Special Project Award - January 2013

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VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS

JANUARY 2013

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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY

Pioneers: biggest race in snowmobiling reaches 50th year FROM PAGE 1 fied for Eagle River the trademarked slogan, “Eagle River, Snowmobile Capital of the World.” Following the growth of the first three derbies, the 1967 Derby brought national media coverage, including a visit from ABC’s Peter Jennings. Under the guidance of the Lions Club, the Derby also attracted photographers from a wide cross-section of national magazines such as Life, Newsweek and Saga. The next year, 1968, the Derby was boosted by coverage from ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Promoters added a snowmobile jumping contest to spice up the one-day show for fans. However, jumping snowmobiles from ramps was quickly considered too risky, and was dropped as a Derby event. Steve Ave became the first two-time winner that year. The main focus of the Derby shifted from cross-country and Oval to just Oval in 1970 and Eagle River was now recognized by everyone in the sport as the top race of the season, attracting 50,000 spectators. For the first time, the race was won by a Canadian driver, Yvon Duhamel of Valcourt, Quebec, reaching speeds of well over 70 mph around the oval on a Ski-doo. The next five years saw dramatic changes in snowmobile racing, with changes in race technology, track development and the size of the purses being offered. Factory teams were common and the event attracted celebrities from all walks of life hoping to gain media attention by attending the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby. In January of 1971, in what some call the greatest race ever at the Derby, Mike Trapp of nearby Woodruff passed Duhamel on the last lap to win the world champion title. Trapp became the first to win back-to-back titles with a repeat performance in 1972 in a final race run Sunday instead of Saturday. It was the first time for closed-circuit TV on the Der-

With studded tracks and carbide on the skis, today’s racers can charge hard into the corners.

by grounds for spectators, trackside heaters and bleachers to seat about 7,500 spectators. It also marked the first time that Eagle River suffered tragedy, when a 6year-old boy, Kris Petersen, died of injuries received when a riderless snowmobile crashed through the fence in the north turn and landed on spectators. Four others also were injured and rushed to Eagle River Memorial Hospital. With more than 500 machines and 69 races to run, including new women’s and juniors’ classes, the Derby became a five-day event for drivers and spectators. Derby officials faced their first serious crisis in 1973 — unseasonably warm weather and poor track conditions. Racing was canceled for several days in an effort to save the oval for Sunday’s finals. Officials made the decision to haul in 100 truckloads of sawdust to save the Derby. The Derby took on another new look in 1974 as the Lions Club revamped the one-third mile oval to a onehalf mile oval and installed two large VIP and press trailers on the west bank of the track. The energy crisis put a damper on the sport throughout the 1975 season, but a record number of entries showed up at the Derby. And by 1979, a record-high purse of $11,100 was presented to the top finishers. The 1980 race was the start of an illustrious career for Jacques Villeneuve of Quebec. He used his hardcharging style to run away

Mike Trapp of Woodruff was the first racer to win back-to-back titles in 1971 and 1972, winning on a Yamaha.

with the 1980 title and establish himself as one of the premier drivers in the sport. Mother Nature sent bitter cold and high winds to Eagle River for the 1982 Derby, Temperatures of 40 below zero, with windchill factors approaching 80 below zero, kept the crowd down and made it miserable for drivers and mechanics. Villeneuve won his second title, this time on a new Ski-doo twin-track machine. Derby fans were treated to Sno-Cross racing in 1983, as a course complete with jumps and hairpin turns was carved inside the infield. Villeneuve took time out from his Indy car career to return to the Derby in 1986. Racing for the Vessair Racing team, the confident FrenchCanadian became the first driver to win the Derby title three times. Eagle River moved into yet another new era in 1986, when Richard and Audrey Decker purchased the track from the Lions Club and Coors was brought on as a major sponsor. After several years of declining crowds, numbers were up again in 1986 with an estimated 10,000 fans trackside. While the Deckers owned the track, the Lions Club still managed most aspects of the race. In 1987, Chuck Decker of Eagle River won the first World Championship for Team Decker after many years of trying and plans began for the Silver Anniversary of the Derby in 1988. The flamboyant Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids won the 25th anniversary of the World Championship in his ninth attempt in a race that featured a record $50,000 purse. The crowd on Sunday was estimated at 18,000 people — the largest crowd of the 1980s. Richard and Audrey Decker sold the Derby Track to their son, Chuck, in 1989, and under the direction of the Decker family, big crowds continued to turn out at the Derby Track in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1990, Dave Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won the first of three World Championship titles, the other two coming in 1996 and 1997 on his Wahl Special twin-track. In 1994, the first racing under the lights drew about 4,000 spectators and in 1995 the Deckers introduced Friday Night Thunder to the Derby program, complete with fireworks, rock music, Oval and Sno-Cross racing. Also in 1994, the Derby Track took on a new look with six suites in three buildings on the south end of the track and, in 1996, a three-story suite for sponsors was located on the north end of the oval. A new major sponsor, Valvoline, came on board in 1995 and Dale Loritz of Green Bay won back-to-back titles, the first time that was accomplished at the Derby in 17 years. Sno-Cross racing with bigger jumps and more moguls was added to the regular Derby mix in 1997, bringing more entries and additional races to the schedule. The Derby saw another change in 1998, as the World

Championship class debuted the new Champ 440 class with single-track sleds. The new design was developed to allow more snowmobile race enthusiasts to get involved in professional Oval racing. In addition, two new buildings were constructed at the Derby Track, the Hot Seats building for spectators and the Expo Hall, both on the west side of the track. In 2002, a new racer came on the scene by the name of P.J. Wanderscheid of Sauk Centre, Minn., The 18-yearold won his first race on an Arctic Cat and went on to win a back-to-back title in 2003 and then won championships in 2006 and 2011. He is the only Derby racer to win four World Championships. More tragedy struck the Derby Track in 2002 and 2003, as Pro Stock Oval racer Ed DeVault of Cottage Grove died as a result of a crash in 2002 and Phillip “Flip” Merwin of Wausau was killed in a crash in a Champ 440 lastchance qualifier race. While recreational snowmobile trails were in poor condition due to poor snow conditions in the early 2000s,

the Derby, under the direction of Decker and track general manager Todd Achterberg, provided an economic boost to the Eagle River area. AMSOIL came on board as a new major sponsor. Brian Bewcyk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, won backto-back World Championships in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, longtime Derby flagman Ted Otto officiated over his last race. The economy took a downturn in 2009 through 2011, but the Derby crowds remained constant between 18,000 and 20,000 spectators during the four days of racing. After 17 years, the Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder show still continued to be one of the most popular attractions at the Derby. For race fans, a JumboTron was added to the infield to give fans a first-hand view of action on the ice oval. A midrace champion in the title race was a new twist, added in 2010. In addition, the Outlaw 600 class was introduced in 2012, allowing drivers a chance to race in open cockpit-style snowmobiles.

SCHEDULE

OF

In one of the best races in Derby history in 2012, Nick Van Strydonk of Tomahawk passed Matt Schulz of Wausau in turn four to win the title race. He won $10,000 from AMSOIL and another $10,000 from Jimmy John’s, another new major sponsor. With major sponsorships from AMSOIL and Jimmy John’s, it was announced the prize purse for the 2013 race, the 50th running of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, would be a record $81,600. All the past champions and former queens have been invited back in 2013, adding to the pageantry of the 50th anniversary Eagle River Derby. The 50th AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby is sure to attract all of the top drivers from the United States and Canada, knowing that a special place in the snowmobile racing history books will be theirs if they can capture a World Championship in 2013. And it all started with a novel beginning on Dollar Lake 50 years ago.

EVENTS

2013 AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Jan. 17-20, 2013

Thursday, Jan. 17 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sno Cross/Oval practice 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-11 a.m. Breakfast in the Derby Loft 8:30 a.m. Sponsor Ride meets at Best Western Derby Inn 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 3:30 p.m. World Championship Time Trials 6 p.m. Outlaw 600 Time Trials 6:30 p.m. TLR Champ Heat Races Friday, Jan. 18 7 a.m. 8 a.m 8 a.m. 8-11 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m.

This is the typical scene prior to the World Championship race, as drivers gather around

the Snow Week Cup for pre-race instructions. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS

Registration opens “Will Call” opens Admission gates open Breakfast in the Derby Loft Charity Ride meets at Best Western Derby Inn Sno-Cross practice starts Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open

Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder 6 p.m. Pre-race activities begin 6:30 p.m. TLR Cup and Pro Sno-Cross introductions on track 7 p.m. Fireworks, racing follows

Saturday, Jan. 19 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-10 a.m. Breakfast in Derby Loft 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 10 a.m. Racing starts 1:30 p.m. Top 10 Qualifying starts 4-5 p.m. Kitty Cat Junior Novice 6 p.m. Ring Presentation & Hall of Fame Inductees, Derby Loft

Sunday, Jan. 20 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-11 a.m. Breakfast in the Derby Loft 8:30 a.m. Pro Champ practice starts 9 a.m. Sno-Cross practice starts 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 10 a.m. Racing starts 11 a.m. Pro Open Sno-Cross Last-Chance Qualifier Noon Outlaw 600 Final 1 p.m. World Championship Last-Chance Qualifier 2 p.m. Pro Open Sno-Cross World Championship 3 p.m. Running of the 50th AMSOIL World Championship 4:30 p.m. Awards Banquet in Expo Hall


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