NEWS-REVIEW
PREVIEW ISSUE
VILAS COUNTY
Section
EAGLE RIVER, WI 54521 • (715) 479-4421 • www.vcnewsreview.com
VOL. 127, NO. 44
A
$1.25
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16, 2013
World Derby marks 50th ___________
BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR
___________
back, and we’ll also have most of their sleds on display in a heated tent.” A large percentage of the past Derby Queens also are slated to return to the track, according to Decker. “They’ve come from as far away as Arizona, California, Quebec, everywhere,” he said. A large heated tent will be built in front of the main office, which will house the past champions’ sleds. Meetand-greet times will be posted at the tent’s entrance, although attendees are welcome to check out the sleds at any time during the races. Track officials also import-
The renowned AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Eagle River Thursday through Sunday. In addition to the hundreds of racers who attend each year, many of the past title champions will return to the track to meet approximately 30,000 spectators, who will be on hand for four days of racing action and festivities. “One of the biggest things we’ll be doing is a tribute to our past champions,” said AMSOIL Derby Track owner Chuck Decker. “We’ve acquired 29 of the 32 past champions who are going to be
To DERBY, Pg. 2A
The best oval racers from the United States and Canada will compete in the 50th annual AMSOIL World Championship Snowmo-
Title field filled with champs Record $60,000 prize up for grabs
___________
BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
___________
Winning a world championship at Eagle River is no easy task, but with the added enthusiasm of the 50th anniversary of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby and a record purse, the title is up for grabs this weekend. Because of the 50th anniversary hoopla, the top professional snowmobile racers in the United States and Canada will be vying for the title. The field could include up to seven former world champions. To top it off, the title race will pay out a record $60,000 to the winner, including $50,000 from Jimmy Johns and $10,000 from the AMSOIL Derby Track. After winning a first world championship last year, 22-year-old Nick Van Strydonk of Tomahawk will face the daunting task of repeating at Eagle River. Winning two straight titles in the biggest race in snowmobiling is not easy, according to former world champion and AMSOIL Derby Track owner Chuck Decker. The 50th anniversary excitement will make that even more demanding. “It’s pretty tough to repeat,” said Decker. “The racers in the Pro Champ field are much closer now when it comes to speed and
World Championship Snowmobile Derby THURSDAY, JAN. 17
Practice laps in Oval and Sno-Cross starting at 8 a.m., World Championship time trials at 3:30 p.m., followed by Outlaw 600 time trials at 6 p.m. and TLR Cup Champ heats at 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN. 18 Racing starts at 10 a.m. A full day of Oval and Sno-Cross qualifying to finals.
skill. It’s been a little all over the board so far this year.” The last repeat winner in the Champ 440 race was Brian Bewcyk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who won in 2008 and 2009 on a Ski-Doo. Bewcyk and P.J. Wanderscheid of Sauk Centre, Minn., have been the only repeat winners since Mike Houle of Wyoming, Minn., won back-to-back world titles in 1999 and 2000 on a Ski-Doo. Returning this weekend will be Wanderscheid, the
only four-time winner. Also returning will be two-time winners Bewcyk and Gary Moyle of Houghton, Mich., who won in 2005 and 2007 on an Arctic Cat. “P.J. crashed twice so far this year and will be racing with a broken ankle,” said Decker. “He got the doctor’s release to race.” The only other winner since 2005, Matt Schulz of Wausau, will be back in the field. Last year, Schulz led the race for 29 of the 30 laps on a Ski-doo before Van Strydonk passed him
To TITLE RACE, Pg. 3A
Sweet 16 race, Pro Sno-Cross set Friday night ___________
BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR
___________
The return of the TLR Cup Sweet 16 Pole Position race, along with numerous Pro Sno-Cross teams, will augment this year’s actionpacked Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder show at the 50th annual AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. More than 10,000 spectators, including Gov. Scott Walker, are expected this Friday, Jan. 18, for the 12-race event under the lights. Chuck Decker, owner of the AMSOIL Eagle River Derby Track, said he expects every pro Sno-Cross team to show up this year. “We’re expecting the best of the best,” he said. “All the pro teams are coming out Friday night.” Decker said the past champions and fans will be treated to a special presentation commemorating 50 years of the Derby. “The past champions will be down on the track and they have a special video that’s going to play on the new JumboTron of the past champions,” he said. The new screen is 22 x 40 feet in size, which triples the proportions of the previous JumboTron, according to Decker. The most anticipated rac-
A giant fireworks display will kick off the Friday Night Thunder program. —STAFF PHOTO
ing event at Friday Night Thunder is the Sweet Sixteen Pole Position race, which features head-to-head competition between the 16 fastest ice-oval racers in the world as they compete for early qualification in Sunday’s title race and the pole position. Now in its sixth year, the Sweet Sixteen event will begin with two heats of eight racers. The best 10 competitors will move on to the 16lap final, and the winner of that race will hold the pole position in Sunday’s world championship event. In addition, participants in this year’s race will compete for points in the TLR Cup racing series, as well as To THUNDER, Pg. 2A
2013
50TH AMSOIL
Nick Van Strydonk, the 2012 champion, will try to repeat against some talented competition. —STAFF PHOTO
in the final corner. Schulz finished second just behind Van Strydonk on a Polaris. Wanderscheid won his first title in 2002 and repeated in 2003. His next win came in 2006 and his most recent victory was in 2011. He finished fifth last year. Decker said he heard that 2004 winner Larry Day of Lyman, Maine, will return for the 50th anniversary, as will longtime Derby favorite Jeff Ludwig of Freedom. Ludwig, who has never won the title race at Eagle River, last raced seven years ago. “We’ve heard Day has a sled and is returning, but it hasn’t been confirmed,” said Decker. “Ludwig has an older Champ sled and it is his hope to make the Top 10 at the 50th Derby.” Decker said three-time champion Jacques Villeneuve of St. Cuthbert, Quebec, would return for the 50th if he can get a sponsor. Villeneuve did not race in 2012, but had a gutsy third-place finish in 2011 at age 57. The title race, set for 3 p.m. Sunday, will feature a split format for the third straight year and will include 10 laps, a fiveminute pit stop and then 20 laps to the finish. “The racers will be allowed to make more adjustments during the pit stop," said Decker. “The
bile Derby this Thursday through Sunday, bringing thousands of race fans to the Eagle River area. —STAFF PHOTO
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
EVENING SHOW FRIDAY, JAN. 18
Friday Night Thunder starts with prerace activities at 6 p.m. Brief introductions at 6:30 p.m., national anthem and fireworks display at 7 p.m. Racing highlights include the TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen Pole Position event, Pro Sno-Cross, Outlaw 600 and Motorcycles.
SATURDAY, JAN. 19
Racing starts at 10 a.m. Qualifying plus select Oval and Sno-Cross finals. World Championship Top 10 qualifying starts at 1:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, JAN. 20
Racing starts at 10 a.m. Finals in top Oval and SnoCross classes. Last-chance title qualifier at 1:15 p.m. 50th running of the World Championship event starts at 3 p.m. sharp. The highly-competitive professional Sno-Cross racers will battle inside the ice oval, on a
groomed course featuring moguls, sharp corners and big jumps. —STAFF PHOTO
2A
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16, 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
WEATHER CORNER
DERBY
Note: Precipitation amounts are recorded at 8 a.m. for the previous 24 hours.
LAST SEVEN DAYS
Hi Lo Prec. Wed., Jan. 9.............34 10 None Thurs., Jan. 10........37 16 None Fri., Jan. 11.............42 16 .14R Sat., Jan. 12.............36 35 Tr.S Sun., Jan. 13............18 13 None Mon., Jan. 14 ...........15 3 .2"S Tues., Jan. 15...........23 –1 None
ONE YEAR AGO
Hi Mon., Jan. 9...............40 Tues., Jan. 10 ............41 Wed., Jan. 11 ............44 Thurs, Jan. 12 ...........17 Fri., Jan. 13................17 Sat., Jan. 14 ..............16 Sun., Jan. 15 .............28
Lo 15 14 16 14 10 4 1
Prec. None None None 3.5"S 3.5"S Tr.S None
LAST YEAR
The average daily high at this time last year for the next seven days was 18, while the average overnight low was –6. There was snow on four days with a total accuulation of 6.8 inches.
COMPARISON
Days precipitation recorded since Jan. 1, 2013, 6 days; 2012, 6 days. Average high of past 30 days, 2012, 26; 2011, 29. Average low of past 30 days, 2012, 10; 2011, 12.
SNOW CONDITIONS
Snowmobile trails are in ’’11-’12 ’12-’13 poor condition due to a 27 37 lack of snow. With little Snowy days Inches to date 31.04 12 snow in the woods, it’s a Ground cover 10" Trace good time to scout for deer and locate next year’s deer hunting stand.
STREAMS AND LAKES
Anglers are driving snowmobiles and ATVs on most lakes, as the ice thickeness continues to improves. Ice grippers are recommended due to slippery conditions.
OUTLOOK
Wednesday light snow is likely with half an inch accumulation, with a high of 26 and a low of 14. Thursday will be partly to mostly cloudy, with a high of 8 and a low of 0. Friday there is a chance for light snow showers with a small accumulation, with a high of 25 and a low of 5. Saturday there also is a chance for light snow showers and small accumulation, with a high of 23 and a low of 17. Sunday another chance for light snow showers with small accumulation and cold, with a high of 7 and a low of –2.
(PORTIONS OF THE WEATHER CORNER ARE THROUGH THE COURTESY OF KEVIN BREWSTER, EAGLE RIVER and NEWSWATCH 12 METEOROLOGIST.)
Derby: event offers $150,000 in prizes
FROM PAGE 1A
ed a new 22- by 40-foot JumboTron, which is three times larger than the old screen, according to Decker. Some of the giveaways and prizes planned this year include a 250cc Phantom midsized snowmobile and an Ariens snowblower. Coming off a big weekend of vintage racing, Decker said officials and racers are gearing up for the big anniversary weekend. “Track conditions have been awesome,” he said during Vintage Weekend. “Warm weather is actually better for our track than cold weather. You use less ice when it’s warm out because the sleds can grip so hard they aren’t sliding around and tearing out chunks of the track. The colder it gets, the more ice you lose.” Decker said two of the biggest events at the 50th AMSOIL World Championship Derby will be the popular Friday Night Thunder and Championship Sunday, which offers finals in the most important and largest classes. Drivers will have their dreams set on coveted trophies, prizes and cash awards valued at more than $150,000 but, most of all, they will compete for the prestige of winning at Eagle River. Decker said this year’s championship race alone boasts a purse of more than $80,000, with $60,000 going to the title winner. For race fans, the action will start Thursday, with world championship time trials starting at 3:30 p.m. and will conclude with the title race at 3 p.m. Sunday. Decker said the race has continued for five decades, reinforcing the legitimacy of the Derby’s claim as the “world’s greatest snowmobile race.” In fact, track officials were preparing for the big 50th anniversary even before last year’s Derby. For the second year running, a midway champion will be declared after 10 laps, the winner of which will be awarded $10,000 by Jimmy John’s. Racers will then have
Derby Queen Michelle Schaetz will present dozens of trophies to the champions this weekend. —STAFF PHOTO
a short period of time to tune up their sleds before running the final 20 laps of the championship race. This year’s Sunday show will again include an aircraft flyby between 2:30 and 3 p.m. Decker said the new classes from last year will return to the races this weekend, including the Factory 600 class and the Outlaw 600 cockpit sleds. The Kitty Kat track and the 120 races will take place at the side of the grounds to make it easier for people to watch, said Decker. The race schedule Snowmobile race fans flock to Eagle River for more than the world championship in the Champ 440 class, according to Decker. There will be both Oval and Sno-Cross practice runs Thursday starting at 8 a.m. For the remainder of the weekend, all racing is set to begin at 10 a.m. The world championship time trials will again be held Thursday afternoon to allow more fans the chance to watch the excitement.
Swearingen’s first resolution recognizes Eagle River Derby High-flying Sno-Cross racers will compete under the lights during Friday Night Thunder. —STAFF PHOTO
Thunder:
the pole position. Each TLR Cup race has a total payout of $4,200, and the top 10 points leaders at the end of the six-race series will share a $76,000 payout. “The winner of the TLR Cup is going to decide the pole position for Sunday, so it’s a combination,” said Decker. “They’re going to be racing for some pretty big dollars. We also have big SnoCross races Friday night, so it’ll be real good racing.” Last year’s Sweet Sixteen spectators witnessed Brandon Johnson of Greenbush, Minn., come in ahead of Matt Schulz of Wausau after 16 laps, giving him the pole position for Sunday’s big event. This year, the pole position race is as significant as ever, giving the lone victor a chance at a hole-shot in Sunday’s final race. The rest of the front row for the 30-lap world championship will be determined through the traditional heats, quarterfinals and semifinals Saturday afternoon. Decker said fans are looking forward to seeing dirtbikes with studded tires out on the oval again this year. “The bikes are back,” he said. “There will be 15 of them this year: three rows of five. They’re going to put on a great show.” Friday night prerace activities will begin as the crowd filters in at 5:30 p.m. with youth races and Champ 120s. Brief introductions and a fireworks display will begin at 7 p.m., followed by three solid hours of racing. The evening’s 12 races include Sno-Cross racing in Pro Lite, Pro Open and Sport Super Stock. Oval racing events will include the Outlaw 600 cock-
FROM PAGE 1A pit sleds, Semi-Pro Champ, Formula 500, Junior II Sprint, and 440 Super Mod Patrick Custom Carbon Vintage Shoot-Out. It’s all part of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, which will run Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 1720, at the famed ice oval track on the city’s north side. The event that put Eagle River on the international map will start Thursday with practice laps during the day, world championship time trials at 3:30 p.m. and several race events under the lights. After a full day of viewing qualification racing Friday, in both Oval and Sno-Cross, fans will pack the Derby grounds for Friday Night Thunder. Saturday will feature both class finals and qualifying in the morning, followed by an afternoon dedicated to qualifying the top 10 finalists for Sunday’s world championship event. Sunday is Championship Day at the Derby and will feature finals for the most competitive Oval and SnoCross classes. The biggest races will be a last-chance qualifier for the world championship at 1:15 p.m., the Pro Open Sno-Cross world championship final at 2 p.m. and the 50th annual world championship at 3 p.m. Decker said he is looking forward to Thunder night. “Every top pro team will be here,” he said. “It should be a very competitive race this year.” Ticket prices are $15 for Thursday, $30 for Friday (day and evening), $25 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday. A four-day pass costs $75, saving spectators $25. Admission for youths 10 and younger is free.
State Rep. Rob Swearingen’s (R-Rhinelander) first address in the Assembly last Thursday was commending the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River on its 50th anniversary occurring Jan. 17-20. The Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby began in 1964 as the brainchild of John Alward, Walt Goldsworthy and Sparky Meyer in an effort to promote winter tourism in Eagle River. “I grew up snowmobiling and watching racers like Mike Trapp and Jacques Villeneuve shape the sport of snowmobile racing,” said Swearingen. This event began by attracting around 5,000 spectators and now reaches 20,000 to 30,000 fans. In 1974, Sno Pro was the first professional snowmobile riders’ circuit to participate in the Derby, helping to attract a record 40,000 spectators in 1975. On Oct. 3, 1985, the Decker family purchased the Derby site in an effort to improve the track and increase its uses. “The Decker family has made a strong commitment to tourism in the North Woods,” said Swearingen. “I appreciate their continued effort in promoting the World Championship Snowmobiling Derby, and putting Eagle River and the North Woods of Wisconsin on the map.” said Rep. Swearingen. The bipartisan resolution, the first taken up by the Assembly in 2013, unanimously passed. It stated: “The legislature commends
the successful history of the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby and joins the Decker family and the city of Eagle River in celebrating 50 years of success.” People can contact Swearingen’s office at 1-888534-0034 or via e-mail at Rep.Swearingen@legis.wisconsin.gov.
“We also have Outlaw 600 time trials at 6 p.m. Thursday evening,” said Decker. After that, the TLR Cup heat races will begin, whose heat positions will have been determined by the time trials. Participants in the six-race TLR Cup Series will compete for a $76,000 championship payout at the season’s end, all while battling to be crowned 2013 Derby champion. In addition, the series will pay out $4,200 to the top 10 racers in each race. Friday will feature a full day of Sno-Cross and Oval qualifying. Decker said the schedule will include qualifying for Saturday’s finals in many junior, women’s, amateur and semi-pro classes in both Oval and Sno-Cross. The day will conclude with the Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder, which features prerace activities at 6 p.m., TLR Cup and professional Sno-Cross introductions at 6:30 p.m., fireworks over the track at 7 p.m. and racing to follow. Featured events will include the Sweet Sixteen Pole Position events, the Outlaw 600s and the Carlisle Pro Open Sno-Cross race. “We added the Sweet Sixteen qualifying to Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder four years ago and it was very popular,” said Decker. “This year’s sponsor is the TLR Cup racing series.” The winner of this 16-lap race will move directly to the pole position for Sunday’s world championship race. Decker said Saturday will be some of the best racing of the week. The day’s action will be highlighted by the world championship qualifying for the Top 10 starting at
1:30 p.m. “This is what the Derby is all about — the making of a new world champion,” said Decker. Racing Championship Sunday will get underway with finals in both Oval and Sno-Cross classes, from the juniors, all the way through to the 50th running of the world championship race at 3 p.m. Other feature races Sunday will be the world championship last-chance race at 1:15 p.m. and the Sno-Cross Pro Open at 2 p.m. Last year’s world champion, Nick Van Strydonk of Tomahawk, will be back to defend his title on a Polaris. Ticket prices for fans are $15 for Thursday, $30 for Friday (including Friday Night Thunder), $25 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday. An advance super ticket for $75 is available at the Derby office and the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center office on Railroad Street. Decker noted that children 10 and younger will be admitted free. He said once fans have been admitted and stamped, they can come and go from the Derby grounds. There is free parking on the Derby grounds north of the Big Barn. Other festivities Reigning over the festivities this week will be 2013 Derby Queen Michelle Schaetz of Phelps, who is a senior at Northland Pines High School. Her future plans include attending UW-Whitewater and becoming a dietician. Princesses include Coty Feith, Samantha Johnston, Autumn Feith and Miranda Anderson. They will be seen roaming the Derby grounds, talking to fans and handing out the championship trophies Sunday. Decker said other celebrities will be at the track, including Gov. Scott Walker and automobile driver Bobby Unser Jr. Military personnel will be at the event, along with more than 50 booths in the Expo Hall and outdoors, with everything from snowmobile accessories to clothing, according to Decker. Other nonracing activities will include a Celebrity Charity Ride Friday for the family of deceased racers Ed DeVault and Flip Merwin, the annual Derby hockey game Saturday night at the Eagle River Sports Arena against Mosinee starting at 8 p.m., the Saturday night Top 10 ring presentation at the Derby Expo Hall Loft at 6 p.m. and the awards banquet Sunday in the Expo Hall following the races.
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16, 2013
3A
DERBY
Title race: Sweet Sixteen will determine pole NICK VAN STRYDONK 2012 champion
FROM PAGE 1A
split race is popular with the fans and most of the racers, with Jimmy John’s presenting $10,000 to the top midrace leaders.” The leader at 10 laps will receive $5,000, with second getting $3,000 and third and fourth receiving $1,000 each. Last year, Schulz was the mid-race winner, collecting $2,500. Many of the world championship contenders raced
P.J. WANDERSCHEID Four-time winner
MATT SCHULZ 2010 winner
BRIAN BEWCYK Canadian hopeful
GARY MOYLE Two-time winner
DUSTIN WAHL Seeking first win
Jan. 6 in Amherst in the USSA Prostar series. Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won the Champ race, which also was the TLR Cup event. Cardell Potter of Camp Douglas was second, Brandon Johnson of Greenbush was third, Van Strydonk was fourth and Schulz was fifth. A TLR Cup race for Pro Champ racers at Escanaba, Mich., was postponed Jan. 12 due to the warm weather and a lack of ice on the track. In addition to Wahl and
Van Strydonk looking good early in the race season, Decker said Potter looked fast at Amherst. “Potter looks extremely fast this year and the boys from Greenbush, Dustin and Brandon, are always very competitive running Wahl/Polaris machines,” said Decker. Others expected to return to Eagle River this weekend are Ryan Kniskern of Marinette, who was fifth last year; Malcom Chartier of Marine City, Mich., who was seventh last year; Jordan Wahl of Greenbush, who was ninth last year; and Travis MacDonald of Gonor, Manitoba, who was 11th last year. Decker said there are another half-dozen or so other racers who can’t be counted out in 2013, including Joe Fjerstad of Minneapolis, Minn., Dan Fenhaus of Wausau, Spencer Graff of Kewaskum; and Matt Ritchie of Minocqua. At Amherst, Fenhaus was fifth,, Kniskern seventh, Fjerstad eighth, Ritchie 10th, Jordan Wahl 11th and Chartier 12th.
through 10th place. “Having two world class races, the TLR Cup and the world championship within a few days of each other will make for some of the most incredible snowmobile racing ever seen,” said Decker. Decker explained the TLR Cup format as part of the Friday Night Thunder Sweet Sixteen. “The TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen will consist of two heats of eight sleds and each heat will send the top five to the 10-sled 16-lap final and will race for the TLR CUP and Sweet Sixteen Pole Position for Sunday’s world championship,” said Decker. The rest of the Top 10 field will be determined in the usual fashion Saturday afternoon through a series of grueling heats, quarterfinals and semifinals. Last year, Johnson won the pole position race, Van Strydonk was second and Schulz third.
out of highly competitive qualifications Saturday afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m. “Some of the best racing of the weekend occurs Saturday afternoon when the top racers put it all on the line in heats, quarterfinals and semifinals for a shot at making the Top 10 and receiving a prestigious Top 10 ring and
Top 10 Coldwave jacket,” said Decker. Two more racers will join the field, in a second row, after a last chance semifinal at 1:15 p.m. Sunday. The biggest moment of the weekend is Sunday at 3 p.m. for the 50th running of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
The Champions 49-YEAR WORLD-TITLE RECORD
’64 STAN HAYES, Crandon, Wis. ............................................. ’65 GEORGE GENSLER, Three Lakes, Wis. ........................... ’66 STEVE AVE, Duluth, Minn.................................................. ’67 DUANE FRANDSEN, Pembine, Wis................................... ’68 STEVE AVE, Duluth, Minn.................................................. ’69 ROGER JANSSEN, Crookston, Minn. ................................ ’70 YVON DUHAMEL, Valcourt, Quebec .................................. ’71 MIKE TRAPP, Woodruff, Wis. .............................................. ’72 MIKE TRAPP, Woodruff, Wis. .............................................. ’73 BOB EASTMAN, Roseau, Minn.......................................... ’74 GUILLES VILLENEUVE, Quebec ....................................... ’75 JIM BERNAT, Roseau, Minn. .............................................. ’76 ED SCHUBITZKE, Duluth, Minn......................................... ’77 STEVE THORSEN, Fergus Falls, Minn. ............................. ’78 STEVE THORSEN, Fergus Falls, Minn. ............................. ’79 BOB ELSNER, New London, Wis....................................... ’80 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec...................................... ’81 BRAD HULINGS, Thief River, Minn. ................................... ’82 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec...................................... ’83 BRAD HULINGS, Grand Rapids, Mich. .............................. ’84 JIM DIMMERMAN, White Bear Lk., Minn.............................. ’85 MICHEL GINGRAS, St. Gregoire, Quebec............................ ’86 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec...................................... ’87 CHUCK DECKER, Eagle River, Wis................................... ’88 BOBBY DONAHUE, Wis. Rapids, Wis. ............................... ’89 BRUCE VESSAIR, Ontario ................................................. ’90 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn. ......................................... ’91 GREG GOODWIN, Zion, Ill................................................. ’92 GARY VESSAIR, Honey Harbour, Ontario ............................ ’93 AL FENHAUS, Wausau, Wis............................................... ’94 DALE LORITZ, Green Bay, Wis. ......................................... ’95 DALE LORITZ, Green Bay, Wis. ......................................... ’96 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn. ......................................... ’97 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn. ......................................... ’98 TERRY WAHL, Greenbush, Minn. ...................................... ’99 MIKE HOULE, Wyoming, Minn. .......................................... ’00 MIKE HOULE, Wyoming, Minn. .......................................... ’01 JEREMY JOHNSTON, Arcola, Sask. ................................. ’02 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn. ............................. ’03 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn. ............................ ’04 LARRY DAY, Lyman, Maine ................................................ ’05 GARY MOYLE, Houghton, Mich. ........................................ ’06 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn. ............................ ’07 GARY MOYLE, Houghton, Mich. ........................................ ’08 BRIAN BEWCYK, Winnipeg, Manitoba............................... ’09 BRIAN BEWCYK, Winnipeg, Manitoba............................... ’10 MATT SCHULZ, Wausau, Wis.. .......................................... ’11 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn.. ......................... ’12 NICK VAN STRYDONK, Tomahawk, Wis.. ..........................
Polaris Evinrude Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Yamaha Yamaha Polaris Alouette Polaris Yamaha Polaris Polaris Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Scorpion Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Phantom Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Wahl Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Wahl Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Polaris Arctic Cat Polaris
Sweet Sixteen For the sixth year in a row, the pole sitter in the World Championship class will be determined at a Sweet Sixteen Pole Position event during Friday Night Thunder. The winner of the race also will be the TLR Cup winner. The unique qualifying event will bring added racing excitement and prize money to the under-the-lights show, according to Decker. Started by businessman Tommy Lipar in 2011, Decker said the TLR Cup is a sixrace series across multiple associations for the Pro Champ class. The TLR Cup features a $100,000 plus total series payout in 2013. Each TLR Cup race also will pay out $4,200, including the race at Eagle River Friday night. The winner will receive $1,000, followed by $750 for second and $500 for third. There will be cash payouts
Big prize money Decker said the best oval racers in the United States and Canada will converge on Eagle River this weekend because there is no bigger, richer or more important snowmobile race in the world. The 50th Derby will feature a record $81,600 payout. In addition to being crowned the world champion, the winner will receive $60,000 in cash, including $50,000 from Jimmy John’s and $10,000 from the AMSOIL Derby Track. The big payout will continue to be spread out across the top 12 finishers, with an additional $11,600 being paid out by the AMSOIL Derby Track. “There also will be incentives from manufacturers and a huge boost toward future sponsorships,” said Decker. Time trials in Pro Champ will start at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, with TLR Cup heat races to start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday under the lights. The Sweet Sixteen Pole Position event will be run Friday night and the rest of the Top 10 field will come
WHO WILL WIN? Below is a guess at the probable order of finish in the 2013 World Championship title race based on information from manufacturers, their past Eagle River record, race officials and the performance of the racers so far this season, assembled by the News-Review Editorial Department. PROBABLE ORDER OF FINISH ’13
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
DRIVER
SLED
Nick Van Strydonk
Polaris
Matt Schulz
Ski-Doo
Gary Moyle
Arctic Cat
P.J. Wanderscheid
Arctic Cat
Dustin Wahl
Polaris
Cardell Potter
Ski-Doo
Ryan Kniskern
Arctic Cat
Brian Bewcyk
Ski-Doo
Brandon Johnson
Polaris
Matt Ritchie
Polaris
Travis McDonald
Arctic Cat
Malcolm Chartier
Ski-Doo
Tomahawk, Wis. Wausau, Wis.
Houghton, Mich.
Sauk Centre, Minn. Greenbush, Minn.
Camp Douglas, Wis. Marinette, Wis.
Winnipeg, Manitoba Greenbush, Minn. Minocqua, Wis.
Gonor, Manitoba
Fair Haven, Mich.
LAST YEAR’S FINISH
1st 2nd 6th 5th 3rd 8th 4th 12th 10th Failed to qualify
11th 7th
Outlaw 600 class returning to Derby oval events ___________
Friday Night Thunder starting at 6:30 p.m. with TLR Cup introductions. The race line-up will include Outlaw 600, Semi-Pro Champ, two heats of TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen, 340 Super Mod, F-500, Junior Sprint I, and the TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen pole position race. Racing will resume at 10 a.m. Saturday, with qualifying heats in nine oval classes. The World Championship Top 10 qualifying will start at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Many oval finals will be held Sunday prior to the World Championship, including three junior classes, Limited 600, Limited 500, F500/Sportsman 600 combo,
BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
___________
The Outlaw 600 class will return to Oval racing this week following its introduction at the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby last year. While the media spotlight rests most often on the World Championship class at the Eagle River Derby, the heart of the four-day racing program at the Derby has traditionally been the Oval classes. The popular Oval classes range from the stock sleds that are much like the trailriding machines to the modified snowmobiles in the Sprint classes. This year, the Outlaw 600 class will return to the Derby. Todd Achterberg, AMSOIL Derby Track manger, said the revolutionary new idea in Outlaw 600 race machines places the driver on a left-side cockpit driving position, surrounded by a full roll cage and driven much like a Sprint car with a steering wheel, foot pedal controls and a fivepoint harness. Because of the unique design of the sleds, the Outlaw 600 class was a big attraction for fans in 2012, according to Achterberg. He said up to 15 Outlaw 600 sleds are expected at this year’s Derby. “John Hooper, owner of Hooper Racing in Goshen,
VILAS COUNTY
NEWS-REVIEW The unique Outlaw 600 sleds will be on the AMSOIL Derby Track oval several times during
N.H., completed work on the prototype in 2011 and racing started in 2012,” said Achterberg. “After some racing and adjustments, the Outlaw 600 class returns this year.” Achterberg said a rules package was put together not only to make these machines the safest class ever, but also make the class attractive to newcomers. “The idea is to draw people into this sport who wouldn’t otherwise consider racing ice
the weekend, including Friday Night Thunder and Sunday afternoon. —STAFF PHOTO
ovals,” said Achterberg. “The Outlaw 600 class was designed to create something that will be attractive to a wide variety of people, boths racers and fans.” Achterberg said the Outlaw 600 sleds will be on the AMSOIL Derby Track throughout the weekend, including Thursday evening time trials, during the Friday Night Thunder program and again on Championship Sunday.
The schedule There will be practice runs for Oval class racers Thursday, starting at 8 a.m., followed by World Championship time trials at 3:30 p.m., Outlaw 600 time trials at 6 p.m. and TLR Cup Champ heat races at 6:30 p.m. More oval racing is planned for Friday, with qualifying heats starting at 10 a.m. in 10 classes. There also will be oval racing on the schedule during
Semi Pro Champ, F-500 Pro Spring and F-500 Sport. Sunday afternoon will include the Outlaw 600 final at 1 p.m., a World Championship last chance qualifier at 1:15 p.m. and the 50th running of the World Championship at 3 p.m. “There is a lot of pride among racers in winning at Eagle River, especially on the ice oval,” said Achterberg. “With this year being the 50th anniversary, it even makes it more special.”
There’s no place like Eagle River. And, like you, we’re proud to call it home. Thank you for your business and your trust. We look forward to many more successful years together.
Published weekly by Eagle River Publications Inc. Eagle River, WI 54521 vcnewsreview.com Consolidation of the Vilas County News, the Eagle River Review and The Three Lakes News Publication #659480
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Entered as periodical mail matter at the post office, Eagle River, WI 54521, under an act of March 3, 1879. Published every Wednesday. Subscription price for a year: Vilas and Oneida counties only, $50; rest of Wisconsin, $57; out of state, $68. Mail subscription to Vilas County NewsReview, P.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521. Payable in advance. POSTMASTER: Send address changes, form 3579, to Vilas County News-Review, P.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521, phone (715) 479-4421, fax (715) 479-6242.
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WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16, 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
NEWS Meeting set this Thursday on Three Lakes ATV plan
VINTAGE WEEKEND — This was the scene Sunday afternoon as vintage snowmobile enthusiasts watched a final at the Classic Vintage World Championship, presented by Woody’s. Finals were
run in 44 classes, as well as the World Championship. Due to a lack of snow and the thaw last week, the spectator bank on the Derby Oval was bare grass. —STAFF PHOTO
Five area town board chairmen to contend for positions April 2 ___________
BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR
___________
Voters in Three Lakes, St. Germain, Plum Lake, Phelps and Land O’ Lakes will have election contests for chairman positions Tuesday, April 2, while most area boards will have elections for other seats. For those elections which require a primary, one will be held Tuesday, Feb. 19. Election day ballots also will include two statewide races for the expiring fouryear term of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers and the expiring 10-year term of Supreme Court Justice Pat Roggensack. Three Lakes voters will see a race for chairman between incumbent Don Sidlowski and challengers Stella Westfall and Bill Slizewski. A primary will be held to narrow the field of candidates. An election also will be held for a pair of two-year supervisor terms in Three Lakes, as incumbent Bill Martineau will be challenged by Pat Volk, Collette Sorgel and Andy Beach. Supervisor Jeff Bruss submitted a declaration of noncandidacy. Town Treasurer Mary Turk also has declared noncandidacy, as Janet Hintz and Ginger Wallschlager will vie for the seat. Incumbent Sanitary District Commissioner Ben Bonack will run unopposed. The position carries a six-year term. St. Germain voters will see incumbent Walt Camp and challenger John Vojta vie for the chairman position. Meanwhile, Allen Albee and David Mollen will contest for the supervisor 3 seat, as John Vojta didn’t file for candidacy. A contest will be held to decide between incumbent Fred Radtke and challenger Tom Christensen for the supervisor 4 seat. Incumbent Clerk Thomas Martens will be challenged by Ed Siergiej. John Eron will run unopposed for the position
of town constable, as Jack Santerelli will not run. St. Germain Treasurer Marion Janssen will run unopposed. Elections will not be held for the seats of Supervisor Marv Anderson, Supervisor William Bates or Assessor Paul Carlson. In the town of Plum Lake, an election will be held for the position of chairman, as Jerry Keller has filed for non-candidacy. Will Maines and Diane Briggs will vie for the seat. Maines will not seek reelection for the supervisor 2 position in the town, and Vernon DeWitt Jr. will run unopposed for the position. Incumbent Michael Olson will run unopposed for the supervisor 1 seat. An election will be held between incumbent Sharon Brooker and challenger Jo Daniel for the clerk/treasurer position. Phelps voters will see a contest for the chairman seat between incumbent Colin Snook and challenger Cynthia Spurgeon. Incumbent supervisors Steve Waier and Donna Brand will be challenged by Wally Beversdorf. The top two voteearning candidates will occupy the two supervisor seats. Clerk/Treasurer Marjorie Hiller, Constable Pat Brown and Sanitary District Secretary Jeanne Brown all will run unopposed. The positions of supervisors Dorothy Kimmerling and Eugene McCaslin are not up for election this spring. Voters in Land O’ Lakes will see an election for chairman, as incumbent Daniel Balog will be challenged by Jon Samp. Supervisor Michael Stopczynski, Supervisor Samuel Otterpohl and Clerk/Treasurer Lynn Bybee will run without opposition for their seats. Voters in the town of Lincoln will see an election contest for the board’s supervisor 1 seat between incumbent James Croker and challenger Scott Nordstrom. Running unopposed in Lin-
coln will be Chairman Dick Stoegbauer, Supervisor 3 Brian Uttech and Town Clerk/Treasurer Shelly Sauvola. The town of Cloverland will have an election for the newly combined clerk/treasurer position, as Greg Maines and Julie Priefer have filed for candidacy. Neither current Clerk Millie Ritzer or Treasurer Gay Ketterer filed for the position. Chairman Scott Maciosek, Supervisor 1 E. Francine Gough and Supervisor 2 Joe Eisele all will run unopposed. The positions of Cloverland supervisors Steve Favorite and Marty Ketterer are not up for election this spring. No elections will be held in the town of Washington, as Chairman James Spring, Supervisor Keith Numrich, Supervisor David Alleman, Clerk Michele Sanborn and Treasurer Lanae Slizewski all will run unopposed. School Boards In the Three Lakes School District, an election will be held for two board positions, as incumbents Terry McCloskey and John Olkowski Jr. will be challenged by Kari Volk, Steve Garbowicz and Ann Ovsak. A primary will be held to narrow the candidate field. Positions not up for election this spring include those of Randy Ingram, Mike Kwaterski and Tom Rulseh. Area D board member Mike Sealander and member at-large Jim Mulleady will run unopposed for their positions on the Northland Pines School Board. Meanwhile, the positions of board member Mike Jovanovic, board member Mark Vander Bloomen, Deputy Clerk Eric Neff, Treasurer Holly McCormack and Clerk John Sarama will not be
itchen K n i g izin rs Specialath Makeove &B
Pines to host meetings on upcoming referendum The Northland Pines School District has scheduled four public informational meetings to discuss the upcoming referendum Feb. 19 to exceed the state-mandated revenue limit. The public is invited to attend one or all of these meetings. One meeting was held Monday, Jan. 14, in Land O’ Lakes. School officials, and some board members, will be present at these meetings. The school board approved the referendum to exceed the revenue limit by $2.7 million in November, for three consecutive years starting with the 2013-’14 school year. A second question will ask taxpayers for $240,000 to construct firewalls in the ceiling of the K-8 school building in Eagle River. The three remaining meeting dates are as follows: — Tuesday, Jan. 15,
Northland Pines Middle School Large Group Instruction (LGI) room, 7 p.m.; — Monday, Jan. 28, Northland Pines High School LGI room, 7 p.m.; and — Thursday, Jan. 31, St. Germain Elementary School library, 7 p.m. “The purpose of these meetings will be to explain the two referendum questions, how school funding works, what the district's revenue reduction will be over the next few years and the current status of our district,” said District Administrator Mike Richie. “These meetings offer an excellent opportunity for the public to become informed and to ask questions.” More information can be obtained by visiting npsd.k12.wi.us/referendum. For additional information, contact Richie at (715) 479-6487 or mrichie@npsd.k12.wi.us.
up for election. Clerk Donna Rosner will run unopposed for her position on the Phelps School Board. Positions not up for election include those of Randy Samuelson, Sherry Bierman, John Huza and Mark Grmick.
A public input meeting to discuss a proposed all-terrain vehicle (ATV) route on town roads will be held in Three Lakes at the community building Thursday, Jan. 17, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be hosted jointly by the Three Lakes Plan Commission and Town Board of Supervisors. The public will have an opportunity to share comments and to learn more about the proposal, which was presented at the Plan Commission’s Dec. 13 meeting by the newly formed Three Lakes Nicolet ATV Club. This marks the first time Three Lakes has pursued an ATV route in town, although Oneida County already has approximately 131 miles of established routes for ATV users between its Enterprise and Lynn-Little Rice trails. Club President Lisa Kwaterski said the idea for Three Lakes is to connect to the Forest County ATV trail system using only town roads. The potential route, which likely would link to Forest County in the Hiles region, also would serve as a utility vehicle and equestrian route. According to club officials,
the first option for the route would be to take Highway X to Reed Road and then to Sam Campbell Road. The route would then work its way around the west and north side of Four Mile Lake to get to Old Military Road before connecting with Military Road and working its way east into Forest County. A second option could see ATV users using Highway X to Dam Road and then to Nine Mile Road, said club officials. The route would then link with Military Road and work its way east. Three Lakes Nicolet ATV Club will have a large detailed map available at the meeting, as well as smaller handout maps. Those unable to attend the meeting will be able to view information on the route at townofthreelakes.com. The Plan Commission will accept written comments that include name and address to Town of Three Lakes Office-ATV Comment, P.O. Box 565, Three Lakes, WI 54562 or atvcomments@townofthreelakes.com. The deadline for written comments is Sunday, Feb. 10.
Wisconsin’s North Woods North of the Tension Line
50TH Anniversary World Championship Snowmobile
Derby 2013
The Only Snowmobile Race Where World Champions Are Crowned
Jan. 17-20
INTENSE OVAL & SNO-CROSS RACING in Eagle River, Wis.
Thurs., Jan. 17 Derby begins with PRACTICE RUNS, TIME TRIALS FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OVAL QUALIFYING, OUTLAW 600 TIME TRIALS AND TLR CUP CHAMP HEAT RACES. Fri., Jan. 18
SNO-CROSS & OVAL SPRINT RACING starting at 10 a.m.
Fri., Jan. 18 (evening)
PARTS UNLIMITED FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER 6 p.m.Prerace activities start. 6:30 p.m. TLR Cup and Pro Sno-X introductions. 7 p.m.Racing starts, including TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen pole position
Sat., Jan. 19
10 a.m. SNO-CROSS & OVAL SPRINT RACING 1:30 p.m. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOP TEN QUALIFYING
Sun., Jan. 20
CHAMPIONSHIP DAY - Class finals all day, starting at 10 a.m. 1 p.m. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LAST-CHANCE QUALIFIER 1:30 p.m. OUTLAW 600 FINAL 2:30 p.m. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SNO-CROSS PRO OPEN 3 p.m. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE RACE
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VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
MEMBER
EDITORIAL
VILAS COUNTY
NEWS-REVIEW
Eagle River Vindicator Established 1886 Eagle River Review 1890 ~ Vilas County News 1892 Publisher Editor Asst. Editor Lifestyle Editor Production Manager Asst. Production Manager Photo Technician Production Technicians Circulation Manager Accounting Manager Advertising Consultants
KURT KRUEGER GARY RIDDERBUSCH ANTHONY DREW KATHLYN OGDEN JEAN DREW ELIZABETH BLEICHER SHARINA ADAMS CARLY RATLIFF CHARLOTTE HENNING LAURI GERLACH ELIZABETH SCHMIDT TERRY POSTO MARY JO ADAMOVICH MARCIA HEYER TAMMY KLEIN DENISE RIMMER
FIRST PLACE NATIONALLY COMMUNITY SERVICE
Published weekly by Eagle River Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 1929, 425 W. Mill St. at Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521 erpub@nnex.net vcnewsreview.com Member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the National Newspaper Association
Our View World-class racing event hits golden anniversary The oldest, grandest event in snowmobile racing history is about to get even better with added competition, prize money and pageantry scheduled for the 50th running of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River this weekend. If you haven’t been to the Snowmobile Derby in recent years — or ever — there is no better year to check it out than when the prize purse for first place goes from $10,000 to a whopping $60,000 in the title class alone. It is not often that some of the world’s top sports competitors come to the Eagle River area, other than for a vacation. But it will happen this Thursday through Sunday, when the best snowmobile racers on the globe converge on this small northern Wisconsin city for the top show in snowmobile racing.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16, 2013
OPINION/COMMENTARY
Washington needs an intervention
WE MAY NEED an intervention in Washington. In the next two months, Congress and the White House will be faced with three major “cliff” issues and all indications point to contentious standoffs filled with rancor, acrimony and brinksmanship. Americans want, and are looking for, leadership, but not getting it. A USA Today/Gallup Poll taken in December showed that only 23% of adults are satisfied with the direction of the country. Absent an early deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, the federal government could run out of ways to pay creditors and Social Security recipients by mid-February. This could result in a bevy of unpleasant choices affecting tens of millions of Americans. Our political leaders have pledged to fight to the bitter end on these issues, using the raising of the debt ceiling as hostage. The other two issues needing action are the sequestration and the continuing resolution. At this juncture, no one is forecasting an easy end to this latest stalemate. Virtually no one believes the year-end fiscal cliff agreement was good for anyone and only delayed the necessary action. It did very little to resolve the impending financial crisis. An intervention is needed to ease the federal government’s dysfunction. We have a partisan standoff, we’re mired in grid-
People Make the Difference By Byron McNutt
lock and unable to compromise. Some have said the problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living. The current attitude in Washington is teaching us to be dependent on the government. Too many people have been taught to blame the government for all their problems and this is only an excuse for not taking personal responsibility. Republicans say we do not have a taxing problem, we have a spending problem. Democrats say spending is not the problem for our budget deficits; rich people are the problem. Democrats believe fairness is the word to use when punishing people they envy. It’s time for both parties to stop telling Americans that the nation’s fiscal problems can only be fixed by inflicting pain on someone else. * * * NBC TONIGHT Show host Jay Leno wondered last week, “What do the Chinese think? After all, it’s their
money we’re talking about!” We’re threatening to default on our debt, we’re unable to control our soaring entitlement spending, our government is totally dysfunctional and we have no political leadership. To be clear. Japan is still the country we borrow the most from, China is a close second. But that pales in comparison to the amount of U.S. Treasury debt being held by the Federal Reserve. When we need money, the Treasury prints it, and the Fed buys it. * * * ON THE Jan. 6 edition of Meet The Press, they tried to put the nation’s financial debt crisis in easier terms to understand. The same breakdown has appeared elsewhere, but with slightly different figures. The federal government has tax revenue of $2.4 trillion. It spends $3.8 trillion, which leaves a $1.4 trillion annual deficit. The national debt has climbed to a staggering $16.4 trillion, but will go to $18 trillion by 2014 and to $20 trillion by 2016. If this was a family, the family would have an income
superb qualities of perch and bluegills, both hard-fighting fish for their size and both an epicurean delight for even those of royal ancestry. Molly, my little golden retriever, didn’t care about any of that sort of stuff when she bounded out of the truck on her first outing to Partridge Lake. She was there to play. I am a minimalist when it comes to ice fishing for perch and bluegills, so it didn’t take me long to fetch a bucket filled with a pack of wax worms, a plastic skimmer and a spare pair of gloves out of the truck, along with a hand auger and a folding camp chair. In that short time Molly had already done some serious reconnaissance along the shore and was well across the landing bay by the time I stepped on the ice. Picking my way carefully on ice that had become a sheet of glass, I curved around a point and headed north to one of my, and a To MAINES, Pg. 17A
To THOMAS, Pg. 17A
The best competitors from numerous racing circuits will try once again to win the crown of “World Champion.” It can only happen in Eagle River, the Snowmobile Capital of the World.
What a show thousands of fans will see at Friday Night Thunder, kicked off by a magnificent fireworks display above the Derby grounds. The night will include a Sweet Sixteen race — where the top qualifiers battle for the right to sit the pole in Sunday’s title race. Come and see for yourself. See legendary greats compete for a Top 10 ring and the World Championship of oval racing.
Behind the editorial ‘we’ Members of the Vilas County NewsReview editorial board include Publisher Kurt Krueger, Editor Gary Ridderbusch and Assistant Editor Anthony Drew.
To McNUTT, Pg. 17A
IF LAWS WERE enough to deter criminal behavior prisons would be empty. The latest effort to “control” guns in America is as likely to deter someone intent on breaking the law as outlawing lust would affect one’s libido. What’s in a heart can’t be controlled by restricting what’s in a hand. Following the Newtown tragedy, President Obama vowed to seek the passage of an assault weapons ban and hastily assembled an administration-wide gun control task force, an effort that amounts to little more than a political act designed to impress what Rush Limbaugh calls “low-information voters.” Government must be seen doing something to keep mad men from shooting children and moviegoers, even if that something will likely prove ineffective. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” the proverb goes, and someone who has the will to kill with a gun is going to find a way (and a gun) no matter how many laws are passed. Consider Chicago where numerous anti-gun laws appear to have done little to stop gun deaths. President Obama put Vice President Joe Biden in charge of the task force. Biden calls his gun control effort a “moral issue.” Does Biden suffer from selective morality? For him, same-sex marriage and abortion don’t appear to be moral issues, as they are for his Catholic church, but gun control is. The loss of liberty always begins at the extremes, but it won’t stop there. Radicals won’t be satisfied with outlawing one type of gun. In 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told “60 Minutes,” “If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States, for an outright ban, picking up (every gun) ... Mr. and Mrs. America, turn ’em all in. I would have done it...” In 2004, when he was an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama voted against a bill that affirms the right of citizens to defend themselves
Fans should know that the event will happen this weekend with or without snow, thanks to a track of solid ice and snowmaking machines that have produced enough snow for a Sno-Cross track inside the famed oval.
The Eagle River Derby, often labeled the Indy 500 of snowmobile racing, is truly in a class all its own. Racing for a prize and cash purse of more than $150,000, and much more in prestige and sponsorships for the years ahead, drivers put everything on the line to win here.
* * * WHERE’S THE outrage? Here’s why we need an intervention in Washington. Republicans, Democrats and the White House have shown no willingness to cooperate or compromise. It’s the old blame game with lots of finger-pointing and animosity. It took Congress over 60 days to pass a Hurricane Sandy disaster aid bill, and that was only a partial appropriation. Why? Because representatives from both parties needed time to stuff the disaster aid bill with billions of dollars of earmarks, better known as “pork spending” for their districts and special interests. Election paybacks. In the coming weeks, as the political drama unfolds about the debt ceiling issue, our fearless politicians will bombard us with “fear” warnings in an effort to scare us to death about the dire consequences of defaulting. No one wants to risk a
Control leaders, not the guns
What an opportunity for North Woods residents to view a world-class sporting event so close to home. The racers will come from as far away as the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as Vermont, New Hampshire and other East Coast states.
Spectators will converge on the North Woods by the thousands, from across the United States and Canada, to witness the action, the suspense and the atmosphere of this unique event. In this newspaper, you’ll find a salute to the first 49 years — a special section of racing recaps, feature stories and photo essays made possible by area businesses.
of $24,000, and expenses of $38,000. It would have to put $14,000 on its credit card. The family’s credit card already has $164,000 on it. In April 2011, Congress approved, after much angst, budget cuts of $38 billion. For our family, that would translate into a cut in our credit card debt of $38. Critics say the comparison is misleading and flawed. You decide, do we have an income problem, or a spending illness?
Cal Thomas
The Derby promotes international competition at its best, not unlike professional hockey and major league baseball — where elite athletes from the United States and Canada go head-to-head.
Track owners have worked hard to ensure that most of the former world champions and Derby queens will return for the 50th anniversary event — the faces we remember most from a winner’s circle that was initiated at the first event on Dollar Lake in 1964. Also, motorsports legend Bobby Unser and Indy voice Paul Paige will return for the big event.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER SINCE 1985
Old-iron returns to Derby Track
As a prelude to the 50th anniversary of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby this week, vintage snowmobiles took center stage at the famed ice oval last weekend. The popular racing event attracted more than 900 entries in 44 classes. —Staff Photo By GARY RIDDERBUSCH
A fine time to ice fish CROSS-COUNTRY skiing? No! Snowmobiling? No! Snowshoeing? No! Ice Fishing? You bet! In this winter of no snow we are presently down to about one outdoor recreation pursuit left to us, and you have to admit that even if you are not a regular ice fisherman the sport is a pretty good alternative. Partridge Lake has been the site of many outdoor expeditions for me, with mixed results, but one thing it is reliably famous for, is a large population of panfish. Normally I don’t head up to Partridge until March when the thermometer starts hitting 40 or so, allowing me to sit in relative comfort on the ice, but on Sunday an excursion there sounded like a good idea. The fishing is generally quantity rather than quality, but I have found if you can catch 100 fish you most likely will get a half-dozen that are at least marginal keepers. For someone who likes eating perch and bluegills as much or more than any oth-
Trails & Tales
By Will Maines er fish, that’s good enough for me. It wasn’t always this way. I grew up first and foremost a trout fisherman, especially native brook trout. I was taught early and often by my dad, a flyfishing purist, that if a trout is not caught on a fly it has not been fairly caught. I subscribed to that theory throughout my high school years, but somewhere along in my college years I became an unabashed backslider and took to fishing with spinning gear to which various and sundry spoons and spinners were attached. In my own defense, at least I didn’t go to soaking worms for a fish as noble as the trout. But I digress. This was planned as a treatise on the