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THUNDERBIRD FLIGHT Kalle “KJ” Johansson, professional athlete of Slednecks and 509 Films fame, was just looking to get away for a few hours in Whistler, British Columbia backcountry but the weather didn’t want to cooperate. With everyone else throwing in the towel and heading down, KJ and a friend stuck it out and the cloud deck suddenly cracked open above Black Tusk Mountain. KJ honored the native Squamish people who refer to the area as, “the landing place of the Thunderbird”, by taking flight himself.

Location: Whistler, British Columbia Rider: KJ Johansson Photographer: Tim Meyer

GOLD DUST

Every particle of sub-zero suspended moisture is displaced in a burst of octane, aluminum, and motion as backcountry ace Tim Hoff bombs the fresh stuff at an undisclosed North American bowl.

Rider: Tim Hoff Location: Wanabdare Bowl Photographer: Scott Mellor

HELL BIRDS

The kids from 509 dropped us this gem while filming their latest flick, Volume 7. Known as the “Turkey”, Brett Turcotte proves a gobbler can fly while the 509 “heli” bird captures it from above.

Location: Revelstoke, BC Rider: Brett Turcotte Photographer: Tom Delanoy

COVER

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2013 Tour Program

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SPECIAL INSERT USXC TOUR PROGRAM

AT THE BACK OF THIS ISSUE!

FEATURES 34

SCENE IT?

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RED BULL FUEL & FURY

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DRIFTS - PUBLISHER NOTES RICHARD KEHOE

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TUCKER HIBBERT

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FOR THE RECORD PAUL THACKER

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VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3 DEC 2012

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT 1-888-661-7469 President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe Editorial Director: Pat Bourgeois Competitive Editor: Jim Urquhart Copy Editor: Rick Bloye Art Director: Darryl Aspin Production Manager: Tendra Crossman General Manager: Michael Blakoe Sr. Manager Sales & Marketing: Matt Clark Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469 Warren Geer, Brad Stokes Administrative / Sales Coordinator: Harmony Kulikauskas Photographers: James Lissimore, John Sandberg, CJ Ramstad Archives, Brett Moist, Joe Wiegele, Jim Urquhart, Juan Pablo Acevedo, Gary Walton Contributing Writers: Jeff Edwards, Tim Erickson, Heath Frisby, Tucker Hibbert, Levi LaVallee, Jason MacDonald, John Sandberg, Paul Thacker, Sandy Young Subscriptions 1-888-661-7469 or info@osmmag.com OSM is published five times a year by OSM Publishing Ltd. Office address and undelivered copies and change of address notice is: P.O Box 303, Saint Michael, MN 55376. Telephone (888) 661-7469. Head office address is 1195 Stellar Drive - Unit #4, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada L3Y 7B8. Telephone (905) 898-8585. Printed in Canada by Dollco Printing • Copyright 2012 OSM Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Subscription rates for magazine $19.00 per year, $29.00 for 2 years. $37.00 for 3 years.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE PO Box 303 Saint Michael, MN 55376 Tel: (888) 661-7469 HEAD OFFICE Unit #4, 1195 Stellar Drive Newmarket, ON L3Y 7B8, Canada ph: 905-898-8585 fax: 905-898-8071 toll-free ph: 888-661-7469 toll-free fax: 888-680-7469 email: info@osmmag.com www.osmmag.com 16

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Dayco was here.

Ride with conďŹ dence.

www.dayco.com

Winter’s Hue There’s nothing quite like a winter sky at sunset as the high wispy cirrus clouds reflect the orange and red hues of the setting sun. Congrats to Cooper Knutson who captured this stunning image that won our On Snow Magazine Facebook Photo contest.

Location: Hawley, Minnesota Rider: Wylie Knutson Photographer: Cooper Knutson

OSM FACEBOOK PHOTO WINNER

Cooper Knutson facebook.com/onsnowmagazine

DRIFTS

PUBLISHER NOTES

RICHARD KEHOE

TIRED OF WAITING… "YUP…IT'S THAT FAST!"

photo by "drifter" at trailconditions.com

he snow never comes early enough for us, and “I am tired of waiting!” While most of us have done everything under the sun to see, touch and feel everything in regards to snowmobiling, it’s the ride we crave.

We’ve all attended Shows, read everything that we can on snowmobiling, been to early season races, discussed all aspects of snowmobiling with friends, and naturally, we have been excited for months for the 2013 season to finally get started.

Most of us are prepared and waiting for the flurries to arrive. The sooner the better we say. I’ve been listening to the same stories from the same people about last year’s season, and the Hero rides and performances. This time of year reminds me of Groundhog Day… or the glory years, depending on who’s telling the story. But when the snow comes, it changes everything. It’s like preseason ball; it means nothing until the first pitch or the first puck is dropped in the regular season, which may not happen this year.

I know that I’m just as guilty of preseason banter, but I’m tired of hearing how fast Jeff’s sled is on the grass; yes, it’s that fast…enough said, Jeff. And while we choose pictures for these editorials, I’m sure “Swarmy” has heard

T

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enough from me, telling him in the off season that I could have made that sled look better in that photo, had it not been for my knee last year - wait for next year…the ACL is all good and healed.

Our memories are thick; where there was two feet of snow, there was five.

Riding across that lake, I saw 120 MPH. Truth was, I was on a Polaris 440 XCF. Or, it only took us three hours by trail to get there; sure it was 260 miles, but we didn’t make any stops. My Etec is awesome on fuel. The list goes on of our long embellishments from the forgotten season past. We are all passionate and we have to be. Even our so-called “bad rides”, after months of waiting to go out again, weren’t so bad. The drive in the truck there wasn’t so long now.

And now, hearing how fast Jeff’s sled was is a welcoming subject again, and stories of how many miles Matt poured on his sled last season are again interesting. But until the snow flies, the stories are all we have.

And like Bourgeois’ wardrobe, what’s old is

new again, and big 80’s hair will be back in someday.

Until the snow flies in measurable feet, trails are groomed, bowls are filled, and a few things are for sure to be the same again this time next year. Jeff’s sled is still brutally fast, Matt will have put on more miles than anyone I know, Jimmy will have been to endless numbers of races and hopefully, won’t be wearing anymore “Hello Kitty” outfits. Blakoe will be sharing his ideas on how to go further; MacDonald will be the most thoughtful snowmobiler, helping everyone with trailside set-ups; Erickson will still be wearing women’s workout gear because it’s comfortable; and designer Darryl will still be using his so called mad skills in making all of us look good; Bourgeois’ wardrobe is a statement in itself of “what’s old is new again, and that 80’s hair will be back in someday. And I’d tell our ace photo-man James Lissimore that his lens made me look fat in my suit.

All of this will make a full circle like it did last year, and it will snow again; how much we don’t know, but it will come and I can’t wait. Until next time, I hope to see you on the trails. Ride safe!

IND US TR Y

THE FIRST SNOWMOBILE… A HARLEY? NEWS

We stumbled across this photo of Harlan Ramey and his hand-crafted Harley-Davidson “motor-bob”, courtesy of the Ames Iowa Historical Society. From what we learned, Harlan refused to succumb to winter, and adapted his 1913 Harley-Davidson motorcycle into this snow-capable contraption, complete with extra passenger seating. Harlan was a young mechanic at the Ames Motorcycle Company, and along with friend and fellow mechanic Bill Thull, they converted the classic three-speed Harley. Find more photos and details on the motorcycle...err make that snowmobile at www.ameshistoricalsociety.com

POLARIS DOUBLES DOWN IN WYOMING With the crazy growth of their off-road division, namely the Ranger and RZR side-by-side products, Polaris Industries broke ground at their Wyoming Minnesota location this past fall with plans to more than double the existing product development facility. The original 126,000 foot facility was finished in 2005, and the new 144,000 foot addition, which will house more work bays for side-by-sides, flexible conference rooms, a new electrical lab and more, is slated for completion by the summer of 2013.

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

EAGLE RIVER LOVING JIMMY JOHNS DOUGH A major sponsor of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby for the past few seasons is returning for this winter’s monumental 50th anniversary event, and is bringing a pile of dough with them. The freaky fast sandwich maker will contribute $60,000 towards this winter’s World Championship event with $50,000 going to the world champion. Another $10,000 will be split amongst the top four drivers who set the early fast pace in the first ten laps. Throw in more cash from AMSOIL, along with contributions from the Derby Track and you have a total monster payout of more than $81,000 for this year’s landmark race. Learn more at www.derbytrack.com

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WOODY’S TRACTION… WITH A TWIST We spied the latest traction product from the kids at Woody’s this fall while walking the aisles at the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV, and Powersports Show. The new Woody’s Twist is designed for use in ATVs, UTVs, garden tractors, snow blowers, skid steers, even boots. We immediately ordered up a few boxes and outfitted our MotorFist Stomper boots with carbide tipped traction in preparation for walking the ice pack this winter at our favorite cross country race or fishing hole. Learn more at www.woodystraction.com

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

ISOC ADDS $50,000 FREESTYLE SHOW Looking to add more thunder to their national snocross tour, or perhaps looking to steal thunder from the return of Winter X, the International Series of Champions (ISOC) national snocross tour recently announced a mega freestyle competition, sponsored by Monster Energy and of course, series sponsor AMSOIL. The event will be held February 9, as part of the Turtle Creek Hotel and Casino national event near Traverse City, Michigan. Top freestyle athletes will compete in two “jam sessions” Friday night that will seed eight riders for two more jam sessions on Saturday, which will then qualify four performers for a Saturday evening finale. Turtle Creek and Monster Energy will also team up to bring a season finale freestyle event to Lake Geneva March 15-16. Get all the details at www.isocracing.com

Photo by: Michael Roth, ESPN Images

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CHRISTIAN BUGGY GOES HOLLYWOOD Christian Brothers Racing, one of the biggest terrain and snocross racing teams in North America, returned some love to top sponsor Troy Lee Designs this past fall in the form of a 2012 Arctic Cat Sno Pro 600. With the race buggy in the back of a pickup, the Christian crew traveled 2,000 miles across eight states including stops in Vegas and CBR teammate Garth Kaufman in Idaho, before arriving in sunny California. The buggies final destination was the showroom floor of Troy Lee Designs headquarters in Corona, California. “Christian Brothers Racing and Troy Lee Designs started working together two seasons ago,” said Christian Brothers Racing co-owner Dwight Christian. “We decided to send Logan’s snowmobile out there to put on display and show the people in California what we race.”

NO QUALIFIER FOR WINTER X The buzz surrounding the return of snowmobiles to Winter X games has clearly been the talk of the racing community since promoter and Winter X organizer Joe Duncan made the announcement just days before Haydays. Immediately following the news, speculation of one or possibly two qualifying races to determine the field of competitors in snocross, speed and style, freestyle, best trick, and the new hero adaptive class was running rampant. However, it seems as if egos, stubbornness, and money have gotten in the way this year, and no qualifiers will be held. Instead, a panel of ESPN and snowmobile racing aficionados will select the final field of athletes for Winter X 2013. Here are the initial selections, with more to be announced in mid-December. Watch www.osmmag.com for future details.

SNOCROSS: Tucker Hibbert, Levi LaVallee, Tim Tremblay, Ross Martin, Robbie Malinoski, Darrin Mees, Kody Kamm, Emil Ohman, Logan Christian, Justin Broberg, Cody Thomsen, Kyle Pallin.

SNOCROSS HERO ADAPTIVE: Mike Schultz, Jim Wazney, Doug Henry, Paul Thacker. FREESTYLE: Colton Moore, Joe Parsons, Caleb Moore, Levi LaVallee, Justin Hoyer, Daniel Bodin. SPEED N STYLE: Joe Parsons, Heath Frisby, Cory Davis, Levi LaVallee.

BEST TRICK: Heath Frisby

IND US TR Y

NEWS

DISTRICT 16 DISBANDED FROM OFSC THE FLYING FINN IS BACK We literally had to read the news release twice, but there it was in black and white, Toni Haikonen, undoubtedly one of the greatest snocross racers of all time is returning to competition. Simply known as the “Flying Finn” to snocross fans who watched Toni conquer the world of snocross in the early 1990s, Toni is poised to return to the track after signing a deal to race in Europe with Team Brandt Polaris, a Finish distributor. Toni will focus on the FIM’s Finnish National Championship Series and could also compete in the three race, FIM’s World Championship series. When asked why he’s decided to return to the sport after being away for 10-years, (his last professional snocross race was in 2002) the soft-spoken Haikonen said he wanted to prove to himself he could still do it.

However, more importantly he wanted to help the sport regain popularity amongst older fans that may feel snocross is simply a young man’s sport. You can keep tabs on Toni and his racing exploits at his Facebook page www.facebook.com/Toni.Haikonen06

SNOWMOBILERS LOVE NEW YORK According to a recent study by the SUNY Potsdam Institute for Applied Research, snowmobilers in the state of New York deliver an economic impact of $868 million dollars annually to the “Excelsior” state. The study was requested by the New York State Snowmobile Association, (NYSSA) and more than 6,000 responses were collected. When compared to a previous snowmobile economic impact study, performed in 1988, snowmobiling has been a growing and financially healthy industry, even after adjusting for the cost of living and other factors.

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Citing a lack of trail permits sold and declining membership in remaining clubs, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs will abolish District 16 from the OFSC and remove federation owned grooming equipment from that region, prior to the start of the season. The district, which at one time maintained up to 2,200 kilometers of trails along the northern shores of Lake Superior, has been slashed to about 800km in recent years. According to North of Superior Snowmobile Association (NOSA) president Dorene Boulanger, it has become increasingly more and more difficult to sell the required number of permits in the area, due to a sluggish economy and the high cost of permits (approximately $250 each). Trails in that part of Ontario will most likely be shut down, while trails in and around Thunder Bay will remain open as that club is transferred to District 17, west of the city.

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

STRAIGHTLINE PERFORMANCE POWERS SCHEURING TEAM The Scheuring Speed Sports professional snocross team has been one of those constants on the national tour for more than 10 years. Professional and constructed to win, the black buggies, which this year will be driven by Robbie Malinosky, Tim Tremblay, and Darrin Mees, are a common sight near the front of the pack. This year, that front running status looks to be even further solidified with the addition of Straightline Performance to the Scheuring team. Jason Houle, owner of Straightline, is stoked to work with the team, and likewise team owner Steve Scheuring is excited to have a proven performance company on his side, working to ensure his sleds have a performance edge over the competition.

CAINS QUEST RETURNS IN 2014 Known as one of the most grueling and challenging snowmobile endurance races in the world, Cain’s Quest recently announced they will take a 16-month hiatus in order to address previous organizational challenges before returning in March of 2014. After a successful 2012 event, organizers felt it was important to hone the foundation of the growing event before launching the next big Cain.

Organizers hope to reintroduce the race with improved marketing efforts, great fan engagement, stronger sponsorship, technological improvements, and better volunteer recruitment and retention. You can keep abreast of their progress at www.cainsquest.com

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

COR POWERSPORTS DROPS ISR Its been said that there are only two things you never want to be see happen in person‌the inner workings of the legislature and a sausage factory‌we may now might have to add snowmobile rule making to the list. While we won’t go into the details, (we will leave that to those two crackpot TearDown journalists Goodwood and Beerstein) it seems that COR Powersports is going independent this winter, leaving the International Snowmobile Racing (ISR) rule making association behind. The split stems from a 30% insurance premium increase for a policy that ISR requires

its race affiliates to carry. Shocked by the cost, the folks at COR read the fine print of the ISR rule book and learned they could source and submit their own policy, so as long as it offered the same or better coverage. COR Powersports did just that but was still turned down by ISR brass. The reason it was rejected is unknown, but COR Powersports has decided â€œâ€Śbeing a member of ISR for the 2012/2013 season is no longer in the best interests for COR Powersports.â€? View the entire letter from COR Powersports at our website www.osmmag.com

2012-2013 COR POWERSPORTS SCHEDULE December 15 - Ski Brule, Iron River, MI (Course: Mileage 10+ of fields, fire roads, & technical woods) January 5 - Summit Lake Game Farm, Stone Lake, WI (Course:15+ miles of woods, fire roads, lake, powerline, and technical woods) January 19 - Lakeside Bar & Grill, Poynette, WI (Course: 15+ miles all lake) February 2 - Birch Island Resort, Phillips, WI (Course: 7+ miles lake with an island crossing) March 2 - Telemark Resort, Cable, WI (Course: 7+ miles of technical woods)

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Photos by Joe Wiegele

SCENE IT? ACCE SS

ON SN OW M AGAZ INE

RED BULL FUEL & FURY A year ago the strange juxtaposition of baseball and freestyle snowmobiling converged on the streets of Chicago for Red Bull’s Fuel & Fury freestyle event hosted by OSM’s own Levi LaVallee. With three massive steel ramps and thousands of cubic yards of dirt and woodchips overtaking the streets outside of historic Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, it was a visual onslaught that numbed the senses. Ace photographer Joel Wiegele of No Style Productions, was there with a no limits photo pass no less, and captured the scene from every angle for the pages of On Snow Magazine.

As news of the event spread, the scene outside of Wrigley was soon a who’s who of freestyle athletes and industry brass.

The folks at Wrigley Field were as excited as anyone, and invited many onto the hollowed grounds for photo ops.

Jimmy Blaze contemplates transferring to the big leagues when this freestyle things stops producing milk.

Eight athletes were invited to compete at the Fuel & Fury events (front row left to right) Eric St. John, Jeff Mullin, Ted Culbertson, Heath Frisby, Cory Davis, (back row left to right) Jimmy “Blaze” Fejes, Fred Rasmussen, and Daniel Bodin.

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Daniel Bodin was “feeling it” as he auditioned for the role of Elwood Blues in hopes of a remake of the Blues Brothers movie.

Nobody can whip-it like Davis.

It never hurts to make friends with the “man” especially when you plan on rippin’ up a few Chicago streets on a freestyle buggy.

The event was “chill” until the lights went down and the crowd of 5,000 plus Chicagoans went nuts.

The crackle of sunflower seeds hulls under his wheels was like sweet music to Thacker as he rolled across the historic Chicago Cubs logo.

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SCENE IT? ACC ON SN OW M ESS AG

RED BULL FUEL & FURY

AZINE

There are trophies and then there’s some serious hardware from Red Bull as Bodin discovers after winning the Fuel & Fury event.

“I’m gonna jump about this far!”

Preparations for Fuel & Fury was months in the making and it was all business right up to show time.

Like dogs in a cage, Fejes and crew were just as excited to give fans a killer show as they were to see one.

What’s a good freestyle show without some “talent”?

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Bodin orders up two more cold ones for himself and Blaze.

The downtown Chicago skyline provided the backdrop as athletes practiced for the evening show.

Bodin flippin’ it on his way to Fuel & Fury victory.

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VIEW ALL THESE BY VISITING WWW.OSMMAG.COM AND CLICKING ON THE CRUISING YOUTUBE BANNER

SLEDDER TUNES With winter virtually upon us, nothing nurtures a snowmobiler’s soul better than a few cold brews, a warm shop, a shiny buggy, and some appropriate snowmobile music for ambiance. Here are six that will keep your snowmobile boots stompin’.

You got a favorite online snowmobile video you think will make the cut and appear in a future issue of On Snow Magazine? Let us know. Send us the link along with your contact information to: info@osmmag.com and you could score the same OSM t-shirt worn by our snowmobile paparazzi shooters.

YOOPER SNOW ROCKET Da Yoopers band can lay down a smooth track like no one else.

Aside from their hunting classis, Da Turdy Point Buck, the Yooper Snow Rocket is one of our faves.

VIEW AT WWW.OSMMAG.COM

MY LITTLE RED SNOWMOBILE Our resident curmudgeon Bourgeois thought he had heard all the classic sledder songs until this tale of love from the Dixie Drifters crossed his desk. Is that a kazoo?

VIEW AT WWW.OSMMAG.COM

LITTLE SKI-DOO CHRISTMAS SONG Here’s one that will put you in the holiday spirit and is kid friendly too boot. Looks like Rudolph just got replaced by a Ski-Doo.

VIEW AT WWW.OSMMAG.COM

SNOWMOBILE SONG This is probably the most iconic snowmobile song of all time courtesy of Stompin’ Tom Connors. Put it on repeat and enjoy!

CATTIN’ AROUND You can practically see the go-go girls dancing in their leopard print mini-skirts as you listen to the 1969 Arctic Cat classic.

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VIEW AT WWW.OSMMAG.COM Marketer Shows, OSM, Richard Kehoe Productions, Inc. or Patrick J. Bourgeois and its affiliates are not responsible for the content or actions of others in these videos. The comments expressed and the activities performed in these videos do not reflect the opinions and position of Richard Kehoe Productions, Inc., Marketer Show, OSM or Patrick J. Bourgeois and its affiliates and is no way an endorsement of such comments or activities.

TRAIN TRACKS TUCKER HIBBERT

REVIVED AND READY www.tucker-hibbert.com Twitter.com/hibbert68 Facebook.com/TuckerHibbert Youtube.com/TuckerHibbertTV

In August, I got a phone call from ESPN, announcing that snocross was returning to Winter X. Thank you to the fans for making your voices heard…it worked! In January, Shaun White and I will both be competing for the first-ever Winter X gold medal six-peat. No pressure, right?

t’s hard to believe it, but this winter marks my 13th professional snocross season. At first, thinking about how many years that is, makes me feel old, but then I’m slapped in the face with the memory of my Dad, (Kirk) kicking butt and taking names till he was well into his 40s. I’m not even 30 yet, so I’ve got a lot of go left in me!

I

To be honest, I haven’t always been excited about the prospects of a new race season. While it’s easy to look in from the outside and think that I have the best job in the world, it’s not always fun and glory. Don’t get me wrong; I love racing and know I’m incredibly lucky to ride snowmobiles for a living, but at the end of the day, it’s still a job.

This year however, things feel different. I have never been more excited and motivated for a race season than I am this year. I don’t know exactly what has be so fired-up, but most likely it’s a combination of many things that have occurred over the past year. Here’s a look at why I’m so excited for this season to begin.

My new love is cross-country mountain bike racing. It’s the coolest feeling in the world, whipping around tight twists in the woods and bombing down hills covered in rocks and roots. No comment on the climbing. I made it to five Minnesota MTB events, three Penn Cycle Thursday night races at Buck Hill, and the world’s largest cross-country mountain bike race, known as the Fat Tire Festival. This was my fourth year lining up against 1,800 bikes in downtown Hayward, Wisc, in order to race 40 miles through the Chequamegon forest.

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Despite being laid up with my kidney injury, I was back on my dirt bike by the end of June. This put me in position to race an AMA Pro Motocross National again for the first time in couple of years. From 20002009, I raced AMA Nationals every summer.

In September, I loaded my motor home, drove to Delmont, Penn., and lined-up for my first 450 national. I qualified 20th, but after putting the bike on the ground in both motos, I finished 27th overall. It’s easy to forget how brutal those races are! Now I know where I stand, and I’m ready to get back to a full schedule in 2013.

My downhill crash at Lake Geneva left me in the hospital for two weeks with a lacerated kidney. Trust me, nothing motivates an athlete more than an injury.

ABOVE: Monster Energy, Arctic Cat and Stud Boy have had my back for over ten years.

Castle X Racewear; Speedwerx; SPY; Kicker; and CTi are all longtime partners as well. Over the past few years, FOX Shox; Leatt Brace; Digital Ink Design & Graphics; APV Synthetic Oil; Hot Stuff Pizza; and TekVest have joined the team. This year, I’m excited to welcome Ram Truck and FLY Racing. These brands are my extended family and allow me to push myself to my limit.

RIGHT: Last year, there were a lot of changes in my program, from Arctic Cat’s all-new ProCross chassis, to the loss of Winter X. All this made for a more challenging season, but also brought the team closer together.

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Headhsot by Todd Williams • www.toddwilliamsusa.com

WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

BACK ON SNOW I’ve spent a lot of time this fall practicing on woodchips, both for snocross and freestyle.

can't believe it’s November already!

Seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for Haydays and I was putting my boat away for the winter. But since I’ve been practicing “on-snow” for the last few days, I’d say winter has finally arrived!

This past month has been a lot of fun! I got to go to "Race into Winter" in New Hampshire (also known as the Epping Grass Drag and Watercross) and the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV, and Powersports Show, presented by the fine folks at this publication (On Snow Magazine). I had heard that the Epping grass drags where a lot like Haydays, but with watercross thrown into the mix. Turns out that is exactly what Epping is. The event is super fun with tons of stuff to do.

A highlight of the trip was the abundance of lobster that was at my disposal to enjoy inside the Polaris trailer. I was freaking out at the very idea of having lobster to eat, while the locals were laughing at me and saying, “its just lobster” (as though it was nothing more than a turkey sandwich). I guess those are one of the perks when you live next to a

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“big pond” with an abundance of these red claw critters. I’m totally jealous of the east coast lobster program.

Next stop was Toronto for the International Snowmobile, ATV, and Powersports show. You know how when

Feels good to “flipping” on my home turf again.

you go to a shopping mall and there are about 4 stores that you are pumped on, and then like 100 that really don't do it for ya? So imagine a shopping mall where instead of digging only a couple of stores, you are pumped on all of them! That’s

It’s hard to talk to Dad when he’s giving me crazy eyes.

When in Epping do as the locals do.

what its like at the Toronto Powersports show. From one end to the other, it’s endless powersports fun in what is considered the largest indoor snowmobile show in the world.

I got the opportunity to go to the event with the Mystik Lubricants crew. They had our Team LaVallee semi at the Mystik booth and I did some autograph sessions there as well. The show also included fellow freestyle riders Joe Parsons and Heath Frisby doing freestyle shows, as well as kids 120 races. I got to be the guest flagman for the 120 races and believe it or not, I flagged each race accurately! I had good flagging technique, and best of all, I didn’t injure myself! It was a great show and I want to thank Mystik for making it possible.

Beyond the shows, I’ve been spending

the remainder of my time riding my wood chip track and practicing freestyle tricks with my custom foam pit. It’s been a couple years since I’ve had the opportunity to ride at my compound, due to the crazy distance-jumping schedule I was involved with. Now, with that record in the books I’m back to a somewhat more “normal” routine as the national snocross season is fast approaching.

In just the past week of this writing, I’m finally back on snow getting ready for the ISOC opener in Duluth, Minnesota. It feels so good to be gliding on snow again versus skidding to a stop on woodchips or dirt. I’m really looking forward to this season and I hope you can come out and catch me, my team, and the entire ISOC show at a national race near you this season. Until next time – Levi ✪

The Mystik crew had the hauler looking sharp for the International Snowmobile Show in Toronto.

Taking charge as the 120 flagman in Toronto at the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show.

Stay Connected TeamLaVallee.com I’ve been working on getting my freestyle technique nailed.

Twitter.com/Levi_LaVallee Facebook.com/LeviLaValleeFanPage ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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FOR THE RECORD PAUL THACKER

Photos Courtesy of Joe Wiegele of No Style Productions

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BIONIC-CROSS Polaris has been gracious enough to work with me this winter in putting together a mini racing program that will allow me to compete at a few races…snocross? …ovals? …cross-country? …who knows.

t’s time once again for an update on your favorite “handicapable” sledder.

It’s amazing how fast time flies these days. It seems Haydays was just here and “boom”, it’s the holiday season, and snow should be flying in most parts of the snowbelt by the time you get this edition of OSM. Already some early snowfall in Alaska has shown promise of a great season and hopefully, all you lower 48’ers will get the same kind of snow that we got in Alaska last season.

We had absolutely epic riding until this past June! With that in mind, I’m sending good vibes your way.

November is typically when most sledders get busy for the upcoming season. Race teams are gearing up and the freestyle world is starting to get sleds and foam pits dialed. I’m stoked to announce that I’m looking to do a little

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racing myself this season. Polaris has stepped up and is helping me with sleds, and I’m in the process of pulling together a mini-program to hit a few races - not sure what or where yet, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted. To help with that initiative, I’m having custom seats designed and I’ve recruited Esko Bionics to look at building a robotic set-up, similar to what I use to walk with on a regular basis, but customized for standup riding. If we can pull it together, it could be a whole new ballgame for anyone who wants to ride, with legs that are less than perfect! In short, I’m looking forward to pushing the limits once again and getting back into the mix.

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to join Monster Energy in Sin City (Las Vegas) for the Monster Energy Cup. As expected, the folks at Monster

Energy pulled off a first class event. The weekend started with a charity poker tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel for a fallen Monster soldier. Terri Sacks and the Monster Energy Gives Back program put together a solid event and raised some great cheddar. Saturday night was the big race and Monster pulled out all the stops with all the big names ready to rip, minus Stewart and Windham, who had an unfortunate crash in practice.

The three-moto format they use is a pretty cool concept and obviously, the million-dollar prize is very impressive. It was great to see Monster riders Reed and Villapoto getting back to form, and the young guns were ripping as well. Of course Monster treated us right with some suite tickets and it was without a doubt, one of the best shows I’ve ever attended. Oh, and I can’t forget the after

Every time I strap on my Esko Bionics system it brings a huge smile to my face.

party, where I caught up with fellow Monster athletes and crew, along with a few old friends from Slednecks. What a great evening!

Okay, time for some love to my favorite folks who have given me working legs again…Esko Bionics

The mountains in Alaska are already getting filled with the good stuff… here’s hoping everyone is blessed with snow this winter.

(eksobionics.com). It’s not everyday that someone who looses the use of their legs, (which I still believe is temporary as I continue to make small steps towards running a marathon someday, and I hate to run ha ha) has the opportunity to regain the use of their

With X Games back in the mix this year, including a Hero/Adaptive class, PT11 might be back in action come January.

legs and walk again. But that is exactly what Esko has done for me, and this past month I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to demonstrate the power and technology of their bionic system. The stuff they are doing is amazing, and I truly believe that one day the technology will advance to the point where you’ll wake up, throw on a suit, and go for a jog.

Very exciting!

As I close out this months update, I want to give a shout out with a special thanks to the diehard fans of our sport. I was recently at the snow show in Salt Lake City, Utah and it was really cool to see how alive and well our industry remains, especially when it comes to the fans. For the few of us who have been fortunate enough to carve out a niche job in this sport, please always keep in mind that it’s the fans that have made it possible. It was awesome to see the support, both young and old that I still have. So many of you continue to wish me a speedy recovery, and to see and feel this love and support really leaves me at a loss for words. It is truly appreciated and it helps keep me motivated as I continue to work toward a full recovery. It is without a doubt that I have the most amazing fans and without that fan base, nothing any of us do would be possible.

So thank you all and we will keep doing our best to keep you entertained! ✪ Keep ripping – PT

www.paulthacker11.com Twitter.com/paulthacker11 FIND ME ON FACEBOOK! ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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FORWARD THINKING HEATH FRISBY

ROAD RASPBERRIES

Preparing for a two-wheel show at the Big Nasty Motorcycle Hill Climb in my hometown of New Plymouth, Idaho.

40-miles-per-hour. Aside from some minor road rash, I ended up being just fine, and needless to say, it was another one of those tough lessons learned.

With a little more time left to still spend at home, I decided to take my addiction for airplanes one step beyond the remote control variety and learn how the fly the real thing. I was nervous at first, but once I had a few flights under my belt, it got easier and I got more and more comfortable. I’ll admit that it’s a little tricky to take-off and land, mostly because you have to steer with your feet. Throw in a heavy crosswind, where you have to tilt the plane into the wind, and things get even dicier. Still, it’s been a great experience, and thus far, I’ve only had one windy day that made me uncomfortable, but the rest have been amazing. The real crazy thing is to think that they allowed me to do this with little regard, or checking into who I am and the crazy things I do for a living. They just plopped me into the pilot’s seat and away we went!

Last month I traveled to Syracuse, New York to Hanging with the good folks from Ingles Performance during their fall open house. hang with the folks at Ingles

t’s been an amazing few months since my long trip and string of performances in Vancouver. For starters, it was nice to stay home a bit and just relax. Then, a stroke of luck allowed me to perform at a FMX show for Monster Energy at the Big Nasty Motorcycle Hill Climb in my hometown of New Plymouth, Idaho. The weather was amazing and I was able to spend some time with friends and family, and let them see what it is exactly, that I do for a living. The show itself was going great, until Ted Culbertson and I had a bit of miscommunication during the show, which resulted in me sliding down the asphalt at

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@heathfrisby facebook.com/heathfrisby

Don’t try this at home… a few tarmac raspberries after going down during the Big Nasty.

Performance, during their open house.

The Ingles family goes above and beyond when it comes to customer service, and making sure everyone who visits their dealership feels like they are part of the family. During their open house, they brought in their professional snocross team and me for a local

Can you believe they let me behind the “stick” of a plane?!

This fall I graduated from RC planes to the real deal as I started taking lessons with this Cessna.

customer meet and greet. I signed a bunch of autographs, took pictures with the fans, and hung out long enough to enjoy a great dinner, pull a few names for prizes, and try my luck at the Port-a-Tree challenge they had set-up inside their shop. I need to work on my holeshot skills.

Following Ingles, I headed north to the International Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show in Toronto. The Toronto snowmobile show, which is presented by On Snow Magazine and ATV World magazine, is one of the biggest, if not the biggest indoor snowmobile show in the world and is a must attend event. My pal Joe Parsons and I were there to perform several freestyle shows in the parking lot during the three-day show and sign plenty of autographs in between shows.

With the big Toronto show in the books, I made my way back home, but not before performing for RPM Motorsports in Denver Colorado, and picking up my new XM Summit and race sleds. While I was in the mile high city, I visited the Garden of the Gods and scared the ‘you know what’ out of myself by executing a 500-foot rappel.

It was my first rappel, and I guess you could say I made it count. My arms burned for days afterwards; I guess that’s a hint that I need to hit the gym!

Until next time – HF ✪ Repelling 500-feet at Garden of the Gods… yeah, you can see my butt pucker.

THE DAILY

COMMUTE

By Jason MacDonald

About the Mac Our resident wrench and part time Elvis impersonator, Jason MacDonald, is an avid snowmobiler and rides every chance he gets.

Each issue, Jason or “Mac” as he is affectionately referred to within the OSM office for his love of any boxed cheese and pasta meals, scrawls out his thoughts on a bar napkin and hands them over to editor in chief Bourgeois to decipher and attempt to create complete sentences from the babble. Jason is infatuated with snowmobiles and he knows his way around a sled, regardless of its age. His first buggy was a 1971 Skiroule S-400, and he hasn’t stopped riding since. Mac has done it all in the snowmobile business, including sweeping dealership floors; sales and service; technical diagnostics; technical writing; technical training; and wrenching for I-500, snocross and NSSR competitors. In total, Jason has been addicted to snowmobiles for 33 years, worked at a dealership for 16, a manufacturer for 6, and has mooched off OSM for 3. Each year we give Mac the keys to our snowmobile cookie jar, and he rides our long-term loaners to work daily. In addition, Mac keeps our fleet serviced and tuned, and is always at the ready to take an extra long, weekend trip at a moment’s notice. While snow conditions were sparse for most of us last winter, Jason squeezed in a ride every chance he got, and continued to ride to work, even when conditions were sketchy at best. Folks; Elvis has entered the building.

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2012 Ski-Doo MXZ-X 600 hen the Valcourt crew decided to go “outside the tunnel” in order to simplify rear suspension adjustments, many believed it was little more than marketing smoke when it first debuted as a limited build, end of season sled at the close of the 2010-2011 winter. Available as a “spring only” model in 2012, the ability to adjust spring preload (left hand dial) or rear track shock compression damping (right side dial) was a nice feature; but it was the geometry of a rising rate, rear suspension that remained marshmallow plush in small trail chatter that proved to be the jackpot payoff in the end.

The r-Motion skid really stole the show with our MXZ X last season; the sleds ability to deliver in a wide range of conditions with few, if any adjustments was almost like cheating at times. The rear skid remained cushy while still having the ability to absorb the

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huge trail craters that would form after a weekend of high traffic. Add on some extra baggage in the name of a couple juicy double cheeseburgers at lunch, and filling the hydration pack full of water put the outboard mounted dials to good use for finding that holy grail of perfect ride, back to the evenings resting place.

In fact, the r-Motion works so well, it seemed to expose the ability to overdrive the front end of the machine in the rough, with harsh bottoming felt sporadically through the bars.

Ergonomically speaking, the XP chassis found on the MXZ-X offers up a very neutral feel and nice easy to find and use controls, be it day or night.

Still, for how nice the ergos are, the annoyance of handlebar chatter, present while negotiating small continuous trail bumps, is an oversight that could be addressed with a power steering system that includes a split post set up to isolate

Call us old school, but for as much as we love the exposed portion of the “Doo” running board, we still long for a toe-hold in the stirrup.

We became so accustomed to the running board mounted dials on our MXZ-X, we found ourselves reaching back and giving the big knob a few turns of love when we wanted to make things near perfect.

the upper bars from the lower steering system. It’s not that the XP chassis is difficult to steer, but we’ve learned that the benefits of power steering go far beyond steering effort alone.

Other cockpit ergo features/rants include very open footwell areas which accommodate big boots, but lack toe holds for “locking-in”, a nicely contoured seat with matching colored accents for sex-appeal, and a low windshield that only offers protection form the ribcage down. Fit and finish of the bodywork and seat/tank junctures is very well put together and nears that of industry leader Yamaha, and We wish more sleds paid attention to details that matter, like this easy, front shock preload indicators, found on the shock body of the front KYB units. Finding and returning to the best settings for terrain is both quick and easy.

does so with a “less is more” and function over form approach.

Since its inception, the direct injection system, better known as etec, has become synonymous with fuel efficiency and smooth run quality. While the competition has yet to show their two-stroke hand of the future, the Rotax mill continues to get better in terms of smoothness, reduced noise, and a minimal appetite for liquefied dinosaurs year over year. Add what is arguably the best twostroke motor in the industry to the MXZ-X package with rMotion suspension and the results are so good, it’s sometimes hard to imagine riding anything else. ✪

High quality KYB units control the front, but the rear works so well, at times we found the front trying to “keep-up”.

We rode both the short track and limited release crossover version of the rMotion last spring in a side-by-side 350mile burn. Pick a favorite? Too close to call…seriously!

One of the few nags of the XP chassis has been addressed for 2013 with a revised snow flap/taillight package. The “prone to cracking and breaking” design has been bolstered and the ultra bright LED lamp is simply icing on the cake.

Few things to complain about here; soft, comfortable, just the right amount of “tack” and plenty of style points to boot.

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5 Star Rides Sometimes planning a snowmobile trip is nearly as much fun as the trip itself. From the sled prep, to the ride planning, to the hours of bench riding, beer swilling and smack talk that takes place in your garage weeks before. But sometimes you just want to be pampered, from dual heat steamer showers, pre-planned meals, and Eva Longoria guest back rubs each evening. Aaaahhhh…now that’s living. Here are five “Happy Meal” snowmobile trips to put on your list…desperate housewife not included.

FAIRMONT LEMANIOR RICHELIEU CHARLEVOIX QUEBEC This majestic five-star hotel is nestled between the sea and ocean and is nothing short of amazing. While the staff is topping of your sled, complete with red velvet towels protecting your buggy from spills, you can enjoy one of the 405 luxuriously appointed guest rooms; one of five world class restaurants; or soak in the luxury of the health spa with its all-season outdoor pool and whirlpool. Oh yeah, rental sleds are on-site, the trails are stunning, the guides top shelf, and you can arrange it all through the Fairmont. www.fairmont.com/richelieu

GLACIER HOUSE, REVELSTOKE BRITISH COLUMBIA The Revelstoke area has fast become one of the most talked about snowmobile destinations in the past few years and for good reason. The backcountry riding is immense, as in really, really big. Crest a ridge in the backcountry of Revelstoke and you’ll know exactly what we mean, the terrain is rugged and stretches on forever with monstrous bowls of powder for as far as the eye can see. The Glacier House, which resides just 5 minutes from town, is your one stop retreat to explore Revelstoke for yourself, with fireplace rooms, pool, hot tubs, restaurant, pub, rentals, guides, and more. www.glacierhouse.com

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DECKER SNO-VENTURE TOURS EAGLE RIVER WISCONSIN If you grew up in the Midwestern United States, the name Decker is synonymous with snowmobiling. After all the family name is associated with just about all things snowmobile related in the town of Eagle River, Wisconsin, home to the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Part of their snowmobile kingdom is Decker Sno Venture Tours, an all inclusive, no hassle snowmobile tour operation that has been providing amazing snowmobile trips for 33 years.

From three-day Midwest trips to exotic European and Alaskan adventures, the Decker crew has you covered. www.sno-venture.com

TOGWOTEE MOUNTAIN LODGE JACKSON HOLE WYOMING Situated in the mountains of the Bridger-Teton National Forest above the infamous snowmobile hill climb town of Jackson Hole, Togwotee Lodge has become known as one of those snowmobile resort/destinations that’s on everyone’s bucket list. Everything about Togwotee is tailored for snowmobilers from parking to on-site amenities, but the real reason everyone wants to experience this destination is for the snowmobiling. With more than 600 miles of trails and epic off-trail powder Togwotee is one of those rare destinations that has it all with zero compromise. Take advantage of one of their winter packages that includes lodging, meals, guided snowmobile ride, social hour, and even transportation to and from the airport. www.togwoteelodge.com

ARCTIC ADVENTURE ICELAND About 10 years ago, a couple members of the OSM crew had the opportunity to visit Iceland and snowmobile across Vatnajökull, one of the largest glaciers in Europe. The glacier covers nearly 5,200 square miles and buried beneath its icy depths are two active volcanoes. For both staffers, the trip remains the most epic snowmobile trip they have ever experienced in their 20-years in the snowmobile industry. The trip isn’t cheap, but touring outfits like Arctic Adventures removes the guesswork and they can also help you explore other amazing aspects of this incredible island away from a snowmobile. The nightlife in the capital city of Rykjavik is an all night party stomp and nearly every woman you meet is a blonde hair, blue eyed beauty. www.snowmobiletours.is

ast time we checked in with our unshaven and slightly foul smelling cast of characters from OSM, they were busy prepping their garages for the anticipation of the coming winter, and perhaps more importantly, pontificating about their current project sleds. Now that a few months have passed, we managed to sober them up long enough to get an update on their latest wrecks, relics, or shiny objects lurking within their man caves.

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n d o s l JacDona MSatar is Reborn

eeing y. Yet, s ed someda as r b ta n s o a uld be my carb righter me I wo lf-way through b h ld s to a fl s y a ver er alwa ately ha uch as I may ne r; My moth ade it approxim h, without so m . While ts ta rt m s b a u e E o rn v d o r a n re-b Mothe ve my that I h here on m starting to ha an’t have my ow t, s u b u rb a n e c n te is li c I’ ex ly lb, nI 0watt bu at doesn’t mea S ta r to m y d im ck to the ringthan a 4 m, th s stu la ri s o g o rd n P ri oods, ta 8 s e 8 in th e w e a as in th climb to of a 19 , l rp k a c ta iv tu a s rr ea under a was to becom e th u s th little fell ta s h e d estined S d is . h w e T o . m n little blu e garag a m e to ms, it is hile the y h e n it c hties ge ck life cycle. W nder m w ig u e s s d te n in la la F a ll ra f its sto fleet of s on e o a a e th d t d s n -i in g e d n g o e amo o a k in ars th afer m 0 as it ne in g b y s t of modern le river 25 custom e wash direct-d lis n d r fi a o o t a 0 u -m 4 o ll ts 4 u e h 340, use. F b u g g y g started to sketc modern In d y L it e brew ho re B o e M m v D I’ a l , deck some y loca er, with I m o rp h iston port, Fuji kins at m of spinner pow bar nap maybe p n r d fa O r re e ? ti g 8 need y Big asp) 48 a slightl e th e s e single? io n s li k v e n a (g ssis, and stuff is e c s e p d a cha p e rh mm… onto the e w o rk ? H m m goodies am fr e th to li q u id in er. more be

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Jim Urquhart

Tigress Massage As a guy who is way better at starting projects than finishing them, I have to say that I am in shock at the progress I've made on the Tigress. Ready? Here we go: A stripped '99 Sno Pro chassis found on Craigslist donated its brake caliper and secondary clutch. Sno Pro bars and controls and a riser off a Pro X were scrounged at the Princeton swap meet, as was a FOX shock for the rear skid (thanks Bourgeois). Haydays was full of junk, so we got nothing there. Aaron Scheele (yes, the Iceman himself) modified the chaincase for the hydraulic brake. I welded up the steering post to accept the new riser. The rails were junk, so Scheele helped me out with a "new" set (he's got serious makings for an El Tigre salvage yard going on at his place). All the parts in the skid were cleaned, painted, welded, and braced. The pipe was painted, fuel pump rebuilt, carbs were cleaned and yes, it runs. I may have to pull back a little and rattle can the hood and cut corners on a few other things to get it on the snow, but it should be ready in time. I hope.

Pat Bourgeois P hazer Flip

I can hone s tl y s a y I’ v e o n ly ri d d suspended e n a s tr u t Phazer twic e in my life times I cam , and both e away happ y that it was d e fe n se , I over. In w a s a sn o t n o se d , a n d lo ya l b lo w h b ra n d a rd b a ck th e n , a n d I co see past m u ld n ’t y brand loya l glasses to appreciate ju truly st how good the Phazer Thanks to tim was. e and a mor e open mind, perceptions my have since changed an undoubtedly d I can see why the Phazer, and much lesse r extent, the to a Phazer II, w p o p u la r. T h ere so e P h a ze r w a s fo rw a rd th and it clearly in ki n g , left its mark on the indust it s h a n d le b ry with a r- m o u n te d w in d sh ie ld a d jo in in g g and auge pod.

T h e sl e d w lightweight, as easy to ma neuver, stu re lia b le , a n pid d p ri ce d ri g h t – a ll th in helped prop g s th a t el Yamaha to become share leade the industry r by the mid 1980s. Rem Prowler, Indy ember the Lite, or the S tratos? Yup, th e ir in sp ir they all got a ti o n fr o m th e P h a ze r. purchase th H o w e ve r, m is 1990 Pha y in sp ir a ti o zer II was m than any real n to ore induced plan. Okay, by too many I admit it look red and whi pints ed damn go te paint sche od with its sh me. The sled importantly, arp was well ca priced well red for, and below the w pocket. Afte most ad of Benja r getting the mins stuffed sled home, winter story in my I briefly pon possibilities, dered a few but by the fo posted on C midllowing day, raigslist and I had the Pha it was gone hand. Check zer II by day’s end another one with a tidy pr of my “like to ofit in own” list.

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TM aicm e hines

‘77

By Archie Simonson and Jim Urquhart

Polaris TX-L

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THE I-500 CHAMPION I

was 18-years-old when I raced the 1977 I-500; the first year I was eligible, given the 18-years of age requirement to participate. Up to that point, I had been racing snowmobiles since I was about 10, and I had ridden them for even longer. When I wasn’t riding in the winter, I was training, and during the summer months I raced motorcycles. Despite my age, I felt like I could keep up with many of the Pros and ride better than a lot of them. It was that same year when I became a factory-supported, independent Polaris racer. There wasn’t much to it back then – sign some paperwork, commit to racing a certain number of races with select circuits, and you could buy the sled real cheap.

The 1977 Polaris TX-L had a lot of advantages over the competition that year, including a hydraulic brake and a really good engine. In hindsight, I’d say that the liquid-cooled engine was probably one of the best motors Fuji every built. If you were lucky enough to get a “good one”, one that would “over-wind” when it got hot, they were very fast. While you never had the chance to use the “over-wind” in the ditches, it was on the lakes where you could get the pipe real hot, and find another 5mph out of the sled. Turns out that in 1977, I had all the tools to win – experience, a good sled, and great support.

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TM aicm e 1977 Polaris TX-L hines

That year, the International 500 crosscountry race (I-500) started at the Maplewood Mall near St. Paul, Minnesota and went northward to the cities of Alexandria, Bemidji, Thief River

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Falls and finally, Winnipeg, Manitoba. I can’t remember the wave that I started in, but I know it was back a ways; perhaps the seventh wave or maybe deeper. That first day, my strategy was to just place

well. The first leg was long, about 200 miles, and I had a great ride. I felt good and the sled worked phenomenal, and I remember how surprised I was when I got to Alexandria, and how few finishers had arrived before me. I remember that I had passed a lot of riders, but I didn’t think I made up as much ground as I did.

My goal was to be in the top 10, and ideally in the top five. It turns out that I was in the third spot.

The second day, all the leaders started in the first wave. I just sat up front, behind the leaders and let them blaze the trail and find some of the hazards that were out there. Sure enough, Jim Dano was leading and found a rock pile that damaged his sled badly. We were warned about that rock pile in the driver’s meeting, but when you are racing, you tend to forget about those things when you are busting a trail as fast as you can go.

Dano’s mishap with the rock pile allowed me to finish in second place at day’s end. I used the same strategy the third day, and followed the leader until he found a drainage ditch and buried his sled. It happened not too far out of Thief River Falls, so I just rode it hard the rest of the way, and found myself in the top spot.

I remember sitting on the starting line that next morning, waiting for the start of the fourth and final day. The weather in Thief River Falls was fine, but reports of a storm and zero visibility just to the north, near the international border, occupied

The I-500 Champion

most of the conversations. We sat on the starting line for about an hour, until suddenly they called the race. At the time they called it, the weather in Thief River Falls was still perfectly fine for racing, and there was plenty of confusion and heated conversations as to why the race was being called. But it wasn’t more than 10-minutes later did the storm hit and you could barely see your hand in front of your face, it was snowing and blowing so bad. In hindsight, if they would have sent us out, it could have been disastrous. People could have gotten hurt, and sending rescue crews out into the storm would have put even more people at risk.

Fortunately for me, I was sitting atop the time sheets when the race was called, giving me the victory in the 1977 I-500 race.

As for my 1977 TX-L, I thought the sled was in good shape after three days of all-out running. I hadn’t fallen off and I hadn’t hit anything either, but when we dismantled the sled after the race to give it a once over, we found a significant crack forming in the bulkhead. It’s questionable whether the sled would have held together for the final leg of the race; in fact, nobody knows the answer to that question. For sure luck helped me with that race, but luck is always a part of racing. I became the youngest person to ever win the race and the first rookie as well. Some say it was a fluke, but I can tell you, it was certainly no fluke that I was in the top spot after three days of racing.

With a lot more racing to do, we bought another rolling chassis and transferred all the parts off the winner, over to a new TX-L chassis. Since it wasn’t the “original” sled, we sold it when the season was over, and the cracked chassis was abandoned as well. Rumor has it that both are still floating about the vintage world, but I have yet to verify the existence of either.

The sled you see here is the same year and model, and is a dead-on replica of the sled I raced in the I-500, complete with era correct decals and names. Jim Haug of Owatonna, Minnesota performed the restoration, and the sled is currently on display at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain, Wisconsin. For more information on the museum visit their website at: www.snowmobilehalloffame.com ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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Anchor Chrysle r of the month

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SnoRunner

Anchor of the Month Chrysler SnoRunner NAME: ________________________________________________________ Orange COLOR: Mopar _______________________________________________________ tall x 236cm long x 69cm wide ( 33” x 93” x 27”) DIMENSIONS: 89cm __________________________________________________ 33Kg (72lbs) WEIGHT(DRY): _________________________________________________ 77 by Chrysler Wisconsin BIRTH DATE: 19___________ BIRTHPLACE: Hartford, _________________________ the marketing brochures paint a picture of a new kind of winter sport, AMBITIONS: While ___________________________________________________ the behind scene tale tells of a last gasp effort to avoid bankruptcy. ___________________________________________________ Skinny men, one-legged pirates, inline skates, and that TURN-ONS: _________________________________________ cyclopes girl from Futurama (Turanga Leela) _________________________________________________

TURN-OFFS:

Deep snow, two-legged pirates, tricycles, roller skates, and Meg _________________________________________

from the Family Guy. _____________________________________________________ One is the Loneliest Number by Three Dog FAVORITE SONGS/MUSICIANS: ___________________________ Night, What’s Your Name by Lynryd Skynyrd, and anything by Def Leppard ___________________________________________________ after Rick Allen lost an arm. __________________________________________________

NICKNAMES: The ______________________________________ Flying Banana, SnowSaw, Jason, No-Runner, Slopar Details are scarce when it comes to the early beginnings of the awkward Sno DARK SECRETS: ________________________________________________ Runner courtesy of the Chrysler Corporation. While the story of a failed military prototype vehicle is ______________________________________________________________ charming, the more popular and plausible background is tied to the troubling times mother Chrysler was ______________________________________________________________ experiencing during the mid to late 1970s. After building some of the most iconic and powerful muscle cars ______________________________________________________________ of the 1960s, Chrysler was caught flat footed, as were most US auto manufacturers, as the oil embargo ______________________________________________________________ hit in conjunction with the invasion of cheap and economical Japanese automobiles. The Sno Runner is ______________________________________________________________ believed to be one of those “last ditch” efforts to make the company solvent as bankruptcy loomed on the ______________________________________________________________ horizon.

The little “runner” featured a 134cc two-stroke engine that produced somewhere in the neighbor______________________________________________________________ hood of 7-ponies capable of a top speed approaching 25 mph (downhill with the wind). The Sno-Runner ______________________________________________________________ was cheap and proved to be mildly popular, selling an estimated 28,000 units before production was halted ______________________________________________________________ and mama Chrysler filed for bankruptcy in 1982. At the end of the Sno Runner’s run, about 4,000 units ______________________________________________________________ were sold out of Chrysler’s inventory and were “blown-out” by COMB liquidation and sold as the SnoRabbit. ______________________________________________________________ The SnoRunner, like other snowmobile oddities, proves desperate times makes for desperate measures. ______________________________________________________________

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2012

THROW DOWN II

Real Sleds, Real Riders, Real Trails, Real Results The Panel

PAT BOURGEOIS

JASON MACDONALD

TIM ERICKSON

JEFF EDWARDS

ow! To say we struck a chord when we debuted our OSM Throw Down, real sled evaluation last season would be a huge understatement! We're talking like Ted Nugent playing an outdoor music festival, amp on 11, striking a chord, and people liked what we were playing. Turns out we weren’t the only ones fed up with the huge sucking sound heard from snowmobile media outlets when a comparison article is penned, or “best of” segment is filmed. From the guys picking through the discount Slednecks gear at Haydays, to the brass at the manufacturers, we were overwhelmed by the positive feedback and encouragement for a Throw Down II and more "real" test results.

W

LAST YEAR'S

CHAMPION 2011 APEX SE

THROWDOWN II 2012

It's a simple recipe - by giving a nod to our most admired motorcycle and automotive publications, and their well thought out and executed vehicle tests; Throw Down brought together formulated and extensive, subjective evaluations, and a smattering of objectively gathered statistics into an evaluation of real sleds, ridden by real riders on real trails. There were winners and losers, but more importantly, there was a lot of information…real information.

You see, aside from a handful of random, one-off events, most new snowmobile evaluations (the ones you see in magazines and on TV) performed by our peers and at times, ourselves included, are comprised of short demo rides with little to no time for adjustments, aboard sleds that are little more than hand-built prototypes, dressed up to look good for photos. In fact, most of these events aren't intended for evaluating the machines at all, they are intended for photography only. What’s more, these sleds can be infiltrated with pre-production goodies that are either far from perfect, or in some rare instances, simply too good to be true (whether intentional or not).

While still far from perfect, there is a lot of unexplored territory in this type of event, since most media outlets are content to follow the status quo. Thing is, we learned a lot by doing the first Throw Down, and we applied those lessons

After an international plane ride and a 7 hour, middle of the night jaunt from the airport, head wrench MacDonald was fresh as a daisy and ready for TD2.

during Throw Down II. This time, our grouping of 2012 production models was more closely matched, (mid-power crossovers) and we gathered more data and rode more miles of trails in more conditions than before. It was raw, it was real, and here’s how it went down.

With tool roll in hand, we spent nearly as much time adjusting and calibrating suspension settings as we did riding, all an in effort to find the “optimum” setting for each of us. Its things like this you simply don’t have time for during the spring Manufacturer Snow Shoot photo sessions.

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Maple Syrup, Poutine, and Bacon With year one of Throw Down taking place just outside of our south of the border offices in Minneapolis, we figured

MacDonald tried to play show and tell with family pictures and some freshly pressed American green backs but the “man” wasn’t interested. No worries, we run a buttoned up operation, and all the necessary paperwork and permits were in hand.

Some of the trails in Quebec are simply too good to leave.

We rode well into the night on one occasion, just so we could sample a 23-mile section of trail “one more time.”

CALIBRATIONS THAT WORK After nearly a week on the trails of Quebec, nearly 500 miles logged, and nearly 100 trips through our twisted timed course, we came away from Throw Down II with some suspension calibration settings that work for groomed trail riding. Note, most preload settings are measured from top edge of adjustment to keeper collar or ring as shown in photo.

Yamaha Nytro XTX

We left the law well informed.

We cheated a bit with the Nytro, and sampled a pair of Tuner skis midway through the test. It’s a vast improvement and is standard fare on 2013 Nytro models.

Front Preload – 6.5cm Front Compression – 5 clicks Rear Preload- full soft Front arm Preload – 3.5cm Rear Compression – N/A

Polaris Adventure Front Preload – 7.5cm Front Compression – N/A Rear Preload – 4cm (120-140lbs) Rear Compression – full soft

Arctic Cat XF1100 Front Preload – 5cm Front Compression – N/A Rear Preload – 2cm Front Arm Preload – 2cm (from threads) Rear Compression – N/A

Ski-Doo Renegade X 600

Proof positive this crew wants to make love…not war.

Front Preload – Setting 1 Front Compression – 11 clicks Rear Preload – full soft Coupler Position - #2 Front Arm Preload – 2.5cm (from threads) Rear Compression – 15 clicks

THROWDOWN II 2012

a north of the border location would only be appropriate for our “international” publication. With an invitation to explore the vast network of trails in Quebec and fresh passports for MacDonald and Erickson in hand, we headed to the land of maple syrup and bear wrestling to execute Throw Down II. This year’s sled category of choice was the immensely popular crossover segment in the mid-bore engine segment.

With a year of “throwin’ it down” under our belts, we worked with the manufacturers to best accommodate their mid-bore selections and our choice for a more equally pared stable of buggies.

Just like year one, we started with factory spec sleds, prepped for our

Poutine, the Canadian national anthem of heart attack and indigestions…but so damn good.

weights and conditions. As the miles racked up and sleds were swapped, each rider kept tabs of changes in calibrations and their individual “ideal” settings for each buggy.

Each rider was also given an extensive subjective data collection sheet for each sled. A total of 18 categories were evaluated for each, and we kept discussion amongst ourselves

The 2012 Throw Down II crew, (left to right) – Tim Erickson, Jeff Edwards, Richard Kehoe, Pat Bourgeois, and Jason MacDonald.

The timed trail portion of our test utilized a timing system that automatically started and stopped as the sled broke an invisible beam stretching across the trail.

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We were able to stretch the legs of our foursome as we ventured further north into the spruce bogs. Long, wide-open throttle pulls of 5 miles or longer wasn’t uncommon. on the sleds to a minimum, so as to not taint the results. Each sled could receive a “perfect world” score of 540 points.

The objective data set collected for this go around featured a twisted, real world trail. Much like last year, where we collected times through a bump course, we performed a similar exercise, but this time we gathered quantitative results on each sled’s ability to effectively navigate a section of tight and sweeping turns on a

densely wooded trail. As we did throughout the tests, suspension calibrations were adjusted on each sled for an optimum time.

All told, we logged nearly 500 miles, (or was that kilometers?) drained a few adult beverages at days end, devoured a couple plates of cheese and bacon drenched poutine, and got a few history lessons on the War of 1812, all in the name of throwing it down during Throw Down II.

The XF1100 developed an oil weep down the left side of the tunnel after day one. We soon learned it was caused from the engine oil being “over-filled” by the dealership. Despite the mess, the sled ran flawlessly the entire week.

Word from Cat – it’s critical you check the oil level after the engine reaches operating temperature.

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THROWDOWN II 2012

2012 OSM Throw Down Subjective Evaluation Key Handlebar/Control Ergonomics Bend, position on chassis, rotation, ability to adjust, overall reach, pull and shape.

Steering Effort Effort, smoothness, linear feel at both high speed and low speed.

Running Board/ Foot Well Performance Depth, width, toe hold, traction, range of motion, snow build-up, and angle.

Comfort – Ride, Handling and Stability Ability to deliver a plush ride over a wide range of conditions with limited adjustments.

Seat Performance/Seat Comfort Seat shape, height, surface material, foam density, foam comfort, range of motion.

Cockpit Ergonomics Relationship of running boards, to knees, to elbows, to hands. Sharp edges/shape Low Speed/Tight Trail Handling Performance Predictable bite, degree of counter-steer, darting.

High Speed/Sweeper Corner Handling Performance Predictable bite, degree of counter-steer, darting.

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Performance – Ride, Handling and Stability Ability to deliver ride quality over a wide range of conditions with limited adjustments.

Stutter Bump/Low Amplitude Bump & Hole Compliance Ability to deliver control, confidence, stability and comfort over trail chop.

Large Bump/High Amplitude Bump & Hole Compliance Ability to deliver control, confidence, stability and comfort over large bumps/holes.

Fit/Finish/Gauge Package Appeal, seam fit, rattles, paint quality, fasteners, easy to read and understand gauges, gauge capability.

Storage/Tool Kit/Ease of Access Quantity and quality of storage; access and standard tools available; ability to access belts, plugs, side panels, etc.

Engine Run Quality Overall engine traits including startup, idle, smoothness, burbles, flat spots, etc.

Wind Protection/Warmth Windshield and cowl protection.

Clutching Engagement quality, up-shift, back-shift, ease of tuning.

Brake Performance Brake lever effort, feedback or brake feel, brake fade, noise, etc.

Suspension Adjustment Performance/Capabilities Tuning ability, ease of access, range of tuning

THROWDOWN II 2012

2012 TRUE TRAIL THROW DOWN

THE BIG PICTURE The cumulative chart shown here 30 can be information overload.

Whether you choose to view this eye chart, or the ‘easier on the eyes’ 25 individual charts that follow, here’s what you need to know. These numbers represent the average of 20 all individual rider scores. By using the mean score, we were able to potentially eliminate individual high 15 or low anomalies for any one particular sled in a category. By doing so, a sled had to consistently score well or poorly from all riders in 10 order to make a significant impact on the Throw Down chart.

5 600 ADVENTURE

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For a first year, new chassis effort and a level of engine performance that was clearly “south” in comparison to others in the mix, the Cat was a picture of consistency, as the “flat” chart curve illustrates. A low speed steering push was the one glaring, low point.

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THROWDOWN II 2012

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Just like the Apex did a year ago, the Nytro scored extremely well in engine run quality, but an abnormally poor showing in the categories of wind protection, storage, and low speed handling kept Yamaha from a repeat victory in 2012.

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The Adventure is a damn good sled; it’s just not a great sled…yet. Despite ranking even with the Nytro, the Polaris evaluation line was flatter, which would indicate better overall performance in a broader range of conditions.

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73

THROWDOWN II 2012

THROW DOWN PETRO TALLY We kept tabs on our mileage during a two-day stint of TD2. With giant egos to feed, we were likely more liberal with the dispersal of crude than others will be, but at least we were consistent. Traveling the same trails with different riders at the helm, we monitored each sled’s appetite, while the oil czars in the Middle East gladly awaited our next fill up, with ‘palm side up’ smiles. Note: like all fuel mileage reports, and at the pleading of our lawyers, individual results may vary.

BEST MILEAGE: NYTRO XTX

NYTRO XTX

RENEGADE X 600

13.481 MPG

12.741 MPG

333.5 MILES

333.5 MILES

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helmetlight.com

DISTANCE IN MILES

RENEGADE X 600

NYTRO XTX

XF 1100

600 ADVENTURE

69

11.356 MPG

11.713 MPG

10.132 MPG

9.362 MPG

46.5

12.712 MPG

12.182 MPG

12.224 MPG

9.779 MPG

57.1

16.628 MPG

15.778 MPG

12.547 MPG

12.666 MPG

57.7

12.008 MPG

14.128 MPG

13.409 MPG

10.357 MPG

103.2

12.582 MPG

14.083 MPG

13.106 MPG

10.030 MPG

Total 333.5

12.741 MPG

13.481 MPG

12.197 MPG

10.264 MPG

600 ADVENTURE

XF 1100

10.264 MPG

12.197 MPG

333.5 MILES

333.5 MILES

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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75

THROWDOWN II 2012

TAKING A TURN Last Throw Down, we went in search of quantitative data with timing lights in hand and a man-made course of small to medium bumps. This year, in keeping with our real world mantra, we brought our timing lights to the trails of Quebec, where we found an intriguing section of trail that twisted its way though a dense, spruce forest. The objective of the Twisted Time Test was simple; navigate the course from timing beam to timing beam as quickly as possible. Of course, there were a few rules to go along with those speedy orders - you had to stay on “your side of the trail”, both skis had to stay in contact with the snow at all times, and we performed the test from both a dead stop and a trail speed, rolling start. With spotters dotting the course, any run that included ski lift or the sled drifting past the invisible trail centerline was thrown out. During the course of the afternoon, each rider recorded a series of times on each sled, and suspension calibrations were made on each sled, in an attempt to secure the best score possible. When all the numbers were in, we averaged both the rolling start time and stop start times. Those times were averaged again for an “overall” Twisted Trail score.

BEST TWISTER: RENEGADE X 600

AVERAGE TIMES RENEGADE X 600

600 ADVENTURE

16.580

16.826

SECONDS

SECONDS

OVERALL AVERAGE

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OVERALL AVERAGE

TEST TYPE

RENEGADE X 600

NYTRO XTX

XF 1100

600 ADVENTURE

Average Stopped Start Time

17.696

18.072

18.195

17.959

Average Rolling Start Time

15.464

16.263

16.424

15.693

Overall Average

16.580

17.168

17.310

16.826

NYTRO XTX

XF 1100

17.168

17.310

SECONDS

SECONDS

OVERALL AVERAGE

OVERALL AVERAGE

Renegade X600

BOURGEOIS SOUNDS OFF One thing is becoming clear after completing version two of Throw Down…expect the unexpected. Obviously we went looking for a better, and more importantly, unbiased approach to new model snowmobile evaluations when we cooked up Throw Down. We had anticipated, and frankly hoped that the results would be different…in a good way of course. Last year, we were stunned to find the Yamaha Apex sitting atop the charts, blowing our expectations and our egos out of the water. This year’s winner was more expected, but how the sleds shook out after it, was perhaps, just as surprising as last year’s winner.

The “gade” as it is affectionately known amongst its fans is a winner, period.

Despite my affection for short track buggies, it’s hard to deny all the goodness lurking within the stretched tracked Renegade. The motor is the best twostroke on the market, and dare I say, one of the best motors period. The handling is unequaled, and no matter what brand you have a strong affinity for, a few days aboard the Renegade will have you singing the Canadian national anthem and craving Tim Horton’s coffee in the morning.

All this without the rMotion suspension that resides under tunnel as standard fare in 2013… “Oh Canada!”

bar and watched my riding mates disappear ahead of me. The engine did find its groove as we racked up the miles, and for certain the ergonomics are sweet, especially for larger frame lads like me.

Even despite a low speed steering push, the overall goodness of the XF and the new ProCross chassis allowed it to finish comfortably in second place. Stuff a direct injected two-stroke under the hood and the pecking order could change quickly.

XF 1100 LXR The new look Cats are damn sexy in my opinion. Often times it takes a few trips around the turnstile for a new look buggy to get the nod of approval from even adoring fans, (think first generation Rev) but not here. With that in mind, I quickly snapped up early riding dibs on the XF1100 during day one of the Throw Down…what the hell was I thinking? Despite Cat’s brass giving us the song and dance on how the normally aspirated 1100 four-stroke is true 600 power, thanks to the lightweight chassis it is now secured in, you couldn’t convince me as I mashed flipper firmly to ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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THROWDOWN II 2012

Nytro XTX There wasn’t one of us in the group of Throw Down jockeys who hadn’t already had an “experience” aboard a Nytro buggy from the past. Despite front suspension tweaks over the years since its introduction, the “quirkiness” of the Nytro is much like a hangover you can’t shake. Clearly the 2012 version is much improved from that first year sled, but the faint taste of stomach bile seemed to lurk in the back of my throat as I approached turns at near “blow-through” speed. To be honest, we cheated a smidge with the 2012 Nytro XTX by installing the new Tuner ski onto its aluminum spindle, dramatically transforming the upright beast and giving us a glimpse of what to expect with the 2013 version. The ride is smooth in terms of both steering input and throttle control, and the Nytro returns the favor…piss it off and you get out what you put in. A stunning motor, great fit and finish, and admirable ride quality are cancelled out by cumbersome off-trail habits, too cold to ride in mid-January protection, and low speed handling nags.

Adventure 600 What the hell happened? Up until the results of Throw Down were tallied, we were thrilled with the performance and comfort of the new Polaris sport-touring buggy. Oh sure there were shortcomings, namely the hard to tune rear suspension, excessive steering effort, and a poor level of fit and finish that seems to remain

like to see a place to lock your hooves in the stirrups versus the large, sloppy openings (call me old school). Run quality of the 600 e-tec makes four-strokes envious, as do mileage numbers at day’s end. With the larger sized window attached, this sled can be ridden briskly for many miles with very little effort as the damper calibrations are spot on for the task and in need of very little adjustment.

Bumblebee color combinations have run the course, so let’s change it up.

MACDONALD’S ANALYSIS

Renegade X 600 The pure aesthetics of the Renegade seat is that of a fine Italian sports car; great shape, sexy lines, and an appearance that is almost too good to sit on. Once aboard however, this sled is hard to find fault with. Stand up riding is tailor made and so too is sit-down, but I’d

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stagnant while others continue to improve, but prior to Throw Down, the sled had become a staff favorite. The result however, brought to light the simple fact that the Adventure is darn good sled. It’s just not a great sled; at least not yet. Give me power steering, improve overall ride comfort, and buff out the rough edges and the Adventure could dramatically improve its GPA.

Adventure 600 The locked and loaded Adventure has a great ability for carrying capacity with its stock luggage, reminiscent of an “oldschool” wood-grain station wagon. Overall suspension calibration was the best of any Pro-Ride I’ve ridden to date, and even seemed to perform admirably in small chatter bumps. The obnoxiously noisy estart was only the first of the excessive mechanical noises you’ll hear from under

the hood of an otherwise good running, albeit thirsty USA twin.

Cockpit ergos from seat to bars to footwells are near perfect for taller riders. However, the heavy steering turns from nuisance to nag, especially when negotiating the tight twisties at days end.

Keep refining this steed and I might even start to feel like a Pro.

Nytro XTX As expected, the fit and finish is second to none, and despite the lack of wind protection, the ergos are comfortable. The inline triple four-stroke motor belts out a melody that is reminiscent of its sportbike heritage and pulls long and hard on the top end. If you keep your attention tuned on smooth corner entry and gentle throttle usage, you can keep the Nytro on line without the unexpected and abrupt inside ski pitch. With smoothness in check, the rear end of the sled works very well in the mid stroke at isolating the rider from the chatter, yet it will still bite back on large, sharp edge bumps without notice.

Massage the front end, send it to the chiropractor, put on a big window and add some type of storage, and the Nytro XTX will continue to improve and continue to draw more riders.

XF 1100 LXR They build ‘em big in Thief River Falls, which at first made my 6-foot plus stature seem inadequate, but once seated and plodding down the trail, I quickly felt at home aboard the all-new ProCross chassis.

The seat is wide and firm with a heater element that is nothing short of a must have. Combine it with the big standard window and you have a recipe for warmth on even the coldest of days. The four-stroke motor has a unique, almost industrial sound to it that remains low in the decibel range.

There is a feeling of disconnect between the handlebars and the skis, and the

system requires excessive handlebar movement versus the desired angle of vehicle trajectory. I learned to use the radial-mounted brake lever when entering corners all the way to the apex, at which time you can start to apply throttle again, throwing large amounts of snow from the hybrid 1.5-inch track. The rear suspension has a habit of feeling very taut from about ž stroke, but works well up to that point and oddly enough, well beyond that point with gout bumps. A little more steering precision, some storage, (I know you're under there) improved rear skid calibration, and the XF will be creeping up on the Renegades Throw Down crown.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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79

THROWDOWN II 2012

Renegade X 600

ERICKSON’S THROW DOWN, LOW DOWN A year ago, I was among those stunned by our Throw Down findings. The realworld, extended time testing with more depth and objective testing than any other snow test, reveals the subtle details that formed my overall opinions. This year, our planes, trains and automobiles odyssey to the widely varying terrain of beaver country had me saddled up with an open mind and ample curiosity, eh?

The highest scorer, by a sizable margin, was the Ski-Doo and it too, is my top choice. The addition of the r-Motion makes the Renegade all the more appealing, and the E-TEC 6 remains an almost perfect blend of two stroke performance, EPA compliance, lightweight, smooth power, and economy. Run quality is superb; the skid does everything well; the steering is the most precise; and the driver position offers the best overall control. There’s nothing I can write that you haven’t read before; the REV-based sleds have been the most confident handlers when it comes to performance trail sleds. Add the improved suspension with a wider range of comfort for a wider range of conditions and riding styles and voila – it remains a class leader.

XF1100 LXR The new Cat didn’t make the varsity squad in its freshman year, but there was enough ergonomic, suspension, and comfort points to lock it in as my runner up.

Like the Twin Spar evolution, I expect the engineers to have strong coffee brewing into the evening, in order to work on its handling. The Twin Spar was a great handling performance sled its last years on

snow, and the Pro Cross platform is a much better starting point. I hope the added bite and feel to have more confident, quicker steering comes without compromising the stable, flat feeling. I was a little leery of the 1100 four-stroke as an adequate 600-class contender, but riding the XF for several hundred miles made me a believer.

Adventure 600 This longer track and rear suspension length seem to widen the calibration range of the Pro Ride rear. Ergonomics are improved, too – with a great seat and the longer running boards, the Switchback Adventure was calling on us to keep piling on the miles. We used the saddlebags and proved their worth – we all stashed something in there, from spare gloves and goggles to a jerky cache. Like its short track mate, the rougher the trail, the better the Polaris performed. If I was heading to a location with relentless bumps between points A and B, this is the sled I want. Run quality is tops – its downfall is its steering effort coupled with nagging, mid-corner stability that robs some of the good times when compared to, namely, the Renegade.

Nytro XTX After years of riding the Nytro platform sleds, and after revisions to each subsequent model year to front geometry, ski profiles, and tracks, Yamaha’s persistence has paid off. The chassis and four-stroke powerband require drivers to operate it differently to keep it most stable – neutral throttle in the corners keeps the front planted. Activate the fantastic Genesis engine too early, and mid-corner corrections are required. Hence the advantage of our test longevity: in a typical sled shootout, when coming from another sled to the Nytro, drivers have little time to adjust to evaluate all that the Nytro offers. While the ergos are not to my preferences, suspension and engine performance are terrific where it counts and handling is much better than what other media are saying.

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EDWARDS SERMON

Renegade X 600 The Renegade was a rough ride out of the box… far too rough for most consumers I know. I guess if you were going to pound through bumps and loft off wind blown lips, the ride would be ok, but for “normal” guys it was a dump truck. We softened it way up for the test, and the results speak for themselves, but I’d still like to take it even further and re-valve the stacks for an even more supple ride. The 600 e-tec surprised me with its corner-tocorner blasts. On the downside, I froze my berries off riding this sled. When the XP body style came out, I had hoped it would address one of the biggest nags of the original REV…it hasn’t. I remember when I was little, my Dad made me put a thick chunk of newspaper across my lap to keep his broken down Olympic from “spitting up” on me. Looks like I’ll still need that chunk of newspaper when riding yellow, only now it’s to keep me warm.

Adventure 600 When I first got on this sled, I was relieved; excited actually. For starters, I

never leave home without my collapsible hat. Over the years I’ve had to not only leave my 5-gallon hats at home, but even my dirty Ashton Kutcher trucker caps were feeling abandoned as more and more sled came to market with no standard storage.

Such is not the case with the Adventure.

As for the sled itself; it sits high, and despite changing to very soft suspension calibrations, the sled still had a tendency to feel nervous and wanting to “high side” when entering a corner. To eliminate those feelings, you had to ride the Adventure with extra effort, making sure to get far forward and shifting your body weight accordingly. By the way, where are the hand guards? Isn’t this an adventure sled?

corners and was willing to trade sleds with anyone who answered to Jacque on the well-maintained Quebec trails. But then something happened; I started to rethink how I was entering and exiting corners, along with my associated acceleration patterns. After another 20-minutes of riding, I was loving the XTX. In fact, I felt it was the fastest corner-to-corner sled of the group, IF you learn to adapt your riding style accordingly. Keep the power on, no sudden or abrupt changes in direction, smooth power up after you hit the apex and you can literally haul ass with this sled. I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks.

Nytro XTX

What’s not to get excited about when you get a chance to Throw Down with an all-new platform that in my opinion, is the best looking sled in this group. There is plenty that can go wrong with a first year sled, and taking that into consideration, you have to admire the first year performance of the ProCross platform.

The sled stays flat in the corner - flat like a sugar sprinkled chunk of homemade lefse from northern Minnesota. However, steering lacked the precision past that Cats have been known for. Don’t get me wrong, the sled always made the turn, but it often felt vague and required excessive handlebar movement in order to initiate action at the skis. Power is deceiving for the normally aspirated four-stroke; it sounds slow and admittedly, acceleration is lacking compared to other sleds in the mix. But once it spools up and you learn to keep the revs up, it can hang with the 600 class day after day, even on the wideopen trails of northern Quebec. I’m expecting big things from this chassis in the coming years. ✪

I’ll admit that I was the last guy to take up saddle residence on the Nytro XTX on day one. As far as I was concerned, I’d spent enough time on a Nytro since its inception to know what I was getting myself into, and there was no reason to rush back into the lion’s den. Once aboard, I wanted nothing to do with the Nytro, and refused to conform to its quirky ways. I manhandled it around

XF 1100 LXR

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Burn guide

E LAK GRAND Colorado nown as the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake Colorado has that special blend of groomed trails, off-trail powder, amazing food, and hometown friendliness that makes it an OSM Good Burn. Unlike the frantic tourist town of Estes Park to the east, Grand Lake slows things down and offers up a lot more smiles from the locals. Eclectic shops, a ton of amazing restaurants, a few dimly lit saloons and one damn good pizza shop line the wood plank boardwalk that comprises the three-block-long main street. On the edge of town, you’ll find several snowmobile rental shops and a nearby Polaris and Ski-Doo dealership.

Nestled adjacent to the deep and bone chilling waters of Grand Lake, the community sits at a tidy 8,437 feet above sea level, and the trails that lead from town go up from there. Annual snowfall in town is a whopping 185inches, and that amount goes up by leaps and bounds as you head towards the peaks found within the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. A total of 300 miles of trail interlace the area, with more than 150-miles groomed meticulously. With the majestic views of the Rocky Mountain National Forests always near, the off trail riding is epic in both terrain and views.

We’ve had the opportunity to visit the Grand Lake region in both winter and summer, and the place is just as amazing during the summer months with ATV and kayak rentals available to further explore the region. Plus, the town is truly alive on the weekends, serving as a top lake destination for many Denver residents. Accommodations range from affordable and rustic rooms to nicely equipped condominiums on the outskirts of town.

Located less than 100 miles from the city of Denver, it’s a relatively easy commute too, whether you choose to fly, or perhaps tow your own from points further east or west. With only one pass to traverse between Denver and Grand Lake, and all roads being well-traveled main arteries leading directly to the city limits, highway conditions are generally very favorable. For more information and to plan a burn of your own, visit www.grandlakechamber.com.

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The trail starts just on the edge of Grand Lake, near two rental outfits and a handful of quality hotels, including the Gateway Inn (recommended).

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Sopapillas, a Mexican desert that can best be described as deep fried bread goodness, is often dusted in cinnamon and sugar with its hollow center left in tact. At Panchos & Lefty’s in Grand Lake, the center is filled with more goodness; we suggest the strawberry variety.

Our summer trip to Grand Lake was complete when we spied a few vintage Ski-Doo buckets awaiting an early snowfall.

Of course, the real reason to get to Grand Lake this winter is the riding. The trails serve up great variety, and the number of “play areas” just off the trail is endless.

Typically closed during the winter months, you’ll find the Dairy King bustling in the summer. Think homemade ice cream, only better.

• 300 miles of trail • 1.5 million acres of off-trail riding • Hub city – Grand Lake population 471 • Best burger – Sloopy’s Grill • Best Breakfast – Fat Cat Café • Best BBQ – Sagebrush Grill • Best Beer – Grand Lake Brewing Company • Best Desert – Sopapillas @ Pancho & Lefty’s • Snowmobile Rentals & Tours: - Grand Adventures www.grandaventures.com - Lone Eagle Rentals www.loneeaglelodge.com - On the Trail Rentals www.onthetrailrentals.com - Spirit Lake Snowmobile Rentals www.spiritlakelodge.com

All in, Grand Lake boasts a population of “regulars” just under 500, but the place is hopping every weekend as “weekenders” give the town an up-beat vibe.

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2013 Arctic Cat XF1100 Cross Tour

TESTED

OSM

2013 Arctic Cat

XF1100

By Tim Erickson

Cross Tour

Mile Hound A

year ago, dealers were accepting delivery of new Polaris Switchback Adventure models, armed with brochure claims that a new sport-touring class of snowmobiles had emerged. A year later, the green team has a platform of its own - the 2013 Cross Tour models.

With the ProCross long-rail XF chassis as its host, only Arctic Cat officials know if this vehicle was in the product plan all along, or a quick response to Polaris’ Adventure. Regardless, while the manufacturer’s “sport tourer” definition may be new, this snowmobiler segment is not. Like the former, the Cross Tour adds additional amenities to ensure its

targeted buyers have more of the features they desire from the show floor.

We sampled the XF1100 Cross Tour last spring to see how well its features and ride would appeal to distance and pointto-point champions.

While aimed to compete with 600-class two strokes, like other Cats moved by the 1056cc four-stroke twin, there is a lack of off-the-line excitement. It’s faster than it “feels” because the human sense of hearing is only half awakened, and revs don’t build quickly, so drivers miss out on any audible enthusiasm. Instead, speed builds quickly at the steady drone of linear, mid-rpm torque. Only toward its respectable top end does the engine rev

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OSM

2013Arctic Cat

TESTEDXF1100 CROSS TOUR

Like the other F- and XF-based sleds, the new Cross Tour models use the track-tested Arctic Race Suspension. It’s controlled by Fox Zero Pro dampers.

out. The $11,699 Cross Tour is also available with a two-stroke 800 and an 1100 Turbo power option, and either addresses the immediate-punch feel quite nicely, but they arrive with an MSRP of $12,999 and $14,399, respectively.

Pick your price-point pleasure. With any powerplant under the XF’s sleek skin, (available in orange or black) the rest of the sled is adorned with a tall windshield, and a mid-height bar riser and mountain bar combo that is conducive to sitting or standing. When seated, drivers can power on the heated seat and look rearward in the mirrors and watch the snowstorm. While the

standard 15 x 141 x 1.25-inch Cobra track is plenty grippy on hardpack, it throws a mighty roost. Chances are the goggle bag that mounts below the deluxe gauge cluster and uses engine heat to thaw its contents, will be used more often by followers.

Like other ProCross machines, the XF1100 steers easily, albeit a tad lazy and lacks a lot of feel, but it still inspires loads of flat-cornering confidence, for spirited jaunts to the local burger hut or far-away places where the odometer adds miles quickly. It’s vaguely reminiscent of the Sabercat – a long, low feel. The race-developed front

Nice Rack! The heavy-duty , aluminum rear cargo rack is styled quite nicely, and serves as a host for numerous available accessories like touring packs, and whatever your bungees can creatively tie down.

suspension and Fox FLOAT 2-equipped rear skid are both comfort tuned, and the air shock is easily adjusted for added weight when loaded with overnighter gear, and pointed toward a destination of distant coordinates.

Curiously, Arctic Cat did not follow Polaris’ lead with equipping the sled with saddle bags as standard. Instead, in addition to the goggle pouch are a

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2013Arctic Cat

XF1100 CROSS TOUR

handlebar bag and a rear storage bag, along with a large capacity, aluminum rear cargo rack for additional accessories. We like the new $249 tunnel cargo bag (accessory catalog item #6639-049) that includes a large center bag and saddlebags.

What’s more, the Cross Tour takes the touring concept one complete step beyond the Adventure with an optional passenger seat that slips over the tail of the existing seat and is attached with four bolts. Complete with backrest and passenger handholds, the 2-Up Seat Kit (accessory catalog item #5639-717) keeps functionality of the rear rack intact, as well as a small underseat storage bag.

With the accessory luggage, the Cross Tour is equipped for comfortable, sport touring travel. If driving in sporty mode, drivers should expect 16-18 miles per gallon. Combined with its long footprint and 10 gallons in a full tank, the Cross Tour can travel just as easily to distant, remote destinations. This will be a choice machine for mile hounds who love to boast their distances on chat rooms.

Trans-Ontario, anyone? ✪

Pause a moment and remind yourself about the technology in the rear. The handsome rails and between them, the Tri-hub drum rear wheel assembly are both lessons in weight savings.

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TEAR

BENCH RACING, PIT GOSSIP AND PODIUM PARTIES

BY GOODWOOD & BEERSTEIN

ere we are on the cusp of another race season. Actually, by the time you get this issue, we’ll be waist-deep in the race season, but for the moment, let’s pretend. So, right now hundreds of young, glassy-eyed kids are prepping their new machines to go racing on the snocross, cross-country, and ice tracks that will soon spring up on our wintery landscape. And these kids spend, as in spending time and money on sleds; clothing; parts; fuel; trucks; trailers; tools; energy drinks, and a few packages of those tasty, powdersugar drenched doughnut gems at the local gas station…Mmmmm. (See why they are glassy-eyed?)

Fact is, they spend on anything and everything associated with snowmobile racing, none of which is really practical or needed for everyday life, but it becomes a priority for them. Oh, that and social media…but that’s another rant.

An associate of ours, who’s an experienced

H

amateur racer that almost made the big time before age caught up with him, once philosophized to us. He said, “You know, instead of racing, they should call it ‘last minute preparation,’ because that’s usually what it comes down to.”

He’s right. No matter how much you practice or prepare, you’ll be up late into the night on the eve of every race. You’ll rush to order parts and then pay double for next day shipping. You’ll beg, borrow and yeah, sometimes even steal things to make your race day happen. You’ll load your sleds in the dark a few hours before you need to leave the next morning, and you’ll lie in bed with your head full of mysterious, blank images of things you’ve probably forgotten.

A couple short hours later, the alarm will ring and you’ll get up and head out to the truck and check the trailer coupling or, if you’re like us, check to make sure the ratchet strap holding the sled in the truck bed is still tight, and your toolbox won’t slide out of the bed on the way. The truck seat feels stiff from the cold, and you’ll drive hunched over for the first 10 miles or so, waiting for it and the entire

cab to thaw. Then, it’s hours of pounding the road to get to the race. Once at track, you’ll find the pit entrance and hope you have enough cash to pay for the entry fees, wristbands, passes, parking, and if you’re lucky…food.

You park and unload the sleds, get through tech, pull a staging number, stage, and then wait. Your buddy cleans your clutches and eagerly does stuff you would never ask him to do. You know, grunt work. But he does it and all he expects in return is maybe a thank you later on in the day. He just wants to be part of it. Then you ride - maybe it’s snocross heats maybe it’s cross-country – or maybe vintage ovals. Whatever it is, you ride the crap out of your sled and hope for the best – a good finish; no yard sales, and knock on wood; no injuries.

When it’s over, you load up and get back in your truck. It’s dark once again, and the evening chill has returned, just in time for the long drive back. Maybe you have a trophy on the seat. You think about all the things you could have done better. It was a good day though. It’s always a good day

BEFORE DULUTH BECAME THE EPICENTER FOR SNOCROSS, IT WAS CASUAL OLD-SCHOOL, WITH MOST RACERS WRENCHING ON THE GROUND, WITH THEIR TOOLBOXES SITTING ON TAILGATES. DULUTH WAS HUGE IN THOSE EARLY YEARS, AND THERE’S A LESSON IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

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DOWN ABOVE: TODAY THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT (NO PUN INTENDED) OF DULUTH LIVES ON IN THE JUNIOR CLASSES, BUT THERE’S A NEW DIVIDE THAT BECOMES ALL TOO CLEAR WHEN THESE KIDS RIDE TO STAGING, IN THE SHADOW OF THE SEMI-RIGS THAT STAND GUARD OVER THESE LANES. THE PATH FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER IS AS STEEP AS IT EVER WAS; MAYBE TOO STEEP? racing. And heck, even if it was a bad day, racing it would still be better than going to work the next day. This same story has been repeated every season for decades, and will for decades to come.

Here’s another little story for all you kids out there - back in the day Beerstein challenged me to a one-time race - winner take all type of deal. Seems I had a new set of ice fishing tipups and he wanted ‘em bad. Everyone was sold out, even the Big K in the big city. Now don’t tell him I said this, but I can outride Beerstein on pretty much any day, as long as it ends with “Y” so said yeah, what the heck.

“Here’s the rules,” he says. “We run down the river, down the ditch along the old highway, down old man Turner’s fence line and then back to the shop in the ditch.” The rules? You had to use a leaf spring sled, and you only had 24-hours to get it prepped.

Ha! This time I had him for sure. No one could ride a leafer down a ditch like me (at least that’s how I picture myself as I make those snowmobile noises from my lips and visualize myself killing it down a ditchline as I drive down the road in the summer). Besides, no one can prep a sled faster than me.

I lost those tip-ups, and do you know why?

Unbeknownst to me, Beerstein had his sled picked out and prepped before I ever agreed to race. He caught me with an age-old racing trick. What looked too good to be true, actually was. He’d done his homework and turned in his assignment long before I even got to class.

Turns out the old guy can ride “ok” too.

Okay, enough chit chat. Last issue we named names, mostly in reference to a carbon fiber chassis, built for a snocross team last season. According to some folks, we got the prices wrong; we got info wrong, etc, etc.

Now, we’re not ones to backstab sources, so let’s just call it water under the bridge. But here’s some more beer for thought. Back when we were cub reporters on the beat, Beerstein and I once had a grizzled old veteran editor, (with fingers forever stained from cigarettes and fussing with typewriter ribbon) tell us that a couple of letters to the editor constituted a flood. His reasoning was that for every letter sent in, there are probably a bunch of people who feel the same way, but didn’t take the time to send a letter. So when someone writes to the office, and is madder than a racer that just ran out of gas on the track, we consider that a good thing because hey, at least someone’s reading! That old grizzled, veteran editor also told us that sometimes the truth hurts. ✪

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13 Weeks of Power Sometimes the Dream Job of a Snowmobile Product Manager is Anything But can’t begin to count how many times we’ve heard the phrase, “you guys have the best job in the world.” Sometimes they’re right, but many more times they only see the good stuff. The job of snowmobile product manager is perhaps at the top of the “dream job list” for a snowmobile enthusiast, but with only four such positions in the world, it’s safe to say the odds of landing the elusive role are slim to none.

The complex roll of Snowmobile Product Manager involves understanding, managing, and connecting the dots between what’s happening at a grassroots level amongst enthusiasts; listening and reacting to customer

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desires and complaints; ensuring dealer network wants and needs are being addressed; understanding both engineering’s and manufacturing’s capabilities and limitations, while always keeping a watchful eye on the company’s bottom line. Still sound like a dream job?

Still, the idea of playing “God” in the development of a future snowmobile model remains the stuff dreams are made of for many of us. With stars in our eyes, we convinced Yamaha Product Manager Rob Powers to document his “summer vacation” and give us a behind the scenes look at being a snowmobile Product Manager, both at the office and away.

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I performed a product familiarization ride on a 4-stroke Zuma in early June. I was really surprised how fun a little scooter can be. Don’t let the meager displacement fool you, the black bomb topped out at 35mph and handled well. Mothers just stared when I made a run through the local grocery store parking lot.

One of my favorite pastimes is riding dirt bikes in the woods. I’m not a big 75-foot double kind of guy. This picture is from Black River Falls, Wisconsin where they have three single track loops totaling 28 miles. Good stuff!

The Indy Racing League (IRL) comes to the Milwaukee Mile every year, which is just a short drive from our Pleasant Prairie offices. This year I took my Son Logan to the race.

Thanks to two buddies who work on IRL teams, we received “inside” treatment.

One of my all time faves, Iron Maiden, performed at Summer Fest in Milwaukee. Getting good pictures from a camera phone at night isn’t easy.

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Blowing off some steam after those graphics meetings!

PS: Don’t break into my house.

Did you know it takes five, 10-minute runs at full throttle, building maximum horsepower in order to pass an EPA test? This photo show a trail boosted sled on the dyno; the exhaust gets so hot it turns nearly white after just one run.

Before we introduced our fall graphic kit promotion, hours were spent designing and reviewing the various concepts. This was the first go around, and they did a great job!

Now, if I could just get our logo police to lighten up, this will be a lot easier. ☺

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I’m not the only one who enjoys riding dirt bikes; my entire family enjoys riding, no matter the season. Here, Logan is ripping it up on his bike; still a day doesn’t go by when he doesn’t ask me about an SRX120!

After a day in the dirt at Haydays, our crew took in some more horsepower with the Osceola truck pull, just a few blocks down from our hotel. I think the old Ford won!

I rode my Super Tenere to Haydays this past September. The total trip was just over 1,200 miles; not a bad few day’s ride. The cleanup took almost nearly as long, with bugs and mud nestled into every nook and cranny.

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What customers think I do.

What, you didn’t think I would tell you what I'm really working on did you? The 2014 model introduction is just around the corner and you’ll just have to wait and see what Yamaha has in store.

What my wife thinks I do.

What I really do… glamorous right?!

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ON I T CAP ST E T CON

CAPTION THIS CONTEST Send us your best caption for the December Caption This photo above and one lucky winner will receive a pair of “game changing” OSM My Package underwear or one of the other pieces of gear found in our back swag room. The winning caption will appear in a future issue of OSM as well as on our website (www.osmmag.com) and our FaceBook page. Good luck!

SEND YOUR CAPTION TO INFO@OSMMAG.COM

PREVIOUS WINNER Congratulations to Kirk for his winning September Caption.

She’s so hungry to ride, she took a bite out of the windshield!

or those who are always on the search for vintage snowmobiles, it’s the road less traveled that often bears the most fruit. On Snow Magazine’s own Darryl Aspin, who spends most of his time hunkered over a computer designing both OSM and ATV World magazines, stumbled upon these three bones while mountain biking earlier this fall. “They were in the middle of nowhere,” read the text message from Darryl who clicked these raw images with his iPhone. Indeed the Ariens Arrow and Moto-Ski have seen better days but rumor has it the Ariens “runs on spray”…hmmmm.

F

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MAKE IT OFFICIAL. 2013

TUCKER HIBBERT TEAM MONSTER ENERGY ARCTIC CAT PODIUM HAT

Introducing the all-new Tucker Hibbert Team Monster Energy/Arctic Cat Podium Hat. Designed by the champ himself, the 2013 edition is highlighted by bright green stitching and accents.

Make it official and order yours today!

$25 US DOLLARS

+ SHIPPING & HANDLING

N OW S H I P P I N G TO U S A , C A NA DA , D E N M A R K , F I N L A N D, I C E L A N D, N O RWAY, S W E D E N A N D T H E U N I T E D K I N G D O M

+ VISIT TUCKER-HIBBERT.COM AND CLICK THE SHOP LINK See Tucker’s entire 2013 merchandise line today at tucker-hibbert.com or at Tucker’s Official Merchandise Booth at every ISOC National Snocross event.

+ TUCKER HIBBERT 2012 FIM SNOWCROSS WORLD CHAMPION

© 2012 Tucker Hibbert

holiday gift guide DIVAS LOVE SNOW HOODIE Ladies, this super soft and comfortable hoodie will become a favourite in your wardrobe. It has Divas SnowGear on the front left chest, and “LOVE SNOW” across the back. There’s nothing wrong with letting everyone know your feelings toward the white gold. www.disvassnowgear.com

FXR AVIATOR HAT Keeping the old brain pain warm and looking stylish at the same time is very important out on the trails. When a beanie (or for our Canadian friends - a Toque) just won’t cut it, this Aviator Hat from FXR makes a perfect gift. Available in men’s and ladies colors, so guys - maybe this might make her happy after she opens the vacuum cleaner you thought was a good idea. www.fxrracing.com

ZOAN FLUX RUPTURE HELMET If your better half has put a module helmet on the Christmas Wish list, then the two-piece Rupture Modular helmet from Zoan is what you should wrap up.

With removable snow breath guard, modular construction, 3 intake vents, 4 exhaust vents and quick release inner HD amber sun shield, this serious bucket cover has all the bells and whistles to make your hubby scream like Ralphie after he opened his Red Ryder B.B. Gun. www.marshalldistributing.com 100

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SENA BLUE TOOTH COMMUNICATOR We at OSM know that helmet time is very important and sometimes should not be disturbed. However, you may want to reconsider your solo helmet time, with the introduction of the SMH10 Dual Snowmobile Pack from Sena. Thanks to the latest in Bluetooth Technology, (if you do not know what Bluetooth is, you can stop reading now) this headset lets you connect with other headsets for full communication within a range of almost a 1km in open areas. The Sena headset also lets you connect via Bluetooth to your smart phone, a useful feature for those Wednesday afternoon rides, when your boss thinks you are on the road visiting clients. The coolest feature is, it enables you to connect with your iPod via Bluetooth, (or with supplied wire if you have an old school iPod) so your helmet is now a full-on boom box. Helmet time just got way better. www.denniskirk.com

COMMUNICATION SAFETY SYSTEM Here’s a simple, yet effective item that makes for a perfect stocking stuffer. The communication safety system is a housing of high-intensity LED lights, which warns oncoming trail traffic of the status of the riders in the group. The leader and followers set the color to yellow, which indicates caution and more riders approaching, while the last rider displays green to indicate they are the last in the group. www.AlsSnowmobile.com

HELMET LIGHT Due to FAA regulations, rumor has it that Old’ Saint Nick has been seen sporting a Lead-Dog helmet light. The reason is – it works. The long life halogen bulb projects a beam of light that illuminates up to a mile away and lights up the area around your sled where the standard headlight cannot shine. When the Lead-Dog is on, the unit glows red, so that others in the back and on the side can also see you. It easily mounts to any helmet, and is a breeze to install onto the existing head and brake light wiring of your sled. The “Lead Dog” in your sledding family will love it. www.helmetlight.com

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holiday gift guide

FXR RENEGADE BOOT If last season you spent the day with wet mushy feet, then maybe you should be adding a new pair of boots to your Christmas list.

The Renegade Boot from FXR is a lightweight, high-performance riding boot that combines durable materials with maximum support. The three lace system makes getting in and out of the boot a breeze, and the 100% seam-sealed inner lining and highly water-resistant exterior will keep your feet warm and dry to the last mile. Lastly, the outsole has been strategically designed for traction in all riding positions, including wrong-foot-forward, and features a toe and heel kick for cleaning snow and ice from running boards. The design team at FXR thought of everything. www.fxrracing.com

TRAIL TECH GPS Who doesn’t like shiny electronics under the tree for Christmas?

The Voyager GPS from Trail Tech was designed with the off-road enthusiast in mind. Not only is it a GPS that will track location; GPS speed; altitude; location; and drop waypoints, (like dropping breadcrumbs in the forest) it also acts as an onboard computer that has the ability to hook into the inner workings of your buggy to monitor vitals like engine temp and RPMs. As well, the Trail Tech comes with a Micro SD data port, so you can either save your route data or upload 3rd party trail map data, has a LCD screen which is readable in direct sunlight, and can be run on vehicle power or internal battery. This is one toy that is sure to get used this Christmas. www.trailtech.net

VIPER SMART START Not everything under the tree needs to be for the sled. How about having a warm truck waiting for you when you get back from a long day on the trails? The Viper Smart Start system allows you to remote start your truck from your smart phone, virtually anywhere you find cell service. It also allows you to lock and unlock your car, just by pushing a button on your cell phone. Also, and not that we want to talk about it, but it will also locate your truck should you arrive back to the parking lot after a day on trails to find an empty spot where your truck used to be. The system requires a hardware install and applications are available for iPhones, Androids and Blackberrys. This is one of those luxury snowmobile gifts for the sledder who has everything. www.viper.com

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WISECO PISTONS Ladies, nothing says I love you more than the gift of new pistons. You know the feeling you get when you open the little tiny jewellery box on Christmas morning to find a little bobble that makes you scream with excitement?

Yup, your guy is going to feel the same way when we opens up and sees a brand new pair of shiny pistons for his sled – we promise. Wiseco leads when it comes to producing aftermarket, forged pistons. Need a little help picking out just the right pair? Our friends at Hi-Performance are standing by to help. www.hiperf.com

C&A PRO SKIS If the sledder in your life is all about High Marking and riding big powder, then a set of HighMark Edition Skis from C&A Pro Skis is your answer. The HighMark is made of superior-strength, white Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) poly and comes with C&A Pro’s distinctively shaped white handles.

The best part though, is you also get a limited edition, flat-billed embroidered cap. The hat is only available when you buy the skis, so when your sledder is sporting the hat, all his buddies will know he got a new pair for Christmas. www.caproskis.net

DIVAS CADET HAT Guys, we at OSM are all about helping you get through that shopping list quick, so you can get back out on the trails. This little item makes a perfect gift and the Cadet Hat is all the rage - we promise. This hat is decorated with the Divas SnowGear flying heart and a blinged-out rhinestone patch. She’ll love it. www.divassnowgear.com

SLED NECKS 15 We at OSM have had the sneak peak of this Video since the fall. All we can say is that this is a must have sledding video for the movie library. Ladies, it is redundant if we tell you this is a perfect stocking stuffer for your man. Now go back and return that copy of “P.S, I Love You”- he’s not going to like it, no matter what he tells you Christmas morning. www.slednecks.com

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holiday gift guide

APEX HD GOGGLE Capturing your epic riding skills is now a blast with the new Apex Goggle from Liquid Image. The goggle contains a full HD video camera that shoots at 1080P at 30 fps, with a continuous shot photo mode. The lens will adjust 30 degrees to suit either the sit down or stand up rider, and has 135 degree, wide angle coverage. The audio component features a wind guard, so your movies don’t come out like you shot them from the front of Santa’s Sleigh (which is behind Doner and Blitzen).

Lastly, the best option new for this year is the ability for the camera to be controlled via WiFi with your smart phone. www.liquidimageco.com

BOSS SEATS Whether you have duct tape holding the old seat together, or just want to bling up the sleigh with a new custom seat, you need to look no further than Boss Seats. New this year on the Pro Seats, Boss has added the StudGrip™ material to both sides of the seat for maximum maneuverability and reduced sliding. They offer styles for all makes and models, in stock and ready to ship, or you can design your seat to look the way you like through the customized seat. Whether you are riding trail, mountain or on the track, these seats are going to give you comfort. www.firstplaceparts.com

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FXR TRANSPORTER BAG Large boxes under the tree always make for an exciting Christmas morning. The gear bag from FXR is large enough to carry all your gear and features a two-way top zipper, large side zippered pouch and dual zippered end compartments. Sizing in at 37� x 14� x 14�, it truly is big enough to haul all the sled gear. And it will look like you wrapped up a smart car under the tree. Remember, size matters. www.fxrracing.com

OPTRIX SPORT CASE HD Did you already blow the Christmas budget on an iPhone and wish you saved some cash for the helmet-mounted cam? This item is going to resolve that problem. The Optrix HD is a rugged Sports Case for the iPhone 4/4S that mounts to your helmet and shoots 1080p video from your iPhone. The membrane on the back of the case is touchscreen, so you can fully operate your iPhone. It is designed with a quick release system and has available video applications from iTunes, which allows you to lock focus and change resolutions that are not available through the iPhone operating system. Now get out there and capture your sweet sled moves. www.optrixhd.com

AMSOIL QUICK SHOT Ladies, we know you love buying shaving cream and shampoo for the stocking stuffers, but why not think outside the box this Christmas, and stuff his stocking with something he really wants; A bottle of Quickshot from Amsoil. It is designed and formulated to thoroughly clean and restore the peak performance in your man’s sled, and its technology focuses on issues that plagues snowmobile engines; ethanol, water and dirty pump gas. All that in one little bottle. www.amsoil.com

SNOWMOBILE LIFT This is truly a gift that keeps on giving. It is one of those presents that every snowmobiler needs at one time or another, but probably has not bucked up and bought. If your snowmobiler is the guy who uses an old stump to keep his sled up, then this makes a perfect gift. www.AlsSnowmobile.com ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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Shop with the Pink Ribbon Riders Proceeds from the Pink Ribbon Riders online store come right back to the Pink Ribbon Riders efforts of helping men and women diagnosed with breast cancer. Check the PRR online store every month as we add new things all the time.

Your purchase is our way of advertising. When you where the PRR merchandise you help us spread the word of our mission! And when you pay online with your credit card, the Pink Ribbon Riders are teamed with EPS ( Electronic Payment Systems) that makes an additional donation back to the PRR from the credit card processing fee normally charged to the PRR. So your purchase will make a DOUBLE DONATION! * If you are a business or company that processes credit cards and would like to help the PRR. Please contact info@pinkribbonriders,com today for more details.

The 2013 Snow Run Tour Schedule: 7th Annual Minnesota Snow Run January 4 & 5, Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand Rapids 4th Annual North Dakota Snow Run January 11 & 12, Twin Oaks Resort, Bottineau 7th Annual Michigan Snow Run January 25 & 26, Gaylord, MI 9th Annual New York Snow Run February 8 & 9, The George Hildebrandt Recreation Center, Old Forge 6th Annual Wisconsin Snow Run February 15 & 16, Amsoil Championship Eagle River Derby Track, Eagle River 2nd Annual Colorado Snow Run March 8 & 9, Winding River Ranch & Equestrian Center, Grand Lake 6th Annual Wyoming Snow Run March 15 & 16, Togwotee Mountain Lodge, Moran

Support Pink Ribbon Riders Return this form with a donation to support the Pink Ribbon Riders.

Name: ________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________State: ______________________________ Zip: ______________________________Email: ______________________________ For more information on any of the Snow Run Tour events, visit www.pinkribbonriders.com or mail this form to: Pink Ribbon Riders – 5420 Beckley Rd. Suite 334 – Battle Creek, MI 49015 The Pink Ribbon Riders (PRR) is a volunteer based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that combines the passion of riding and combining helping people in need. PRR provides direct financial assistance to both men and women breast cancer patients through funds raised from the Snow Run Tour and other fundraisers.

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Take Action…

Ride for the Cause.

2013 Riders Challenge to benefit the Pink Ribbon Riders®

The 2013 Pink Ribbon Riders Snowmobile Challenge is a volunteer fundraising campaign. Snowmobilers throughout the USA are coming together during the months of December thru March this winter to RIDE in honor of the Pink Ribbon Riders to help men and women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Participation Guidelines: 1. To participate in the Pink Ribbon Riders Snowmobile Challenge you must register online on the SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE PAGE of the Pink Ribbon Riders website www.pinkribbonriders.com. The Challenge is free to participate in. And there are Thank you gifts for the amount of donations you raise. The GOAL of the RIDERS CHALLENGE: Help raise funds for the Pink Ribbon Riders to be able to provide financial assistance to breast cancer patients in need while dedicating the winter to “Riding in honor and in memory of those we love”.

2. Submit a photo of you and your snowmobile to Pink Ribbon Riders when you register to: riderschallenge@pinkribbonriders.com Subject Line: “I registered for the SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE.” And we will include it on the Pink Ribbon Riders Facebook of all those that participated in the Riders Challenge. Have fun with your photo and we challenge you to decorate your snowmobile with a decoration(s) to help spread awareness of the Pink Ribbon Riders to others on the trail.

3. The Snowmobile Challenge cannot be combined to other Pink Ribbon Riders events or prize programs. The Snowmobile Challenge is offered to riders that are not attending the Pink Ribbon Riders Snow Run Tour events called Snow Runs.

This is a separate fundraising event with its own rules for participation.

4. All donations must be turned in by April 1st, 2013 to the Pink Ribbon Riders to be considered for the Thank you gift program. Please make all checks payable to the Pink Ribbon Riders. Please submit a Pink Ribbon Riders Pledge Sheet for your donations.

5. Please make sure all checks that you accept have a phone number and full address for the person participating. Checks must be made out in US Currency.

6. If you are outside of the USA and participating, we must ask the you use the online donation system and do not send checks from outside of the USA. 7. Thank you gifts will be mailed to riders on May 1st.

8. Once you submit a photo to the Pink Ribbon Riders you are giving rights to the Pink Ribbon Riders to use your photo in media publications and publish your name as a participant of the Pink Ribbon Riders Snowmobile Challenge.

9. The Snowmobile Challenge is based on an individual person.

If you are a snowmobile club and want to participate, we encourage you to do so and challenge you members on an individual basis. We will give recognition to clubs that participate together with their members.

10.As a rider, you are responsible for your own safety while riding on the trails. The Snowmobile challenge is a volunteer online website fundraiser and not a hosted physical event by Pink Ribbon Riders.

11. Have fun and we wish you best of luck and thank you for supporting the Pink Ribbon Riders® as together we are riding in honor and in memory of those we love!

FLOAT BOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

OUR LAST RIDE

My father following me on one of our Sunday afternoon rides. We rarely rode groomed trails, but instead explored the farm and logging country surrounding my father’s farm. It remains my favorite place to ride. y father looked out from the kitchen window at the tracks criss-crossing one of my mother’s prized summer garden plots. My mom would work painstakingly throughout the summer in that garden, weeding and nurturing the large strawberry patch that now rested underneath the snow pack.

His giant, well-worn hands clinched as he leaned further over the kitchen sink, watching a swirl of snowdust gently fall on the snow covered county road that skirted our farm property. Hearing that distinct howl of a track churning the fresh snow, I immediately jumped up and ran to the adjacent window just in time to see the black snowmobile disappear behind a woods line.

I caught my father’s eyes as he turned from the window. I could see a hint of disgust in his face as he gathered up his boots and gloves in preparation for the morning’s chores.

My father’s older brother didn’t visit us often, but when he did it always seemed the entire household was on full alert. My uncle was a talker, a big talker, and he always found a way to get under my father’s skin.

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Then there were the snowmobiles. My uncle and his oldest son were snowmobile fanatics - my father was not. Whether it stemmed from trespassing riders crossing his crop fields, or his brother, who insisted on tracking up every square inch of my father’s well manicured lawn; as far as my father was concerned snowmobiles were simply no good.

Given that, it was no easy task for me to convince my father to purchase me my first snowmobile a few years later. Unlike most kids, I wasn’t exposed to the sport through my immediate family. Instead I snuck rides with my uncle and neighbors; I watched the sleds navigate a snow covered ditch from a school bus window; and I spent hours upon hours, scouring snowmobile magazines, reading and rereading every article and every ad. Heck, I even tried to build my own snowmobile from scrap iron, lumber, and an ancient arc welder. I wasn’t successful.

Eventually my father conceded, and a used Arctic Cat Puma 440 found its way into our garage. Other sleds would follow as I my riding skills improved, and more importantly a part-time job gave me the funds to circumvent my father’s opinion.

Despite a string of sleds finding their way onto our farm, my father stood steadfast in his opposition. I rode nearly every weekend with neighbors and friends, often off-trail as they showed me forgotten forest roads, frozen spruce swamps, and old homesteads I never knew existed.

Snowmobiling helped me discover an entirely new world right out my back door.

More importantly it led to new friendships and kinships with men who I’d only known previously as neighbors.

Then one day it happened, my father was convinced by his farming buddies to join us on a ride. Something happened on that ride, something that has undoubtedly happened to all us when we experience this sport of the first time. His smile was so big I could see it under the old helmet we scrounged up for him to wear.

That ride and the ones that followed (my father bought his first of several new snowmobiles later that winter) remain some of my favorite snowmobile rides ever. In the winter’s that followed, my father became a regular on countless rides; he joined the local snowmobile club; and just the two of us often took Sunday afternoon rides around the area.

Despite having ridden at some of the most well known and exotic riding destinations in the world, and having the opportunity to ride the latest and greatest snowmobiles each season; those rides with my father are without a doubt some of my fondest snowmobiling memories I’ve ever experienced and likely ever will. It was never where we rode, the trails we took, the destinations we arrived at, or the miles we logged that mattered. It was the simple fact that we were together that was truly important.

Memories like those confirm my belief that this sport’s greatest asset is its ability to bring people together, especially families. Its one of the biggest reasons this winter I’m making a concerted effort to get my family more involved in my favorite winter passion.

Unfortunately my last snowmobile ride with my father was more than 10-years ago, as my father had to leave the sport and enter into what has become a 15-year battle with cancer. Yet his wide-eye smile from that first ride to his last sticks with me and inspires me to share the magic of this sport this winter, and many more to come.

LAST GASP

Chris Olin ROX Speed FX The story of Rox Speed FX is one of ingenuity, passion, unthinkable tragedy, and never ending perseverance. Company founder, Rocky Cutsforth was armed with a never quit attitude and his father’s ingenuity (David Cutsforth).

Working for his father in his machine shop, Cutsforth Products, Rocky was soon equipped with the skills to make virtually anything. Those skills were combined with Rocky’s passion for motorsports, and soon after the first product of what would eventually become known as, Rox Speed FX was born, the Sled Tred. The company soon experienced rapid success and Rocky loved every minute of it. Unfortunately Rocky’s amazing ride came to an unexpected and tragic end, as he was killed in an ATV accident in 2010.

However his perseverance lived on, and his family pushed forward and within weeks of his passing, Rocky’s cousin Chris Olin quit his job and moved his family to northern Minnesota to take over the reins of the company. Chris brought 25 years of manufacturing and operations experience with him, and Rox Speed FX continues to grow and flourish with innovative products. We caught up with Chris during the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show to get his “Last Gasp” take before the season’s first snow fall.

LASTING SNOWMOBILE MEMORY AS A KID? How fast the backend comes around on a 1974 Lynx II 440 when driving on hard-pack. I went from “oh-no” to “woo-hoo” in seconds.

LAST SNOWMOBILE YOU OWNED? Ski-Doo. LAST SNOWMOBILE RIDE YOU TOOK? Åkersjön, Jämtlands Län, Sweden.

LAST SNOWMOBILE EVENT YOU ATTENDED? 2012 Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show.

LAST SONG OR BAND YOU LISTENED TO ON YOUR IPOD? Day of Fire.

LAST THING YOUR MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD YOU? Dinner is at 5:00!

LAST PERSON WHO INSPIRED YOU? Listening to Manti Te'o tell his story on the Jim Rome radio show the other day.

LAST THING YOU’D BRING WITH YOU TO A DESERTED ISLAND? Last thing I’d bring if I were packing for it is a satellite phone. The last thing I’d

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bring that makes no sense is the phone number for Domino’s pizza.

LAST PLACE YOU TRAVELED? Sweden.

LAST ROX PRODUCT DEVELOPED THAT YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT? That would have to be the Rox Billet BR series risers and the redesigned GEN II Flex-tec’s. I know that’s two, but they are both great products.

LASTING SNOWMOBILE MEMORY? I have a few. One would be getting to the top of the mountain in Sweden this last March. Another is trying to ride with Aaron “Iceman” Scheele while he is on a ‘78 Tiger and I’m on a pimped CFR800 and I can only see his snow dust as it falls to the ground. Amazing! I wonder if he has ever raced before? Ha ah! Also watching my friend and cousin, Rocky Cutsforth ride anything he grabbed ahold of. Talk about a smooth operator!

(Miss you brother!)

LAST TIME YOU TRAVELED OVER 100MPH? It was two weeks ago, I needed to make sure my wife’s Mazda was running properly. Kids – “Dad you’re breaking

the speed limit!” Dad - “No kids that’s just the RPM gauge. ☺” LAST THING YOU ATE THAT MADE YOU CRINGE? Hmm, I grew up in a Scandinavian household so nothing was off limits.

Probably canned oysters at Thanksgiving when I was a wee lad. You might as well eat wet chalk sticks or clay, which by the way I may have also done if you talk to my kindergarten teacher.

LAST ALL-NIGHTER YOU PULLED? Driving out to the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show with my buddy Blown Concepts Robb.

LAST BRUSH WITH GREATNESS? My 13-year-old son; he completely stopped what he was doing to help is older sister find and collect her things cause she was late and having a rough day.

LAST THING YOU HOPE YOU’LL BE REMEMBERED FOR? That I walked by faith, and was a man of integrity who lived with purpose.

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE? Life is about the relationships not the dollars in your pocket. Care more about giving than what you can get.

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www.usxcracing.com USXC Racing 5500 132nd Ave. NE Spicer, MN 56288 320-894-5839 USXC PROGRAM PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY ON SNOW MAGAZINE

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT 1-888-661-7469 President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe Editorial Director: Pat Bourgeois Competitive Editor: Jim Urquhart Copy Editor: Rick Bloye Art Director: Darryl Aspin Production Manager: Tendra Crossman General Manager: Michael Blakoe Sr. Manager Sales & Marketing: Matt Clark Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469 Warren Geer, Brad Stokes Administrative / Sales Coordinator: Harmony Kulikauskas Photos: Jim Urquhart Contributing Writers: Pat Bourgeois, Tendra Crossman, Richard Kehoe, Jim Urquhart Subscriptions 1-888-661-7469 or info@osmmag.com

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LOGAN CHRISTIAN

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Wes Selby steers through the markers amongst gently falling snow.

Are we the only ones confused by this?

Brett Lessman leads the pack in the vintage class with his SS440.

There’s nothing better than chasing someone down on the river.

Who says chicks don’t like cross-country?

Jen Fuller does a snow flap check off a road approach.

8

A couple of lucky kids are gonna win 120s from Christian Brothers Racing again this season.

Is Jolene Bute giving Mike Carver doe eyes?

Ryan Trout shows them how it’s done in the Junior 10-13 class.

How many races do you think this track stand has seen?

Ryan Simons reppin’ the Drift gear.

Um, can’t we all just get along?

That’s gonna leave a mark.

Lined up for the heads-up start at Pine Lake.

D.J. Ekre and Corey Berberich demonstrate how do properly execute a fuel stop.

9

THE USXC

MY

name is Brian Nelson and I am the owner of United States X-Country Snowmobile Racing. Cross-country snowmobile racing has been a part of my life for the past 40 years, and in that time I have been a racer, ran race teams, sponsored racers, ran a successful powersports dealership (Nelson Marine), owned and operated a snowmobile tour business and, most recently, restored and raced vintage snowmobiles so I could compete in the Vintage class at the I-500.

I won the Winnipeg to St. Paul as part of Enduro Team Deere in 1976 and again as part of Team Arctic in 1978. That is only

part of my resume, but you get the idea.

Snowmobiles have been part of my life since I was a kid.

Last Spring I was faced with a decision to take the reins of cross-country snowmobile racing by either purchasing the existing circuit or starting a new circuit. I made the decision to start a new circuit and thus, USXC was born. After four decades on the competition end of crosscountry racing, I see USXC as my chance to give back to the sport that has given me so much in the way of friendship, success and happiness.

So far USXC has seen nothing but positive support from everyone involved. I want to thank the racers, the manufacturers and all of our sponsors for making this transition as smooth as it has been. Everyone should know that the goal of USXC is to provide safe, family-friendly, grassroots-level competition that fosters the growth of the sport.

As cross-country continues to grow and evolve, USXC will be faced with many tough decisions. Some of these decisions will be large and complex, some small and simple. Not all of these decisions will make everyone happy, but we will make them with the best interests of the sport

in mind and without favoritism for anyone.

USXC inherited a set of rules and a certain way of doing things. Some of these rules and procedures are good, some could use updating and there are some areas that need to be built or rebuilt completely. We feel we have put the right people in place to move cross-country forward and move in the right direction with this process. Again, you may see some things that are strange or new in the future but know that we will make our decisions with the best interests of the sport in mind.

Sponsors are important in racing. We all have them and we all need to take care of them. We ask you to pay attention to who sponsors USXC and even if they are not a sponsor of your own program, please take the time to thank them for supporting the circuit. They are the ones that make it possible for us to go racing. You would be surprised what a simple thank you note or a few words to the brand rep can do.

Finally, USXC is always open to the thoughts and opinions of its fans and racers. Feel free to send comments to info@usxcracing.com.

Thank you, and see you at the races!

Brian Nelson

> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >

SPONSORS

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OFFICIAL LUBRICANTS OF THE USXC

Founded by former jet fighter squadron commander Al Amatuzio, AMSOIL produced its first can of synthetic oil in 1972. It kickstarted an entire industry of new, premium synthetic oils with AMSOIL spearheading the movement. During his Air Force years Amatuzio had witnessed firsthand the benefits of synthetic lubricants and this inspired him to bring the technology to the masses with his own brand of lubricants. As a result, AMSOIL synthetic lubricants have expanded the boundaries of lubrication science and redefined the performance possibilities of modern machinery and engines. Based in Superior, Wisconsin, AMSOIL is also a leader in the world of racing and sponsors numerous forms including GNCC off-road, TORC truck racing series, powerboats, motocross as well as the racing you see here, USXC cross-country snowmobile racing. USXC provides a unique challenge for a lubricant - extreme temperatures, extended periods of open throttle and varied terrain mean an oil has to protect across the board. AMSOIL is the choice of USXC and is the official lubricant of the USXC racing circuit.

RACING

Inspired by the passion to win, DRIFT Racing offers highperformance outerwear and gear for snowmobile enthusiasts.

The DRIFT lineup includes everything from the uninsulated Drift Racing Suit to the Intimidator Jacket, Diesel Coat and the rest of the lineup. DRIFT also has matching bibs and pants for all its gear. For women, the Diva line offers stylish comfort and unmatched functionality. The Speeder line is aimed at the younger riders and its styling is reminiscent of the adult DRIFT gear. DRIFT also offers a full line of casual wear, gloves and headwear. DRIFT Racing is proud to be the official clothing outfitter of USXC. See the entire DRIFT apparel lineup at www.driftracing.com.

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VENUES The 2012-2013 USXC racing season will feature a challenging mix of racing venues as well as a variety of one-, two- and three-day events. The goal of the USXC schedule is to make racing fun, affordable and challenging for USXC racers while also helping bring business into local communities during a time when they might not see much consumer traffic. The result are events that provide toplevel racing and competition, fan entertainment and commerce for local communities. USXC events also serve to promote the sport of snowmobiling and snowmobile racing.

PINE LAKE 100

DECEMBER 15-16, 2012 Gonvick, Minnesota Once the traditional start of the cross-country racing season, over the decades Pine Lake has seen some of the best racing cross-country has to offer. USXC is returning to Pine Lake to kick off its season with a two-day event that will feature a 10-mile lake lemans course and heads-up racing.

Where? Pine Lake, Minnesota, five miles North of Hwy 2.

Places to Stay: Bagley, Fosston, Clearbrook and Seven Clans Casino.

J&K MARINE BEACH BAR 200 JANUARY 5, 2012 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota This one-day event will feature a five-mile ice lemans course. Held on Big Detroit Lake just off Highway 10 right in the heart of Detroit Lakes, it is a perfect event for fans to get out and see some of cross-country’s best racers. The Pro final will feature a heads-up start, all other classes will leave at intervals and run on time. Be sure to stop in at the Beach Bar inside the Holiday Inn for a refreshment.

Where? Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; 3.5-hours Northeast of Minneapolis; 1-hour East of Fargo/Moorhead.

Places to Stay: Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes: 877-251-9348

NELSON TOURS WILLMAR 100 JANUARY 12, 2013 Robbins Island Park Willmar, Minnesota This one-day race will run right out of the host tow of Willmar and will be a crosscountry event. The course will contain a mix of terrain and ice and amount of each will be determined by snow conditions.

Where? Willmar, Minnesota, two hours East of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Places to Stay: There are six major hotels in the Willmar area including a Holiday Inn Express, AmericInn, Super 8 and Comfort Inn. 14

OSLO 100

JANUARY 26, 2013 Oslo, Minnesota Located just North of Grand Forks, Oslo, Minnesota, will play host to the Oslo 100.

The race will feature a 25-mile course that will consist of ditch, woods and river. In the past, this race has proved challenging and exciting for both fans and riders. After this race the town typically hosts a dinner, so schedule that into your travel plans.

Where? Thirty minutes North of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Places to Stay: Pretty much any place in Grand Forks, but Grafton, North Dakota, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota, are not too far away.

SEVEN CLANS I-500 FEBRUARY 7-9, 2013 Seven Clans Casino Thief River Falls, Minnesota This is the granddaddy of all cross-country races. It is the modern version of the famed Winnipeg to St. Paul and later the Jeep 500. The three-day, 500-mile event is a test of man and machine and each 170-mile day features two fuel stops and a post-race maintenance session where riders can fix damage and prep their sleds for the next day. The course will take riders through fields, ditches, rivers and woods. An I-500 win puts you among the best snowmobile racers in the world.

Where? Seven Clans Casino, Thief River Falls, Minnesota Places to Stay: Seven Clans Casino, Thief River Falls, Minnesota

15

VENUES HOYT LAKES 100 FEBRUARY 16, 2013 Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota Located in the heart of Minnesota’s Iron Range, Hoyt Lakes is surrounded by pristine forests and offers challenges not seen at a typical cross-country event. The proposed course will be a mix of ice lemans and woods racing making setup a challenge. This will be a one-day race in and around Hoyt Lakes.

Where? One and a half hours North of Duluth, Minnesota.

Places to Stay: Country Inn: 218-225-3555; Giant’s Ridge: 800-688-7669; or check out places in Eveleth, Minnesota.

PARK RAPIDS 100 MARCH 2-3, 2013 Park Rapids, Minnesota This two-day event will feature a 25-mile course that will take riders down ditches and through woods. Park Rapids is located in the pristine wooded areas of Northeastern Minnesota, and area that has a storied tradition of cross-country racing. In fact, many of the Winnipeg to St. Paul races ran through this area.

Where? One and a half hours East of Fargo, North Dakota; Three and a half hours North of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Places to Stay: Park Rapids has many great hotels including an AmericInn, Super 8, CmonInn and Cedar Shores Resort.

SEVEN CLANS WARROAD 100 MARCH 9, 2013 Seven Clans Casino Warroad, Minnesota Seven Clans Casino in Warroad, Minnesota has become host to the traditional endof-season cross-country race. This one-day event will feature a combined ice lemans, cross-country and swamp course. This race typically sees warm weather and plenty of snow and makes for great racing.

Where? Warroad, Minnesota, three hours South of Winnipeg, Manitoba; seven hours North of Minneapolis, Minnesota Places to Stay: Seven Clans Casino, Thief River Falls, Minnesota 16

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Tel: (651) 982-6020 | Fax: (651) 982-0630 | www.speedwerx.com 20195 Greystone Avenue North - Forest Lake, Minnesota 55025 Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm CST

RACE SLEDS

While you can race just about any snowmobile 600cc and smaller on the USXC cross-country circuit, the dedicated 2013 race sleds from the four manufacturers are the machines that spearhead the field. They are the sleds that carry the newest technology and they are also the sleds the top Pro and Semi-Pro riders will pilot into battle. Here is a rundown of what is new on the 2013 race sleds.

ARCTIC CAT SNO PRO 600 A fter a less-than-stellar debut season, the 600 Sno Pro is back and re-worked for 2013. With a late build last year, most racers didn’t get their hands on their Arctic Cats until just before the race season began. With a new chassis and little test time it put them between a rock and a hard place. While the sled saw a few problems in snocross competition, mainly with the chassis bottoming on the snow, in cross-

Y

amaha’s weapon of choice on the USXC circuit is the Nytro RTX. Powered by a 1049cc Genesis 130FI threecylinder, 4-stroke engine, the Nytro is likely to be the dominant thumper on the circuit.

18

country it was a huge success and propelled Team Arctic riders to numerous wins. For 2013, re-worked running board angles and 1.35-inches of extra ground clearance and new rear suspension mounting points that give the track drive more clearance help to fix the chassis bottoming. The sled is stronger with a single-layer, .080-inch thick tunnel and a new PTO engine plate for added durability.

Suspension tweaks include improved caster

angle, ski stance increased to 43.5-inches, new steering ratio, a new ski damper that loads the rear of the ski for improved turning, rear suspension front arm mounting point moved back 2-inches for better transfer, an extra inch of travel on the front arm, new torsion spring and new coupling position.

Arctic Cat will make a cross-country version available that will come with a larger fuel tank, 1.25-inch track and wider seat.

NYTRO RTX Yamaha has worked hard to develop a racespec front suspension and a kit that moves the rear suspension back so the sled can be fitted with a 128-inch track. This makes the machine much more competitive with

the more race-specific machines from the other manufacturers. Watch for the Nytro to put the pressure on the 2-strokes in the USXC Pro Open and Semi-Pro Open classes this season.

POLARIS 600 IQR P olaris keeps chugging along with its dedicated race sled, the IQ600R. First introduced in 2005, the sled is one of the longest-running race chassis in history for Polaris (or any other snowmobile manufacturer). The 2013 version of the sled includes a new engine package with a re-engineered cylinder head and cylinders that combine to make more horsepower.

The improvements are said to improve both snocross and cross-country performance.

Racers on the USXC circuit should see crisper throttle response, better starts and stronger performance across the entire power band. Chassis improvements include greater adjustability on the Walker Evans shocks (16-click adjustability all the way around). And for 2013 the rear track shock is also rebound adjustable. The sled comes with DP brake pads which were developed with input from Polaris and are designed to handle high heat conditions better and

MX ZX 600RS The 2013 version of the Ski-Doo MX ZX 600RS picks up where the 2012 model left off and features further refinements to both suspension and engine. A redesigned front suspension features new upper a-arms, new upper a-arm ball joint, revised spindle and tie rods and new shock calibration. The new front suspension geometry eliminates bump steer and keeps camber variation to a minimum as the suspension cycles through its travel. This means the sled should track straighter and turn sharper.

The progressive rate rMotion skid has a new shock calibration and the chassis

has reinforced front suspension casting mounts and stronger pyramidal frame members. Maybe the biggest news is a new engine design that includes a new cylinder with a revised intake flange, carbon fiber VForce3 reeds, stronger pistons and a freer-flowing exhaust system. With the new engine package USXC cross-country riders should see stronger pull out of corners and more top end. The 21/49 gearing is designed to work with the power band of the new engine.

resist fade. In response to racer requests, the handlebar riser is 2-inches tall, down from 2.5-inches. Racers asked for a lower bar position help then get better leverage in the corners and help them get over the bars more when riding. There is no crosscountry version, but conversion kits are readily available through the Polaris race department and a larger fuel tank is also available this season.

INTERVIEW

TATE

SPEARHEADING SKI-DOO’S CROSS-COUNTRY PROGRAM

J

ustin Tate burst onto the crosscountry scene just a few years ago and he quickly rose to the top of the heap in the Pro ranks. But he’s far from a newcomer to the racing world and has raced as a Pro for over a decade in other disciplines. His experience, keen mechanical mind and superb riding ability make him a formidable racer. He also has a great mechanic at his side, Kolby Campbell, who makes sure his stuff is always in tip-top shape. This season he has switched brands and is also coming back from a serious injury, so we sat down with him to find out what lies ahead for him this season.

USXC: You’ve switched brands this season. How did that come about?

Justin Tate: I spoke with Tom Lawrence at Ski-Doo about a year ago. At the time, I had my thing at Polaris and I was happy there. Everyone at Polaris has been great to me over the years, so when the Ski-Doo thing came up I wasn’t too interested in it, but as the season went on we talked more. I had some ideas about running a program and we talked about that this past Spring. Ski-Doo was thinking the same thing, they want to get back into cross-country and it all worked out.

20

USXC: Will you have your own team?

Tate: This year we are going to start putting the program together and develop the race sled into a cross-country sled.

We have a good platform to start with, we just need to fine tune it. Once we have the basis for a program in place we will look toward next season and maybe taking on a Pro rider and me stepping away into more of a managerial role with the program.

never happened. I had a serious injury.

When I crashed, basically some of my vertebrae shifted which cut into my spinal cord and I had some paralysis in my arm.

Things progressed really fast and once I got the green light to train I spent the rest of the winter and the Spring training really hard. Sometimes its a good thing to have something come along that re-motivates you, and that’s what my injury did. It put the spark back in my program.

USXC: Ski-Doo has had a lot of success in cross-country, but they kind of fly under the radar. Will the program progress faster than people might expect?

Tate: I’m certain it will. The big teams are coming in 100-percent in cross-country and that’s where Ski-Doo wants to be.

They want to win, and my job will be to help them get there.

USXC: How did last season go?

Tate: The two races I was at were both ice, and that’s not really my forte, but my goal was to get through them and come out with maximum points. I was focused on the long-term points, but then I got injured.

USXC: You broke your neck at the Soo I-500 and that ended your season last year. How are you doing now?

Tate: I’m 100-percent. It’s crazy, on February 4 last year I had a lot of major issues and I didn’t know if I would ever ride again. After two major surgeries and some time to heal it’s almost like the accident

USXC: What is the key to winning on the USXC circuit?

Tate: The key is consistency. There are some really fast guys out there but when riding on the edge bites them and they have a bad weekend they end up out of the points chase. I think it’s consistency and Top 3 or Top 5 finishes that make you successful. Everyone’s going to have their problems because it’s cross-country, but finishing is the key. Look at Ryan Simons, he was consistent last season and he won the championship.

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INTERVIEW

FULLER

RISING STAR IN THE PRO WOMEN WOM CLASS

J

en Fuller was a new addition to the Bunke Racing team for the 2011-2012 season. Originally from Saginaw, MI, Fuller now lives in Houghton and attends Michigan Tech. Not only is she smart (she’s going for her PhD in Civil Engineering), she’s an excellent crosscountry racer and a top rider in the Pro Women class. We caught up with her to find out what it’s like to compete in the Pro Women class.

USXC: How did you get into racing?

Jen Fuller: I’ve ridden snowmobiles ever since I was really little. I always went to the races with my parents, but all we had down in Saginaw was grass drags and drag racing. I would meet up on the river and do ice drags against the guys. When I started going to Michigan Tech I got heavily involved in the Sledheads Snowmobile Club, which is the snowmobile club here on campus. I went to a lot of races with them and they eventually talked me into racing.

USXC: What kind of racing was that?

Fuller: I got started in endurance racing, which is basically snocross racing but for a longer time. It’s kind of like 22

outdoor motocross where the motos are timed. Most of the races are usually on motocross tracks.

USXC: You have a second and a third from Pine Lake and Grafton last season, your first season crosscountry racing. What do you think it will take to get a win?

Fuller: I think now that I have a season of experience in cross-country I think that will help a lot. It takes practice.

USXC: It does take practice and experience is huge.

Fuller: After every race I kind of kicked myself because I knew I could have gone faster in so many areas. But there’s a big learning curve as far as control and getting around people and things like that.

I know a couple times I just rode behind people when I should have gone around them. Knowing what I know now, this year I plan to push a lot harder.

USXC: How do you balance school and racing?

Fuller: Last year was my senior year so my course load wasn’t as heavy as it normally is, but there were times when

I was only home a couple days a week.

Luckily the Mennes (teammate Bobby Menne) usually come through the Duluth area to go to the races so I was able to meet them and ride with them to most of the races. Long story short, there’s definitely a lot of juggling going on!

USXC: What advice would you give to other women looking to get into cross-country?

Fuller: The most important thing is to practice on your sled. Get seat time. Get to know your sled. The more comfortable you are the better you will feel and the better you will do. Don't be afraid to push your limits. Find a good mechanic to help you but also learn about your sled so that you can work on things on your own.

Don't sweat the small stuff, like the way your pony tail feels under your helmet because it kind of hurts sometimes, or blisters on your hands, bruises on your legs, check engine lights and broken parts. They are all minor details. Just ride. And don't take crap from the guys.

Enjoy yourself, walk around and meet people, and have fun! Racing brings great camaraderie.

PROFILE

RACING

C

hristian Brothers Racing’s roots run deep in cross-country racing.

Dwight Christian began racing cross-country in the late 1970s and his passion for the sport continues today. Founded by brothers Dwight and Stuart Christian in 2002, CBR is the most successful team in cross-country snowmobile racing today and has won seven of the last eight Pro cross-country points championships. Last season Ryan Simons won his second straight Pro 600 points championship and D.J. Ekre won the Pro Open points title. Along the way the team won five of six Pro 600 races, four of six Pro open races and Brian Dick won the last running of the I-500 in 2011.

The team’s success in cross-country is unmatched, but there’s no magic here, it’s simply hard work.

“Our guys are in the shop and out testing every day,” said Dwight Christian. “They never rest. If you come to a race you’ll usually see them out testing late into the

24

MASTERS OF CROSS-COUNTRY

night getting ready for the race the next day. That’s how bad they want to win.”

The core of CBR’s cross-country effort lies with riders D.J. Ekre, Ryan Simons and Brian Dick and their mechanics Joe Lesmeister, Hector Olson and Corey Berberich. Ekre has been racing crosscountry and snocross for over a decade and has competed at such high-profile events as the Winter X games. He was also a part of the first incarnation of CBR in 2002-2003 when he and Bryan Dyrdahl competed on the snocross National circuit together. And, it is Dyrdahl who has served as a catalyst for his career.

“Being around the Dyrdahl family is what really got me into racing,” said Ekre.

“My dad and I decided to go racing, but when you are around a guy like Bryan Dyrdahl you can’t help but learn that winning is everything. He taught me a lot about that.”

Like Ekre, Ryan Simons also raced at such lofty venues as the Winter X Games before dedicating himself to cross-country.

In fact, Simons has won both a bronze and a silver medal in snocross at Winter X. In 2008 he went racing cross-country on an off-weekend from his snocross schedule. At that point he had never raced the genre before. Now, just five seasons later, he owns two Pro 600 points championships. He’s a quick learner and fearless behind the bars and that’s what sets him apart from the rest of the field.

Through it all it was his teammate Ekre

who helped him along.

“When we first started we were just racing cross-country on our off weekends,” Simons said. “The more we got into it the more I started going out testing with D.J. and that helped me learn to dial in the sleds and how to pace myself.”

Although he works full-time as the Product Team Manager of Performance and Racing segments at Arctic Cat, that doesn’t mean Brian Dick has an advantage over his fellow riders. In fact, at times it can be a detriment.

“I work a lot, and by the time I get done with my day job it’s usually dark, so I don’t get as much time to test as I’d like to,” said Dick.

Son of Paul Dick, who likely has raced more I-500s than anyone else in the world, Brian took his engineering degree and used it to get a job at Arctic Cat. For the past decade he has played a key role in developing the company’s products, working as Product Engineer for Suspension and Chassis, and now in his current role, one which includes the sled he races. In 2011 Dick got his biggest win, the Red Lake I-500. But it wasn’t an easy road getting there. In 2004 he ran out of gas but still finished second. In 2005 he he had the lead going into Day 3 but crashed hard and took second again.

In 2006 he was catching the leader who had broken a clutch spring and, just 10 miles from the finish and less than a mile

behind the leader, a crank bearing went out in his engine. It wasn’t until 2010 that things started going Dick’s way and he won the Pro 600 points title that season.

The next year he won the big one, the I-500. Show up to any given race and you’ll see Dick in the trailer late into the evening tweaking his sled, readying it for the next day.

“It’s a lot of fun working with him,” said Dick’s mechanic Joe Lesmeister. “He’s never satisfied. “Sometimes it makes for long days, but his drive brings out the best in him and the people around him and that’s why he wins.”

Lesmeister is part of a crew of

mechanics on the CBR team that is likely one of the most experienced in snowmobile racing. Along with Lesmeister are Brian “Hector” Olson and Corey Berberich, two guys who used to work straight out of the Team Arctic race shop before getting hired on by CBR. Also helping are Betsy Steffl and Brian Rust. Tie it all in with the Arctic Cat race shop and other companies who provide assistance such as Stud Boy, Speedwerx, FOX, Troy Lee Designs, Drift, C&A Pro and Scott and it becomes clear why CBR has been so successful in cross-country.

“First and foremost, we’re a team,” said Dwight Christian. “It’s not about one guy,

it’s about everyone and when one of us wins it carries the entire team.”

“We also race snocross and there’s a lot of exposure with the X Games and TV and that sort of thing, but cross-country is every bit as important as snocross,” Christian continued. “Cross-country is a passion, and it goes all the way back to when people first started racing. When you win a race like the I-500, that’s huge maybe the biggest in snowmobiling.”

With a re-vamped race sled and two reigning points champions on its roster, watch for Christian Brothers Racing to fight for its place at the top of the USXC ranks during the 2012-2013 season.

25

RIDERS

In any given cross-country race you may ride an entire race through woods, along rivers and down ditch lines and never see another rider. Or, you might pass or get passed by a bunch of riders. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what the clock says. Cross-country is about time, and the best cross-country riders are smooth and consistent. The best cross-country racer has excellent vision, a quick mind, self-discipline and superb riding skills. He is a master of sled setup and a competent mechanic. In many ways, the cross-country racer is the ultimate snowmobiler. Here are some of the riders you may see this season on the USXC Cross-country circuit.

GABE BUNKE

No. 74 Home: Moorhead, Minnesota Age: 36 Sled: Polaris Known as the Iron Man because he has not missed a race since the 2002-2003 season, Gabe Bunke is also one of the top Pros in cross-country racing. The epitome of the blue collar racer, Bunke balances family, a small business and racing and somehow makes it work. Fast and smooth, watch for him to be a factor in the I-500.

LOGAN CHRISTIAN

No. 43 Home: Fertile, Minnesota Age: 21 Sled: Arctic Cat Part of the formidable Christian Brothers Racing team, Logan Christian has all the knowledge and resources of his fellow racers to use to his advantage. Experience is huge in cross-country and Christian is only just beginning, so watch for him to get better as he progresses in the sport.

COREY DAVIDSON

No. 3 Home: Holt, Minnesota Age: 42 Sled: Polaris A veteran cross-country racer, Corey Davidson has won the I-500 three times (1997, 2003, 2005). He combines his smooth, consistent riding style with meticulous machine setup as a recipe for success. He hates to lose and, though he has slowed slightly with age, he’s still a threat to win the big races. In fact, he won back-to-back Pro 600 races two seasons ago, so he’s definitely not done yet.

AARON CHRISTENSEN BRIAN DICK

CORY DAVIS

No. 10 Home: Metiskow, Alberta Age: 31 Sled: Polaris A former Pro snocross racer, Aaron Christensen has raced the Pro National circuit and appeared at the Winter X Games in the snocross competition. A huge talent, Christensen is a force in the Pro class and often sets the pace.

Meticulous with his sled setups, he rides with patience and is typically more cautious than some of the other Pros on the circuit. He is a threat to win on any given weekend.

No. 160 Home: Soldotna, Alaska Age: 24 Sled: Arctic Cat One of the best all-around snowmobilers on the planet, Davis races snocross, crosscountry, competes in freestyle competitions and has appeared at the Winter X Games and in numerous extreme snowmobiling films. Davis is the son of famed seven-time Iron Dog champ Scott Davis and grew riding Alaska’s backcountry. Experience, natural talent and a drive to win has made him one of the fastest Pros to emerge in crosscountry racing in recent years.

26

No. 23 Home: Thief River Falls, Minnesota Age: 34 Sled: Arctic Cat The reigning Red Lake I-500 champion, Brian Dick has been a top Pro crosscountry rider since 2003. He nearly won the Red Lake I-500 in 2006 when he was in second place on Day 3 and chasing down the leader who was on an ailing sled before his own sled broke down. Dick also works as an engineer at Arctic Cat during the week and is a threat to win on any given weekend.He’s a threat to win on any given weekend.

DILLAN DOHRN No. 5 Home: Elgin, Minnesota Age: 22 Sled: Polaris An experienced cross-country racer, Dillan Dohrn is making the jump from Semi-Pro to Pro for the 2012-2013 season. Watch for him to progress up the charts as the season rolls on and log some top finishes.

D.J. EKRE No. 52 Home: Shevlin, Minnesota Age: 32 Sled: Arctic Cat With over a decade of crosscountry experience, Ekre is one of the fastest riders on the USXC circuit. Fast, tough and smart, he almost never makes a mistake.

Last season he won the Pro Open points championship, a title he was won multiple times in his career. To win the coveted Pro 600 points he will have to put in a top showing at the I-500, a race where he has been snakebit more often than not and has never won.

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ROSS ERDMAN No. 311 Home: Rochester, Minnesota Age: 31 Sled: Yamaha

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27

RYAN FAUST

RIDERS

RYAN GREENING

GARTH KAUFMAN

No. 537 Home: Rubicon, Wisconsin Age: 24 Sled: Polaris There must be something in the bloodlines because Ryan Faust looks every bit as fast as his more famous cross-country racing cousin, Corey Davidson. Faust cut his teeth lake racing so he is one of the bigger threats to win in the lake races. But he’s also no slouch in terrain, and typically logs top times at every event. Entering his third season as a Pro, watch for Faust to move up the ranks this season.

No. 432 Home: Brainerd, Minnesota Age: 24 Sled: Arctic Cat A poster boy for the class progression system in cross-country, Ryan Greening worked his way up from the Sport 85 class to the Pro class in a matter of four seasons. Last season was his first as a Pro and, while his times weren’t near the top, his history shows he will get there sooner than later. A tech for Fox Racing Shox, you can bet if anything Greening will have his suspension dialed in, and in cross-country that is half the battle.

No. 48 Home: Driggs, Idaho Age: 29 Sled: Arctic Cat Maybe its in his bloodlines (his uncle is legendary cross-country racer Kirk Hibbert) but Garth Kaufman has taken to crosscountry far quicker than he did snocross.

Regardless, he’s at the top of the heap in both genres and when he shows up to a cross-country event he has proven he can run with the fastest regulars on the circuit.

Kaufman is a highly-experienced rider, expect top finishes from him in 2012.

CORY GRANT

CODY KALLOCK

BOBBY MENNE

No. 130 Home: Thompson, Manitoba An experienced and savvy racer, Cory Grant continues to make his way up the time charts in the Pro class. One a mechanic on the Blair Morgan Racing snocross team, Grant knows what it takes to set up a sled for cross-country. His machines are some of the best-prepped ones on the circuit. Watch for him to take a leading role with the Ski-Doo race team this season.

No. 39 Home: Oslo, Minnesota Age: 23 Sled: Arctic Cat Kallock is a quiet racer who puts in consistent finishes and rarely has a DNF. Part of a family team, the Kallocks got into racing on ice ovals and later switched to cross-country. Kallock has a history of being a points racer, so at season’s end expect him to be Top 5 and watch for him to knock some of the big names off in the points chase.

No. 131 Home: Virginia, Minnesota Age: 21 Sled: Polaris Bobby Menne is young, but he rides fast and smart and rarely crashes. Part of the Bunke Racing team, Menne benefits from having the expertise of Gabe Bunke in his trailer.

Last season was his first as a Pro and he held his own, laying down some competitive times in both Pro 600 and Pro Open. This season watch for him to step up his game and move up in the finishing order.

28

NATHAN TITUS RYAN SIMONS

No. 2 Home: Meridian, Idaho Age: 39 Sled: Yamaha Nathan Titus is set to race select USXC events aboard a modified Yamaha Nytro this season. A highly-experienced and talented rider, Titus cut his teeth racing cross-country out West with the likes of Jack Struthers and the Lasher brothers. In fact, his dad used to race with Jack’s dad Carl back in the day. Titus has spent most of his time racing Polaris and Yamaha but is perhaps best known for his Yamaha snocross days when he took Blair Morgan down to the final race in the Pro Open points chase in 1999.

No. 67 Home: Camrose, Alberta Age: 29 Sled: Arctic Cat Five seasons ago Ryan Simons had never raced cross-country. In 2011 he was Pro 600 and Pro Open points champion and last year he repeated as Pro 600 champion. His progression to the top of the heap in crosscountry racing has been quick to say the least. Though he rides with a pin-it-to-win-it style he’s been able to use his experience to limit his mistakes. He’s proven he has what it takes to put his name amongst the ranks of cross-country’s greatest riders.

SPENCER KADLEC

JUSTIN TATE

WES SELBY

No. 57 Home: Cloquet, Minnesota Age: 22 Sled: Polaris After two seasons leading the pack in the Semi-Pro class Spencer Kadlec is making the jump to the Pro class. A highly-experienced motocross rider who runs his own dirt bike racing school, Kadlec has only been racing sleds for a few years. He’s already made his name as a top rider and should make the jump to Pro with ease.

No. 15 Home: Grand Lake, Colorado Age: 28 Sled: Arctic Cat An accomplished snocross racer, Wes Selby has spent the last couple seasons racing the Pro class on the snocross National series.

He raced cross-country as a Semi-Pro last season and will race Pro this season. Fast, smooth and smart, he should set top times in the Pro class.

No. 28 Home: Scandia, Minnesota Age: 36 Sled: Ski-Doo Justin Tate is a natural talent on a snowmobile. In addition to cross-country he has also competed in hillcross, the Soo I-500, the Winter X Games and he was once a top rider on the National snocross circuit.

In fact, Tate won a medal in hillcross at the Winter X Games in 2004. He was poised to have his best racing season ever before he crashed at the Soo and broke his neck. Fullyrecovered, Tate will be competing on the USXC circuit aboard a Ski-Doo this season.

29

RIDERS

ZAC HERFINDAHL

BEN LINDBOM

No. 312 Home: Eagle River, Wisconsin Age: 18 Sled: Arctic Cat Zac Herfindahl’s rise through the crosscountry ranks has been quick to say the least. After racing Junior and Semi-Pro last season, 2012-2013 will mark his first racing Pro.

No. 104 Home: Avon, Minnesota Age: 21 In his first season as a Semi-Pro last year Ben Lindbom made his mark, winning races and setting top times. He will be Yamaha’s top entry in the USXC Semi-Pro class in 2013.

TRAVIS FAUST

JON ARNESON

JIM SOBECK No. 44 Home: Winona, Minnesota Age: 55 Sled: Ski-Doo They are considered the “old men” on the circuit, but the age classes are no joke on the USxC circuit. Jim Sobeck is one of the top riders in the 50+ class and leads a talented group of age-class riders.

RYAN TROUT No. 105 Home: Browerville, Minnesota Age: 13 Sled: Ski-Doo Ryan Trout and his dad race out of the back of their pickup, but they come ready to win. The competition in the Junior classes is fierce and Trout is one of the riders to beat in Junior 10-13.

BEN LANGAAS No. 473 Home: Rubicon, Wisconsin Sled: Polaris Travis Faust is an up-and-comer in the Semi-Pro class. With some of the top names bumping up to Pro, Faust should move up in the ranks and be a top finisher in 2012.

No. 190 Home: Maple Plain, Minnesota Sled: Arctic Cat Though he dabbles in the Pro class, Jon Arneson is a force in the 40+ plus class. A veteran racer with a ton of cross-country experience, Arneson is the rider to beat in 40+.

JOLENE BUTE

No. 231 Home: Greenbush, Minnesota Sled: Arctic Cat

TAYLOR MCLEAN No. 213 Home: Greenbush, Minnesota Sled: Arctic Cat

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No. 22 Home: Alden, Minnesota Sled: Arctic Cat Jolene Bute has been racing at the highest levels for over a decade. No other woman has as much cross-country experience as Bute and she is the rider to beat in the Pro Women class.

No. 903 Home: Goodridge, Minnesota Age: 25 Sled: Arctic Cat

JORDAN TORGERSON No. 213 Home: Greenbush, Minnesota Sled: Arctic Cat

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CUSTOMER CASH

*

*On approved credit. See dealer for details. **Rates and down payments based on credit approval criteria. Offer is subject to credit approval by GE Capital Retail Bank. Valid on the purchase of new Yamaha Snowmobiles made between 8/15/12 and 12/31/12 on your Yamaha installment loan account. 84 month term and Rate of 4.99%, 8.99% or 12.99% APR will be assigned based on credit worthiness. Low payment example: $119 monthly payment based on $8,599 purchase for 84 months at 4.99% APR; and 12.99% APR requires payments of $140.75. Example based on 2013 Phazer MSRP, less 10% down payment. Minimum Amount Financed of $5,000 or more and 0% to 10% minimum down payment required.

Sleds shown with custom graphics kits installed. See Yamaha-motor.com/sledgraphics for more designs. Š 2012 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.