Capping off this classic weekend was an awards ceremony recognizing dozens of vintage enthusiasts for their hard work and dedication to our sport.

Sounds like a good time, doesn’t it? Plans are already in the works for the 25th Annual Waconia Ride-In for January 23-25, 2015. Next year’s theme is Minnesota Icons (think Polaris and Arctic Cat)! Nothing like a little neighborly competition to mark a quarter-century! For more information visit www.mwvss.com.

Cycle Gear, the country's largest retailer of motorcycle apparel and accessories, pledged $10,000 to the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) in support of the organization's efforts to ensure continued access to public lands.

The donation highlighted Cycle Gear's total fiscal commitment to the BRC Trail Access Fund for 2014.  This is the 12th year in a row in which Cycle Gear matches club and rider donations -dollar for dollar- to the Fund (up to $10,000 per year).

Dave Bertram, 5-time ISDE gold medalist, two-time national off-road champion and CEO of Cycle Gear, states, "There are many challenges that confront OHV enthusiasts who like to ride at state vehicular recreation areas, county OHV parks and federal lands.  Cycle Gear is proud to partner with BRC in our Trail Fund Grant Program."
 
"Listings under the Endangered Species Act are threating to close thousands of miles of trails and open sand dune riding areas in the Western United States.  Unwarranted lawsuits filed by anti-OHV attorneys continually threaten family-oriented OHV recreation.  I believe the off-road business community must continue to support access groups that fight to protect our rights to enjoy public lands." Bertram said.

Don Amador, Western Representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, said, "I know the riders appreciate Cycle Gear's commitment to the sport and so does BRC.  This grant program will help us to continue our efforts to champion responsible OHV recreation."

Nearly 500 fans attended the National Straightline Snowmobile Race in Fairmont, Minn. on Super Bowl Sunday.

Temperatures ranged from -5 to 15 degrees F with a slight breeze from the Southwest ranging from 7 to 14 mph which created a slight tail wind during the day. Skies were bright and sunny during the day with humidity ranging from 30 to 55%. The track was aimed Northeast.  Even better, a strong crosswind from the day before had polished the newly shaved tracks. The stage was set for a great day of racing action on Hall Lake with just perfect weather for setting records.

Top Speed of the day was captured by Mike Martin of Illinois piloting his New OSP Yamaha to a fast pass of the day of 168.421 mph down the 1000 foot Ice Track!

This race was rescheduled from the original date of January 25th due to excessive high cross winds  in the 30 to 40 mph range which created unsafe conditions for all our racers.  Racer entries included just over 40 on the Pro track and over 70 on the Radar Run track for a total of just over 110 entries and nearly 425 passes between the two shaved ice tracks.  NSSR Racers posted eleven new World Records at this race with perfect conditions set. The Vintage classes continue to grow in both the Pro and Radar Run competition.

In the Vintage D class NSSR had a sled that competed with records from the 1980’s return and set a new record with Lennie Meier posting a 84.872 mph on his 1976 Yamaha EX 440.  Bill Krumholz of Fairmont jumped on his 1972 Yamaha GP 292 to run a record pass at 53.038 mph, and that was with a rubber track.  Chris Hoff ran an impressive 104.600 mph to get a new record in the Trail Stock 600 class. Jacklitch Racing brought out their ski doo Mach Z’s to establish new records in the PS 800 class at 140.259 mph and Improved Stock 700 at 122.901 mph. Fire up the Open Mods as we had the Jim Brown/Anderson Racing Team rock on the Open Mods with new records on their 440 and 500 rockets at 135.00 mph and 134.579 mph respectively. Larry Norberg of Slingshot Racing ran an impressive 125.036 mph on their PS 600. Mark Kulenkamp brought his 2004 ski doo MXZ 800 to bump his record in the Improved Stock 800 twin class to 116.756 mph! Brent Kollmann of New Ulm, Minnesota rode his 1984 Polaris Indy in the Vintage Open class to a new record at 123.959 mph. Brad Cone ran an impressive 160.893 mph in the Pro Max Class on his OSP Yamaha.

All records require a run within 2% to back up their World Record run.

The great run of the day was in the Pro Stock 1000 class with Mike Cleary running his Ski Doo Mach Z down the track to set a new record at 151.048 mph! Everyone has said that on the perfect day the PS 1000 class record should be just over the 150 mark and it has finally happened at Fairmont, Minnesota – Stars aligned and a perfect Sunny Day!
Even more amazing is the speed on a naturally aspirated two stroke and a sit up and ride full body sled to exceed the 150 mph speed. He joins others in the 150 mph club – congratulations Mike Cleary and Team! This has set the pace for others to follow in the upcoming challenges at the NSSR Super Series Races.

This NSSR Super Series event in Fairmont was hosted by McDonalds Liquors, Waldoch Sports, Straightline Performance, PowerMadd, ProLine Performance, Heavy Metal Customs, Wahl Bros Racing, McDonalds’s Liquors, Loretto Reconditioning and Auto Body, LEGENDS Performance, Stout Ale House, Country Inn and Suites of Menomonie, and Bellman Oil of Bremen, Indiana. Local Sponsors for this race included Graham Tire, Doug’s Sports, Blizzard Snowmobile Club, the Holiday Inn, and many others!

 A special thanks to the Fairmont Fire Department for providing Safety and EMT services for this event, along with the cooperation of the City of Fairmont, Blizzard Snowmobile Club,  Martin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota DNR.
 
NSSR welcomes you to our next event on Saturday, February 8th, in Forest Lake Minnesota. We would like to thank all our sponsors who make these races possible!  See www.racenssr.com for more information on results and upcoming events.

Fun Run

Kitty Kat Modified                
1st    Dillion Larson     2009 Polaris     Fairmont, MN    24.24
                
Stock Fan Cooled                
1st    Bob Teshdahl     2000 Polaris 440 XCF     Jackson, Mn    81.66
2nd    Bob Teshdahl     1989 Polaris      Jackson, Mn    81.28
3rd    Jasen Selbrade     1985 Yamaha      Fairmont, MN    79.42
                
Stock 0-500                
1st    Kyler Binner     2013 Sno Pro     Ceylon, MN    94.77
2nd    Jasen Selbrode     1985 Yamaha     Fairmont, MN    85.06
3rd    Brandon Hartman     2001 Artic Cat     Fairmont, MN    83.10
                
Stock 501-600                
1st     Brad Lenort      2013 Polaris     Fairmont, MN    98.12
2nd     Brian Wannarka      1996 Polaris     Fairmont, MN    95.94
3rd     Justin Neusch      2007 Polaris     Fairmont, MN    94.37
                
Stock 601-700                
1st     Vonnie Cone      2002 Yamaha SRX     Fairmont, MN    109.32
2nd     Brody Bents      2003 Artic Cat     Fairmont, MN    108.69
3rd     Matt Moeller       1997 Ski-Doo Mach I     Welcome, MN    108.22
                
Stock 701-800                
1st     Dale Moeller      1997 Ski-Doo Mach Z     Fairmont, Mn    110.56
2nd     Dave Cone      1995 Yamaha Vmax     Fairmont, Mn    109.30
3rd     Scott Hecht      1999 Polaris XCR     Welcome, MN    107.24
                
Stock 801-1000                
1st     Brandon Jensen      2013 Artic Cat     Blue Earth, MN    106.43
2nd     Mark Shumski      2005 Ski-Doo Mach Z     Granada, MN    105.98
3rd     Britten Swanson      2005 Ski-Doo Mach Z     Northrup, MN    105.73
                
Stock 1001 & up                
1st     Tristan Jensen      2005 Ski-Doo Mach Z     Blue Earth    103.73
                
Improved Stock 0-600                
1st      Vonnie Cone      1995 Yamaha V-Max     Fairmont, MN    106.23
2nd     Trenton Stindman      2002 Artic Cat     Blue Earth, MN    87.00
3rd     Dylon Anderson      1996 Artic Cat     Blue Earth, MN    85.16
                
Improved Stock 601-700                
1st     Joe Dallager      2003 Artic Cat     Fairmont, MN    107.86
2nd     David Paradis      2000 Polaris XC     Fairmont, MN    87.20
                
                
                
Improved Stock 701-800                
1st     Bruce Kent      1995 Artic Cat ZRT     Algona, IA    108.90
2nd     William Bradford      2003 Artic Cat     Algona, IA    107.81
                
Improved Stock 1001 & up                
1st     Andy Gosch      1995 Artic Cat ZRT     Esterville, IA    126.76
2nd     Dave Mart      1999 Artic Cat  ZRT     Esterville, IA    111.94
                
Four Stroke (Non-Turbo)                
1st     Carter Schumaker      2009 Yamaha Apex     Fairmont, MN    95.86
2nd     Brian Ruschy      2009 Yamaha  Nytro     Fairmont, MN    93.32
3rd     Brian Ruschy      2014 Artic Cat     Fairmont, MN    89.78
                
Four Stroke Turbo Factory                
1st     Brandon Hartman      20112 Artic Cat Turbo     Fairmont, MN    108.38
2nd     Doug Eisenmenger      2012 Artic Cat Turbo     Sherburn, MN    107.55
3rd     Dave Cone      2009 Yamaha Nytro     Fairmont, MN    107.50
                
Just For Fun                
1st     Jacob Lemon      1998 Ski-Doo     Granada, MN    127.11
2nd     Tyson Enerson      Wahl 1200     Estherville, IA    116.09
3rd     Carter Welchlin      2013 Artic Cat 1100     Fairmont, MN    102.22
                
Non Traction  0-600                
1st     Tyler Boettcher      2001 Polaris Pro X     Elmore, MN    74.08
2nd     Matt Bech      1997 Polaris     Elmore, MN    65.17
                
Non Traction  601 cc and up                
1st     Shawn Boyd      2003 Yamaha      Elmore, MN    72.30
2nd     Kyle Binner      2012 Pro RMK     Ceylon, MN    53.60
                
Vintage Stock 0-340                
1st     Micele Badker      1974 Yamaha     Clear Lake, IA    75.30
2nd     Jay Lousen      1974 Polaris Starfire     Estherville, IA    70.48
3rd     Sarah Krumholz      1972 Yamaha 292 SL     Fairmont, MN    35.62
                
Vintage Stock 341-440                
1st     Michele Badker      1979 Yamaha     Clear Lake, IA    83.76
                
Vintage Stock 441-650                
1st     Jay Lousen      1979 Polaris Centerion     Estherville, IA    83.86
2nd     Travis O'Connor      1977 Artic Cat Panther     Fairmont, MN    54.00
                
Vintage Mod 441-650                
1st     Natha Gaffer      1978 Artic Cat     N Mankato, MN    81.87
                
                
ATV Stock                
1st     Shawn Boyd      2003 Yamaha     Elmore, MN    44.39
                
ATV Modified                
1st     Chuck Marlin      2003 Suzuki 470     Fairmont, MN    76.92
2nd     Jake Harris      2003 Yamaha Warrior     Fairmont, MN    60.19

Production year one of any sled always reveals a surprise issue or two. No OEM is exempt from this as they’ve all had their fair share of unforeseen gremlins come out of the woodwork with first year models.

Our latest gremlin happened on the 2014 Yamaha SR Viper, and it is certainly not the first, nor will it be the last to have an issue.  They’ve identified the possibility of the reverse actuator to shift out of forward gear potentially causing gear damage. You may recall a similar issue occurring in the 2012 Arctic Cat lineup which they corrected for 2013 with a rack and pinion system versus the old shift arm and spring system.

More important than having the issue – Yamaha’s already identified and distributed a remedy to the problem to their dealerships. The installation of a new Actuator Extension Update Kit takes that possible gear damage out of possibility (Service Bulletin S2014-001).

All Yamaha dealers will be prepping all unsold inventory with this update. If you’ve already taken delivery of your Viper, you should be getting a call from your dealer arranging a time for your sled to be updated.

AmSnow is lucky enough to be enjoying two of these new Viper sleds in our demo fleet this season, and we’ve seen no reason for concern in ours. That said, we just had them in to our local dealership for the regular recommended maintenance (oil change, filter change, etc.) and had the update done at that time as well. I’m guessing many of you new Viper owners are nearing this service milestone as well. It’s a pretty convenient time to get this update taken care of!

By Ross Halvorson

Bunke Racing dominated the track at this year’s Soo I-500, taking the checkered flag after leading for over 372 laps during the grueling 500 lap ice oval race. The second Bunke machine on the track, the #537 sled finished second place right behind the #74 sled. The #74 machine was piloted by Gabe Bunke, team owner and Aaron Christensen, while the #537 had the Faust brothers, Ryan and Travis and rookie racer Spencer Kadlec.

“My hat is off to the 537 sled on a well-run race,” said Bunke. “Witnessing their success has been a fun part of having this team.”

Post-race Gabe Bunke thanked the many people who worked very hard to help the team win its third straight Soo I-500:

“We cannot thank the team of people and sponsors enough that help us make this happen. First and foremost, Ben Hayes and Tom Rager Jr. from Polaris Racing have been a huge influence on our equipment and crew preparations for the Soo I-500.  They have inspired us to take our program up to the next level of competition.”
Bunke continued:
“For the Soo, our machines get nothing but the best; from our engine package, built by the legendary Larry Rugland at LRM, to the best spark plugs out there with Autolite.  We have been lucky to partner with these sponsors who have great products. All of our bearings and bushings get treated with Energy Release, for maximum performance and durability, Woody’s Traction keeps us hooked up with the best studs and carbides around and we use Polaris-engineered lubricants and fuels for all our sleds.  ArcticFXgraphics keeps us looking good on the track.  All of these elements together have produced a winning team at the Soo.”

Bunke went on to thank his team, crew and some of his long time sponsors. “A special thanks to our individual crew members and sponsors who help us with this event. White Pine Lodge in Christmas, Michigan, XLT Performance and XLT Engineering has been with us for many years and we are lucky to have their continued support.”

For the second straight year, the second-place team was made up of brothers and co-drivers Ryan Faust and Travis Faust driving a sled owned by Bunke Racing. The Fausts were joined by co-driver Spencer Kadlec, a fellow Polaris cross-country racer who in the 2013 Soo race was a co-driver on the winning Bunke Racing team. Finishing third to complete a Polaris podium sweep in the 2014 Soo I-500 was the sled campaigned by Beard Motor Sports with Michael Haynes as the lead driver.

Up next for Bunke Racing is the legendary USXC I-500 in Thief River Falls, MN and then team leader Gabe Bunke, will embark on his first ever attempt at the Iron Dog in Alaska. For more info on Bunke Racing visit www.bunkeracing.com. You can also follow Bunke Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BunkeRacing

[caption image="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/7115.Blog_2D00_020614_5F00_09.jpg" position="right" targeturl="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/7115.Blog_2D00_020614_5F00_09.jpg"] Tom Anderson’s 1975 Ski-doo 440 F/A with 250 original miles. A two-time National Champion at the Vintage Snowmobile Club of America's National show in the 1974-75 original class.[/caption]Ever wondered how to get started in vintage snowmobiling? You might already be there without even knowing it! AmSnow reader and vintage enthusiast, Tom Anderson, shares how his passion for vintage sleds began. Here’s what he had to say…

Vintage snowmobile collecting has become a way of life for most collectors. We live for the hunt of a rare sled or unique find. So, what makes a snowmobile vintage? A vintage sled is a snowmobile manufactured before 1985.

I started buying vintage snowmobiles around the mid ’90s, but my love for snowmobiles actually started with the first sled I ever purchased back in 1976. I bought a 1971 Ski-Doo 440 TNT for $150 from a friend of the family, and to this day, I still have that sled. If I was to sell my ’71 TNT today, it could be worth $500-$800 in its current condition. If it was restored to its original beautiful appearance, it could be worth up to $2,500 or more. There are many collectors out there paying top dollar for a snowmobile that is already fully restored because they could pay more to restore it themselves.

My interest continued to take off in 1995 when I started buying old sleds and clothing that were just like the ones my parents & friends wore back in the 1970s. I had focused my early collecting on Ski-Doo TNT's because that’s what my family had back in the ’70s. I currently own a 1974 Ski-Doo TNT 340 F/A that has 350 original miles and ’75 TNT 440 F/A with 250 original miles. Both sleds are in very good original condition and worth from $1,500-$2,500 each.

[caption image="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/3678.vintage-blog2.jpg" position="right" targeturl="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/3531.Blog_2D00_020614_5F00_02.jpg"]1976 John Deere Liquidator (Dan Benke, Lewiston, Minn.)[/caption]best part about buying those sleds was the story behind their mileage. I located them just South of Waterloo, Iowa from an old farmer. He bought the ’74 340 F/A brand new and drove it about 100 miles that first year. As he got better at riding, he decided he needed a sled with more power. So he bought the ’75 440 F/A and gave the 340 F/A to his wife. Because of the lack of snow and his wife’s lack of interest to go out in the cold, the TNT's were left inside his garage with covers on for more than 20 years! Thanks to a friend of a friend of mine, they now sit in my shed in their original near perfect condition.

Vintage snowmobiling has its share of regretful decisions too. I once owned a 1975 Ski-Doo 245 RV that I sold for $100 back in ’91 and I regret it to this day because it would be worth about 15 times that amount now.

[caption image="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/1033.vintage-blog1.jpg" position="right" targeturl="http://cs.amsnow.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-39-vintage/6165.Blog_2D00_020614_5F00_01.jpg"]1977 and ’78 Moto-Ski SS (Kyle Baynes, Mankato, Minn.)[/caption]As I got older my love for a high performance sled shifted my loyalty from Ski-Doo to its brother sled, Moto-Ski. I think the one of the big reasons vintage snowmobiles are gaining popularity again is because you can still find them in good condition for a reasonable price, and they are pretty simple to keep running, with plenty of parts still available.
With the aid of the Internet, it has become much easier to find snowmobiles, parts, clothing and memorabilia. I search almost every day like a window shopper – always looking for the best deals on sleds, clothing and more. Most of the sites I frequent are free to browse, and you can often sell your products and memorabilia.

Deals are out there to be had on vintage snowmobiles. Like at various swap meets, such as The Great Southern National Grass Drag in Douglas, Minn. hosted by the Byron Snow Bears Snowmobile Club. Another way to locate old sleds is word of mouth. Friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family – you never know who might have a friend who knows of some old machines looking for a new home. The most unique way to shop is to go on what the vintage snowmobile community calls ‘bushwacking,’ which includes taking road trips looking for old sleds to rescue in fields or in barns.

There are a bunch of reasons people collect vintage snowmobiles. There are people like me that plain and simple love the nostalgia. They remind us of riding with our parents and friends back in our youth. Then there are people that get them for their children to ride around the yard because they are safe and slow. There are also those who make a living from selling parts or just about anything you need to keep your old sleds running. Then there's the true collector. This person has dozens of vintage sleds in mint condition with vintage factory racers that could be worth up to $20,000.

If you're not convinced you could be a vintage snowmobile collector, watch a few videos of these vintage masterpieces in action. You might see why people like me love them so much. Visit MWVSS.com to find videos of vintage sleds at the largest vintage snowmobile event in the world - held in late January in Waconia, Minn. You will see more than 600 snowmobiles in this show, and over 1,000 sleds taking part in a group trail ride around Waconia Lake. Vintage snowmobilers are fun loving pranksters that can take a good joke and love the ‘old school’ way. We could be your neighbors and you could be one of us someday. – By Tom Anderson, Vintage Enthusiast, Byron Snow Bears

Two snowmobile trail grooming machines in Michigan's Upper Peninsula could cause delays in trail maintenance, according to the Associated Press.

The state Department of Natural Resources announced this week that the problem was with the Munising Visitors Bureau's machines.

The Visitors Bureau partners with the DNR to groom snowmobile trails in the Munising area. Until the Visitors Bureau's machines are fixed, the DNR plans to work with other snowmobile clubs that help groom Michigan trails to coordinate efforts in the Munising area.

The DNR say the Seney Snowmobile Association, the Big Bay De Noc Snowmobile Club and the Schoolcraft County Motorized Trails Association are handling some grooming needs. Information on Munising-area trail status and conditions is available from the DNR.

Tucker Hibbert overcame a near crash at the start of Friday's race in Salamanca, N.Y. and he then passed for the lead with ten laps remaining to earn his 8th victory of the season.

And in Pro Lite action it was James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) who raced to a convincing victory in that class’ 20-lap main event.

Pro Open

Hibbert shook off an opening lap get together with Levi LaVallee, caused when LaVallee’s teammate, Kyle Pallin, over-shot a massive berm on the inside lane of corner two and literally dropped down onto the front of LaVallee’s sled. Right behind was Hibbert and the two had to lock up the brakes and come to a dead stop in order to avoid crashing into LaVallee.

Once things cleared up Pallin managed to pull things together and took the early lead, but was quickly caught and passed by Johan Lidman - the No. 3 qualifier (behind Pallin & Hibbert). Lidman and Pallin would swap back and forth in the 1st place position in some excellent racing early on the 28-lap contest, until Pallin came off his sled on lap three.

Qualifying 9th and starting mid-pack, Kody Kamm came blasting in and quickly took the lead from Lidman. Hibbert, who had started around 7th place, was also on his horse – passing Logan Christian  and Pallin to move up to 4th place. From there Hibbert took a breath – then set his site on the leader Kamm and 2nd place Lidman.

“I got tangled up there at the start, then finally got up to the 2nd and 3rd place guys,” explained Hibbert. “It took a bit to get by them, including Kody. He rode well for 2nd place, hung right in there.”

Hibbert gained the lead on Kamm with a slick move to the outside lane and massive jump over the finish line – where he passed Kamm in the air. Once up front, a familiar spot for Hibbert this year, the defending Pro Open class champ took charge and cruised through the last ten laps for the win.

Kamm would hold strong for 2nd, but was challenged at the end by Pallin – who cracked off the fasted lap times of the night in chasing (back) down the leaders. “That was definitely some interesting racing,” said Pallin. “I made a couple mistakes early, but just kept picking off guys there towards the end and made it up here.”

Rounding out the top five in the Pro Open class on Friday at Seneca Alleghany were Lidman in 4th and Christian in 5th.

Pro Lite

Andrew Carlson grabbed the holeshot from the outside gate pick, but the current Pro Lite points leader would get forced to the outside on turn two and would end up dropping back and not being a factor to winner Johnstad and the rest of the podium placers.

By lap three Johnstad had opened up on the rest of the field, with Corey Watkinson moving into 2nd, Carlson in 3rd and Chase Rosenmeyer in 4th.

Local New Yorker Corin Todd would make a charge to the front after a middle pack start, making a big run past Rosenmeyer and Carlson up into 3rd place. As the laps clicked off quickly on short squared oval, Johnstad opened up a descent lead on Watkinson – only to run into lapped traffic and a caution flag. This allowed Watkinson to run right up onto Johnstad’s tail and actually bump the leader (albeit lightly).

As Johnstad controlled the final laps, Watkinson and Todd would put up equally consistent and fast laps and were not challenged in their runs for 2nd and 3rd places, respectively.

“The track got really rough, lots of laps on a short course is pretty demanding,” said Todd. “Lots of roost, which made it tough.”

The 37th Timmy's Snowarama was attended by 235 snowmobilers in Yorkton, Sask. the weekend of February 7-9.

The trail had to be changed due to lack of snow but the riders still were able to ride 106 miles.
Timmy's Snowarama is a fundraiser for Easter Seals', kids with disabilities, Camp Easter Seals.

This year the fundraiser raised $135,133. for Easter Seals,

Since this started 37 years ago the ride has raised over $1.7 million dollars.

Tucker Hibbert charged at Salamanca, N.Y. to completing the first Pro Open sweep of the Seneca Allegany Casino Air Force Snocross.

And in the  Pro Lite class main event local New York racer Corin Todd would put up a masterful performance for the win, recording his second podium effort of the weekend.

Pro Open
Kyle Pallin grabbed the holeshot in the 28-lap main event. And hot in pursuit of Pallin were the two Arctic Cat sleds of Hibbert and Cody Thomsen.

For much of the first half of the race Hibbert would mark Pallin in every corner, almost stalking him … looking for a place to strike. Pallin would have an answer for Hibbert and what looked like a cat-and-mouse strategy was actually a great race, according to Hibbert.

“I was trying to get by him and Kyle was riding really well,” admitted Hibbert.

As he’s done nearly every race this season, Hibbert – biding his time versus Pallin – would strike at the opportune time, passing Pallin through the air down a sugary straight and diving inside on the Michigan racer to take the lead. Hibbert quickly put some distance between himself and Pallin, but Pallin would work hard for a number of laps to stay close to Hibbert – and this, in the end, is likely what kept him ahead of a hard-charging Kody Kamm for 2nd place.

“This is my third year racing the Pros and I learn more and more each race,” said an excited Pallin from the Seneca Alleghany podium.

Kamm would make his second podium of the weekend, coming in just under two seconds back of Pallin for 3rd. Rounding out the top five in the Pro Open class were Johan Lidman  in 4th and Justin Broberg in 5th.

Pro Lite
Hometown hero Corin Todd locked down the win on Saturday at Salamanca, parlaying a great start into a front-of-pack placement in the early going, then pulling a strategic pass on Pro Lite point leader Andrew Carlson  in mid-race and running ‘er home through the checkers.

“I had a tough first round (of qualifying) and was able to pull it back together,” said Todd, who qualified in 10th position. “I said coming into this weekend I wanted to ride consistent and limit the errors. So I just put my head down and here we are on the box again.”

Carlson actually pulled the holeshot, but was quickly caught at the second turn by Friday winner, James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris). Todd came rocketing in out of seemingly nowhere and got past both Carlson and Johnstad and into the lead heading into lap three. The following lap Carlson would pass Todd back for the lead, and took off – putting a bit of space between himself, Johnstad and Andrew Lieders.

Choosing the outside line heading into the midway point of the 20-lap race, Todd was able to make up some time on Carlson before setting the point leader up and passing him on lap 12. Lieders would soon pass Carlson as well on the ensuing lap.

Despite the carnage on the track there was nothing stopping Todd as the sizable crowd got behind their fellow New Yorker and cheered him on through the checkers. Lieders would hold tight onto 2nd place and Carlson survived a late-race rush from Trevor Leighton to take 3rd.

“We recovered from a bad outing yesterday and I’m happy to be up here on the box,” said Carlson, who retained his overall Pro Lite point lead. “It was gnarly. Lot of yellow flags out there, things going on everywhere.”

Rounding out the top five in Saturday’s Pro Lite final were Corey Watkinson in 4th and Johnstad in 5th.

Brian Dick (Cat) and Zach Herfindahl (Cat) battled for first and second at the USXC Seven Clans Casinos 1-500 in Thief River Falls, Minn.

In an exciting finish, Polaris’ veteran rider, Justin Tate, was able to capture the third place finish to add some color to an otherwise green podium. Saturday’s competition also featured vintage and junior riders tackling the tough Warren, MN loop, the most grueling of the three day race.

The top spot wasn’t a slam dunk for Brian Dick, even though he left with over a three minute advantage at 9:00 AM Saturday. Yamaha Pro Class riders went out according to their elapsed time gaps and Dick had teammate Herfindahl breathing down his snowflap all day. At the first fuel stop in Warren, Herfindahl, who turns 18 tomorrow, had closed the gap to under a minute-and-a-half and Brian Dick knew it.

“I knew Zach was close, within just over a minute at the first stop,” Dick said. “I just started to feel more and more comfortable on the sled as the day went on, but I didn’t like the second loop, it was pretty rough out there.” The second run after the first gas stop had a lot of rock-hard drifts and very technical running and almost every rider said it was a test of their stamina. Several riders had offs on the final day and in the post-race staging area, there were several windshields and other sled parts that had seen better days.

Women’s champ, Jolene Bute (Cat), agreed with Dick’s assessment of the day’s second loop. “I finally just had to slow down a little and ride smarter so I could finish in one piece,” Bute said. After the dust settled, Dick crossed the finish line with about the same distance from Herfindahl that he left with at the start. The winner of the Pro Stock class walked away with a cool $10,000, courtesy of Seven Clans Casinos, along with additional factory and sponsor contingencies. The 2014 I-500 marks Brian Dick’s second win in the race, besting the field in the 2011 running.

Another hotly contested class was the all-new Super Stock class, with riders facing off on EPA-compliant, 600cc showroom sleds. Sam Vandeputte (Doo) pulled ahead of Jon Arneson (Cat) on day two and was able to maintain his lead to net the $5,000 in prize money. Vandeputte’s teammate, Nick Roehl (Doo), worked hard for a second place finish. Another pro performance worth noting was the riding clinic put on by Benjamin Langaas (Cat), fast enough to grab the top finish in Semi Pro 600, Amsoil Semi Pro Improved, fourth in Speedwerx Pro Open and fifth in Yamaha Pro Stock!

The last few years, the I-500 has hosted vintage sleds on the final day and in 2014 over 30 riders on ‘70s machines took to the ditches. In the end a classic Polaris piloted by Michael Fugelberg toughed it out to earn top honors in the Fly Racing Vintage Class.

Winners in the Seven Clans Casinos I-500 Are As Follows:

Yamaha Pro Stock: Brian Dick (Cat); Speedwerx Pro Open: Brian Dick (Cat); Semi Pro: Benjamin Langaas (Cat); AMSOIL Semi Pro Improved: Benjamin Langaas (Cat); Drift Racing Super Stock: Sam Vandeputte (Doo); Polaris Expert 85: Kevin Tinjum (Cat); Ski-Doo Masters 40+: Jon Arneson (Cat); Legends 50+: Dan Fischer (Cat); Trophy 85: Ryan Weidemann (Cat); Trophy 600: Jared Christiansen (Pol); C&A Pro Trail: Kevin Tinjum (Cat); On Snow Magazine Women’s: Jolene Bute (Cat); Team Industries Classic IFS: Brad Naplin (Cat); Fly Racing Vintage: Michael Fugelberg (Pol); Arctic Cat Vintage Legends: Gerry Mattison (Cat); Junior 10-17: Ross Ilstrup (Cat); Junior Girls 10-17: Kelsey Pladson.

Sunday kicked off the start of “Take A Friend Snowmobiling Week” which runs Feb. 9 – 16. It’s not very often in the state of Wisconsin that you find someone who has never sat on a sled before. But to my surprise, that’s exactly what I had on my hands when my college roommate, Scot, came for a weekend visit!

Scot is definitely game for new experiences. He’s a world traveler who’s jumped off skyscrapers in Taiwan and consumed guinea pig in Peru. Snowmobiling should be no big deal, right? But I could tell there was a bit of anxiousness as I explained the operation of the sled.

I think he was surprised at the simplicity of everything. “No clutch lever to pull or gears to change,” he asked?

“Nope,” I replied, “the throttle equals go and here’s the brake to stop.”

Of course, I did fill him in a little more than just ‘go and stop’. Hand warmers, lights and how he could expect the sled to handle were all included in my two minute tutorial.

Finally, we were slowly off riding. It was not an extravagant, scenery-filled ride, but rather just a simple hour gently cruising around the back farm fields on bright sunny day. Just what the doctor ordered for a newbie to test the powder!

Before long, I could tell Scot’s comfort level was increasing on the machine. While he followed my lead around our homemade trails and twists, he was accelerating down the straightaways, testing some uneven terrain and even throwing a little lean into a few corners!

It may be more of a testament to the manufacturers than anything else, but it was awesome to see how quickly someone brand new to snowmobiling could start to develop confidence on a sled.

After our ride, the enjoyment Scot got out of riding for the first time was obvious, but his curiosity about the sport did end when we shut down the sleds. He had a lot of other questions about the sport in general. I was more than happy to field as many questions as he could ask, and I took a lot of pride in knowing that I had just sparked the interest of another hopeful member of our snowmobiling family.

Looking at the weather across the country, Mother Nature seems to be providing the ideal opportunity for most of us to take advantage of this week’s theme of introducing someone new to the sport. I encourage all of you as snowmobilers to do so, and I’ll also challenge you to go beyond the riding and introduce someone to the behind-the-scenes work of our sport as well. Take someone new to a club meeting, explain how the trails are maintained and marked, buy them a raffle ticket!

The bottom line is there’s more to snowmobiling than just riding the trails on a weekend. The more people we can get involved in the other aspects of the sport will make it that much more enjoyable for everyone for years to come!

By Ross Halvorson

Divas SnowGear is up for a small business grant from Fed Ex for $25,000.

FedEx is giving away ten small business grants.

Divas SnowGear from Oregon, Wis. is one of the businesses that could potentially receive it if the company receives enough votes.

"We would utilize the grant in many ways. Hiring a new member to our team to help sustain the growth would be our number one priority. Our second most important need would be to upgrade our current shipping solution to streamline our shipping process and create efficiencies. We would also utilize the grant to advertise by through our most successful social media channels to assist with growth," said Divas SnowGear in a statement to FedEx.

Votes are being collected at this link http://smallbusinessgrant.fedex.com/Gallery/Detail/dc15450b-7db4-4e2e-b453-9891b9cad0ed

Darrin Mees suffered an ankle injury in at ISOC's Deadwood snocross competition.

Mees was still out of competition this past weekend in Seneca, New York for Rounds 9 and 10 of the ACS Series.

Darrin Mees’ recovery is progressing ―he will return to competition February 21st for the Soaring Eagle Nationals in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

While the big sleds were making history in the ditches, a whole pack of kids were battling it out for mini-sled supremacy at Seven Clans Casinos Saturday. 67 sleds turned out for this epic event, The Mini I-500, as the future of the sport of cross country snowmobile racing flashed some skill. Course designers laid out a 2.5 mile track of field and tree line running with both wide open sections, as well as some rough, technical moguls and drifts. Racers left the starting line two-by-two, in fields twenty seconds apart from the top of a huge tabletop jump. Riders, apparently, chose the right lines and toughed it out, as there were a minimal number of issues on the track.

In the Improved Stock 6-8 year old class, Lincoln Buchwitz put the hammer down and bested the field, turning two laps in an eye-watering 12 minutes. For the Improved Stock 9-12 class, Brooklyn Brouse turned a one minute slower lap then that 6-8 year olds, but in the end it was enough to take the checkered flag. When the horsepower rolled out in the Briggs & Stratton 206 classes, Jesse Hallstrom was the champ in the 6-8 year old group, while another Brouse, this time Jaxon, took the win in the 9-12 year old group.

The 206 sleds in both classes turned two laps in about 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Winners of the Mini I-500 classes received a one night stay at Seven Clans Casino Water Park, including six water park passes, and a $50 gift from Recreational Motorsports. Up next in Walker, MN on March 8, kids will again be able to battle it out in the “Mini I-250.” The Walker course will be a quarter mile in length and racers will face five laps in pursuit of the checkers. The top three finishers in the Mini I-500 classes are as follows:

Improved Stock 6-8

1. Buchwitz, Lincoln – 0:12:06

2. Olson, Oliver – 0:12:09

3. Ealy, Dylan – 0:12:26

Improved Stock 9-12

1. Brouse, Brooklyn ‐ 0:12:58

2. Strandberg, Wyatt ‐ 0:13:00

3. Nelson, Aleah ‐ 0:13:27

Briggs 206 6-8

1. Hallstrom, Jesse ‐ 0:10:38

2. Johnson, Aiden ‐ 0:11:23

3. Buchwitz, Lincoln ‐ 0:11:39

Briggs 206 9-12

1. Brouse, Jaxon ‐ 0:10:39

2. Olson, Jeanne ‐ 0:11:21

3. Brouse, Brooklyn ‐ 0:11:33

National Straightline Snowmobile Racing racers posted five new World Records at Forest Lake in Forest Lake, Minn.
 
Temperatures ranged from a -11 to +15 degrees F with a light breeze of about 5 to 8 mph from the Southwest during the day. The 1000 foot shaved ice track was aimed to the Northeast.

All records require a run within 2% to back up their World Record run.

Nearly 600 fans and race supporters were on hand to witness the record setting runs throughout the day.

Racer entries included nearly 75 on the Pro track and 85 on the Fun Run track making entries at just over 160 hot rods and 600 passes between the two shaved ice tracks. The Radar Run track had some hot rod ATV’s, one in the mod class running a fast 114.32 mph. Nearly 25 of the Pro Entries ran at speeds of 120 mph or better in this competition.

Top Speed of the day was captured by Rick Schellbach on his Super Mod 1620 cc Laydown at 153.736 mph in the 1000 foot mark.

Pro Stock 1000 continues to heat up as Joe Kittel of the Straightline Performance team came out to take a win at 147.180 mph. This was after Mike Cleary who rocked out a new record in Fairmont experienced a track failure at the starting line. Super Stock Twin continues to work on a new record in this class with Charlie Fleck of Wisconsin posting a 121.690 mph pass for a win but just short of a new record. Mark Kulenkamp continues to work on his Improved Stock 800 Twin for a win at 115.200 mph.

World Records in the Stock and Pro Classes were far and few between at this event. This is unusual for the Forest Lake tracks, but the high humidity and snowflakes in the air had some impact on making big power. Trail Stock and Vintage were able to make headway and there were five new World Records established at this event. Scott Kostman of Wisconsin came out swinging on his 2014 Artic Cat XF 8000 to take the Stock 800 Single pipe record away from Dan Graunke on his XP Ski Doo setting the mark now at an amazing 116.442 mph with a back up speed of 116.129 mph. A great job by Scott Kostman and team on his Artic Cat - Congratulations!

Samy Christianson bumped the Vintage C Stock class record to an 83.965 mph. Then Sheridan Christianson goes out and bumps the Vintage E record to 72.060 mph. Brent Kollmann keeps working on his tune up on the vintage Polaris to raise his record in Vintage Open to 124.495 mph!  Even better, they are all having a blast!

The battle of the day was in the Trail Stock 500 class with two Polaris entries from Wisconsin.
Brice Konsela on his 2002 Polaris XC SP 500 ran a 91.719 mph to tie Steve Hoch on his 2000 Polaris XC 500. Ties are broken by who can then run a better backup speed on one of their passes. Brice Konsela managed to pull a 91.622 mph backup speed over the 90.282 mph pass by Steve Hoch! Congratulations to both of these racers for some great passes during the day.

Fun Run

Subscribers click here to go to the full story.

Last year both Arctic Cat and Yamaha were toe-ing the line making sure to say that they had a mutual supply agreement for snowmobile model year 2014. Now, in 2015 the wording has changed to an ‘alliance’ between the two companies. To be honest, we don’t much care what they call it because as long as it means positive things for companies, more consumers getting what they ask for, and ultimately more snowmobiles being sold, it is a good thing for everyone!

The new-for-2015 SR Viper M-TX snowmobile is the most modern 4-stroke 2015 mountain snowmobile in the industry. This collaborative sled with Arctic Cat and utilizes the SRV Mountain (otherwise known as the ProClimb in Cat’s lineup) chassis and is powered by Yamaha’s 3 cylinder Genesis powerplant that has become the backbone of Yamaha’s snowmobile lineup (and a staple in Cat’s lineup). The new M-TX has a new skid that helps center the balance of the sled, has no rear heat exchanger so there is less ice accumulation, and has big wide-open boards and a tapered powder-coated tunnel that is light, has good clearance and superior snow evacuation. There is also a new ECU map in all the Viper sleds including this one that is calibrated for the mountains and the YVXR clutch system is paired with it for max response. Available in either the 162 or 153 lengths the Viper uses the Power Claw track with 2.6-inch lugs. The track is driven by extrovert drivers and utilizes an open rear wheel hub design (similar to the tri-hub system on the Cat’s). The lightweight rear skid has a new front torque arm, new design rail profile and Fox did the air shock calibration. There will be an SE and a standard version of the M-TX, but you can only get the 162 in the SE version.

Brand new for 2015 is the X-TX DX snowmobile! Similar to Cat’s Crosstour line of sleds, the DX (deluxe) has a bigger windshield, heated seat, modular rear bumper and rack system with 8 pocket design that works with many Yamaha accessories. Put more storage, a 2-up seat, or whatever combo you would like. This one also gets a new deep keel Tuner ski that has a 5mm deeper keel, higher bolt hole steeper keel angle, more aggressive bite, a 135 mm ski deck and improved deep snow capabilities. The Cobra 15x141x1.352 track is a great do-everything track.

The naming changes for the in-season models to the R-TX SE snowmobile and R-TX DX snowmobile. Difference? These two 129-inch trail sleds are meant for the rough trail (R-TX SE) and the groomed trail (RT-X DX). The SE gets the Fox Float 3 shocks up front and lower windshield in addition to some more aggressive rider-focused add-ons. The Viper DX has the coil over spring suspension, a taller shield large trunk bag, heated seat, comfort-tuned suspension and is basically the 2014 SR Viper.

Finally, the all new Limited Edition Spring Power Surge only Yamaha line 2015 starts, with the new Viper M-TX LE with Fox Evol shocks up front and limited graphics package. Also new is the Viper X-TX LE! This is a more ‘mountain oriented’ version of the X-TX and gets a vertical steering post, new mountain seat, a big 15x144x2.25 Powerclaw track and the new mountain skis. There is a new Viper L-TX LE too with the similar Limited graphics offerings and a bigger 15x137x1.75-inch BackCountry track. Last, but not least is the SR Viper R-TX LE, which is basically Yamaha’s race sled in ‘not so much’ disguise. It gets a new 15x129x1.7 snocross track, a new dual shock SR Racing rear suspension with beefier torque arm the Fox shocks off the race sled and ready for the Cross Country track. The new Fox Evol X shocks are up front in Yamaha’s racing front end and there is an optional second graphics package.

By Mark Boncher

Tim Tremblay suffered a fractured tibia plateau during his second heat race at the U.S. Air Force National in Salamanca, New York, requiring surgery that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.

In Tremblay’s absents, Vermont racer Lincoln Lemieux, who normally competes in the East Coast Snocross series, stepped in to represent the Scheuring Speeds Sports team at the Seneca ISOC race. Lemieux, who had already completed a full day of racing with the ECS, finished eighth in the AMSOIL Pro Open final.

Former tour racer Paul Bauerly, who was on hand at the event, also suited up for the Saturday program, giving the team two riders in the field, as veteran racer Robbie Malinoski continues his recovery from knee surgery.

Prior to the race, the team braved a 26-hour non-stop trek through driving snow to take part in school visits in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force at two area high schools in Ellicotville and Randolph, New York. A total of three Race to the Future scholarships were awarded at these stops, to students recommended by faculty for their efforts and achievements in S.T.E.M. related fields of study.

The series takes a brief one week break while remaining east for rounds 11 and 12 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on February 21-22.

The Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt will hold free practice sessions for ice oval racers and snocross competitors at the Grand Prix on February 13.
The track is located at 917 Route 222 in Maricourt, Québec (J0L 2L2).
Fans attending Thursday Open House Day will also have access to the Heated Suites free of charge as part of Discovery Day.

The 32nd running of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt will offer fans a full weekend of racing activities featuring six types of winter motorsport competitions. From Friday to Sunday, the world's best ice oval track snowmobile racers, including Quebec's Jacques Villeneuve, Malcom Chartier, of Marine City, Michigan, Dustin Wahl of Greenbush Minnesota, and defending Valcourt champion Nicholas Van Strydonk of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, will showcase their talents in the daily finals and will attempt to win the big prize on Sunday. For three days, spectators will also witness the feats of the top professional snocross riders from the Eastern United Stated and Canada, including competitors from the CSRA Series, the ECS, SCMX and riders from the Ski-Doo teams competing in the ISOC Series, as they battle for top honors in the Pro Open class.

Everyone is invited to attend, free of charge after 3:00 p.m., the Friday night under the lights Round 2 of the professional Top Speed Racing Snowmobile Drag Racing Series. Amateur drag racing competition will begin at noon for those who wish to test their snowmobiles in straight-line racing. Also on the program for Saturday and Sunday are the daredevil motorcycle and ATV riders competing on the Yvon Duhamel ice oval track. On Saturday, Xtreme enthusiasts can attend the highflying freestyle snocross showdown scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. in the Xtreme Zone. This year, Quebec riders will face off against American Freestyers from Maine. Admission to the Freestyle Snocross exhibition is $15 per person after 4:00 p.m., and free of charge for Grand Prix of Valcourt ticket holders. There will be plenty of fun and games for the whole family, including slides for children and kiddy snowmobile rides and live rock bands for the grown-ups.

Fans of the great outdoors can still buy an all-inclusive three-day general admission pass for $55, taxes included, at the Ticket Office of Circuit Yvon Duhamel located at 917 Route 222 in Maricourt, Québec (J0L 2L2). Daily general admission tickets are also on sale at $10 each for Friday and $30 each day for Saturday and Sunday. The Grand Prix Heated Suites are sold out. Accompanied by an adult, children under 12 are admitted free on the Grand Prix site. However, this offer does not apply for the heated suites.
suites.