Hard Work Key To Success For Team Tapio

Nels, Kyle & Russ Tapio

The Tapio Brothers are the most successful team on the RMSHA circuit. The team consists of: Nels the oldest, then Kyle and the youngest brother is Russ. The Tapio’s came to Jackson for the first time as spectators in 2005. That is when they decided to race. The first year Team Tapio raced at Jackson was 2006, and what a year that was. They seemed to come from nowhere and Kyle took the King Of Kings title. Kyle has gone on to win four King titles at the World Championship in the last four years. Three of those are King Of Kings Titles.

Kyle & Glen Gillis 2006

In 2007, Kyle even won the King of Kings on an improved stock sled. Older brother Nels has had class wins in every year and in 2007 had the fastest time on the hill. Youngest brother Russ had his first class win at Jackson and has taken 2^ndplace a couple of times.

[Read more]

XMR Snocross Finale at the Top of the World!

The last start of a great season!

Silverton, Colorado – March 30, 2009 -

As the spring riding season settles into the Rocky’s, XMR hosted the final race of the season at 10,500 feet, almost two miles above sea level in Silverton, Colorado – this is the essence of Xtreme Mountain Racing – sled tuning was never more important, athlete endurance wasn’t tested like this all season, and the season championships were on the line! The long track sat high in San Juans and featured a big up-hill step-up/step-down to a 90-foot triple and a huge finish line double – the racing was fast and the track made for some carnage that was definitely exciting for spectators!

Stoffles start the last races of the season...

The Stoffles, Michael and Teresa, really made XMR shine this season, and so it was only fitting that they showed the riders the way around the track during the opening ceremonies under the Silverton sun. It wasn’t long after that the racing began, and XMR’s top riders finalized their positions for the season. Logan Montgomery had built up a strong lead in the 120 classes, and won the last race of his season and the season championship in the Stock and Modified classes. Kyler Green did the same in the 120 Super Sunday class. His Brother Jarrat sealed the deal in the Junior 7-10 Class, as did AJ Stoffle in the Junior 10-13 class and the 10-13 Challenge. Wesely Chapman won the Junior 14-15 race, but Dillon Thomas ran consistently all season and took the championship! Thomas won the 14-17 Challenge race, but Dillon Moss took the class honors for the season in addition to the Junior 16-17 crown!

A heated Semi-Pro season finale is on!

The adult classes saw some great racing as well as the seasons battles were settled in these last few contests. In Sport class Shad Peterson took the win and the championship in Sport Stock I while Mike DePalma took the title in Sport Stock II. Michelle Stoffle held the Stoffle name high with a win and the season honors in Sport Women. Eric Potter, the old iron man, won the Masters race and the season championship. He was beat out by Shane Lloyd in the Semi-Pro race, but with his consistency all season took the XMR Semi-Pro champ title as well.

These last races were some of the best of the season – the track was imposing and the riders brought their A-games and were ready for this final event, and a great event it was. XMR is proud of all the teams and riders that participated this year, and all those that volunteered time and money to help this season. XMR is already planning for next season, and always looking for input to advance the snowmobile sports we all love in the western states. Questions or comments are always appreciated, so visit www.xmrracing.com to contact XMR and see final race results and point standings. Enjoy the spring riding, and visit us on the track next year!

Kyle Tapio Reprises King of Kings Role

Kyle Tapio took the top prize at Jackson: King of Kings

Kyle Tapio earned King of Kings honors when he squared off against Les Keller and Tom Roby for the Jackson Hole World Championship Snowmobile Hillclimb top honors. Tapio blazed up Snow King’s Exhibition Hill with a time nearly two seconds faster than what he posted in Open Mod, one of three classes he won. Using a pair of tuned-up Arctic Cat M8 HCRs, Tapio won Improved Stock 800 and 800 Mod and he also finished fourth in Improved Stock 1000.

But nobody was happier with a King title that Jackson’s hometown veteran Roby. The long-time Jackson competitor has a history of King titles at various RMSHA events, but 2009 was his first at the World Championship.

Last year’s Stock King and King of Kings winner Keith Curtis opened the King runs, but aborted his mission near the 11^th of 14 gates. Chance Buckallew made a full run; Roby was the second to do so and he set a faster time. But Roby was nervous. Curtis earned a second run after wining two stock classes: Stock 800 and Stock 1000. But again, Curtis got a bad line and ended up with a highmark instead of breaking the timing lights.

Arctic Cat driver Les Keller won the Improved Stock 1000 class, giving him a bid for the Improved King. He was the fastest during the King runs, giving him a repeat Improved Stock King victory. 

Jackson World Championship Hillclimb Results

Stock King: Tom Roby (Ski-Doo) 1:14.963

Improved Stock King: Les Keller (Arctic Cat) 1:09.974

Mod King: Kyle Tapio (Arctic Cat) 1:05.024

King of Kings: Kyle Tapio [Read more]

Friday Is A Great Day At The World Championship.

Mark Thompson

Qualifying was done in the Stock and Improved Stock classes. The racing started with the Pro Masters Stock Class. From the start of the day Mark Thompson was racing well. He was the top qualifier in this class and 600 Stock. Other top qualifiers included: Keith Curtis, Tony Ottobre, Tyler Crockett, Kyle Tapio, Tom Roby and Dolan Phelps. We will see all of them racing in the finals on Sunday. The finals were run today for the Non-Pro Masters, Juniors, Semi-Pros, and Women’s Classes. Norris Brown was the first racer over the top of Snow King today and won the Non-Pro Masters Class. The Juniors Class winner was Jay Mentaberry, from Alpine WY. Arctic Cat Racer Christy Frisby is the Women’s World Champion. The Semi-Pro Stock class winner was Landon Archibald, from Mendon,UT. Semi-Pro Improved winner was Patrick Trujillo and Semi-Pro Mod winner was David Sharp Jr.

David Sharp Jr.

At the end of the day, all three Semi-Pro class winners raced against each other for the Semi-Pro King title. The youngest semi-Pro racer won, David Sharp Jr.who is only 16 years old. David took on Snow King Mountain and went over the top with the fastest time. Our congratulations to David Jr. and his dad, David Sharp. As I heard someone say as David took off from the starting line: “We are watching the future of our sport”. And what a bright future it has…

Racing begins At Jackson!

Thursday is the first day of qualifying for the Semi-Pros, Juniors and the Women’s class. The day was action packed.

Murray Archibald

Murray Archibald was the first racer up the hill in the Non-Pro Masters class. David Sharp Jr. had a great run and for the youngest racer in the Semi-Pro class he had the fastest qualifying time in Semi-Pro Improved Stock and Semi-Pro Stock (heat 2.)

David Sharp Jr.

David is only 16 years old and had a time of 48.729. Landon Archibald was the top qualifier in Semi-Pro Stock (heat 1) with a time of 49.044. Amy Zollinger was the top qualifier in the Women’s class, with a time of 57.553.

Misao Kikuchi

Jackson has an international flair this year with one of the top racers in Japan competing in 4 classes. Misao Kikuchi will be taking on Snow King Mountain tomorrow. He is sponsored by Starting Line Products. We wish him the best of luck. Check back tomorrow night for more, from Jackson.

All’s Quiet On The Jackson Front

The final preparations are being done at The Jackson Hole World Championship Hillclimb. The food tents are up and the banners are being hung at the starting line. Race trailers are rolling into the town. The snow is falling hard and should make the mountain quite challenging.

Racing begins tomorrow. The qualifying begins with the Non Pro Masters, followed by the Amateurs, Semi-Pro’s, Juniors and the ladies. It should be a great day of racing. Check back tomorrow night for qualifying results and photos.

Levi LaVallee Captures Pro Stock Win, Series Title at Geneva

Kaufman Falls Short of Title Hopes, Gulla and Simons Follow LaVallee to Podium; Ebert Wins Semi-Pro Open Race But Tremblay Clinches Title

Even the best Hollywood writer could not have scripted a better scenario for the final Pro Super Stock race of the season than what unfolded on the slopes of the Mountaintop Ski-Resort during the final weekend of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series. Before the Nielsen’s Grand Finale began to unfold, the battle for the year-end championship was a dead heat between Garth Kaufman (Arctic Cat) and Levi LaVallee (Polaris). While neither racer has notched a win on the season, both had demonstrated uncanny consistency with multiple podium finishes. [Read more]

Snowmobile Evolution is Rapid

Managing editor Andy Swanson and I were testing with Speedwerx this week. We had a lot of casual conversation during the day of radar testing speed parts on our Crossfire R, but one of things we talked about with Speedwerx guru Jeremy Houle was snowmobile evolution.

We all agreed that it’s almost unbelievable how quickly things change. Houle talked about how the F7 Firecats were the sh … er, the bomb in 2003 when they were new, but mentioned climbing on one now seems foreign.

Those of us in who work in the industry are spoiled. We don’t deny, or take for granted, the enviable privilege it is to get to ride new stuff. We magazine guys have an annual fleet of eight to 10 demo machines. Performance shop owners have new machines they use to design parts, so they are usually riding the latest models as well.

Swanson has a ‘92 Polaris Indy XCR and I’ve got a vintage ‘74 Arctic Cat Panther VIP, but for the most part it’s not very often we climb aboard a machine much older than a few model years. When we do, we often remark about snowmobile evolution and how the machines of today are so much better than what they were just a few years ago. One of my favorite flat, groomed, twisty trail machines ever is a 2001 or 2002 Yamaha SRX – but by today’s standards, the ergonomics of that sled are so cramped I wonder if I could stand to ride it anymore.

The majority of people are riding stuff that isn’t showroom fresh. And hey, I know what it’s like. I am a sport bike enthusiast. The only machine in my garage right now is a 2001 Kawasaki ZX-6R, an absolute dinosaur compared to the latest offerings in the 600 supersport class. So I know what it’s like for SnowGoer readers who can’t afford, can’t justify or can’t in another way have the latest and greatest.

I know that people do things to keep them fresh. Shock rebuilds. Engine mods. Clutch kits, a suspension overhaul – all kinds of things to restore or maintain ride quality and pride of ownership. I do the same thing with my bike. I put a full Race Tech front end in it, I experiment with different tire options and I do what I can to enjoy it without coveting the guy next to me on his current year mount. Until I ride one.

If you’re like me, that’s the pitfall. When I experience the newest stuff, I recognize instantly that progress is beautiful, and expensive. Often it’s a demo ride that forces me to find a way to buy a new machine. If you see me slingin’ $5 coffees at Starbucks, that means I got a second job because I rode a new bike.

Tim Erickson

Colorado Powersports XMR Snocross Double Header

Racing in the Rockies - What a Beautiful Thing!

Gould, Colorado – March 16, 2009 -

Warm weather in the Colorado Rockies didn’t stop Xtreme Mountain Racing from hosting a snocross double header in Gould over the last full weekend of February and the first weekend of March this year. Colorado Powersports and The Northpark Snow Snakes sponsored these events, and spectators and riders alike had a lot of fun in the high mountains of Northern Colorado. The track was a mix of tough terrain with a whoop section that separated the front runners from the pack. [Read more]

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