Inaugural Oval Racers Alliance Event a Success

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The weekend of February 5-7, 2010 marked the beginning of the Oval Racers Alliance’s first season.  A total of approximately 536 entries and 120 drivers made for extremely close racing in both modern and vintage classes at the I-94 Speedway in Sauk Centre, MN.
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Team Arctic wins first-ever Soo 500 enduro

The following is a release from Arctic Cat:

Soo 500 Arctic Cat

Thief River Falls, Minn. (Feb. 9, 2010) – It took a racer with a broken shoulder to finally knock the monkey off Team Arctic’s back at the Soo International 500 enduro in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Piloting a 2010 Arctic Cat Sno Pro 600 while nursing a broken shoulder blade, Troy Dewald and his Cadarette Racing teammate Jeff Leuenberger broke the 42-year hex to finally put Arctic Cat atop the world’s most prestigious snowmobile enduro race. [Read more]

Oval Racing Season Starts In Minnesota

Oval racing is back. This image of PJ Wanderscheid is from Eagle River last eyar.

At long last, the snowmobile oval racing season is about to start, thanks to the opening round of the WSA Pro-Ice circuit, held this year at the famous Raceway Park car racing track near Shakopee, Minnesota.

Traditionally, the opening of the oval racing season in the Upper Midwest has been at Beausejour, Manitoba, but that early December race was cancelled due to warm weather. The weather also ate into testing time for most teams. With a couple of cold weeks behind us, however, racers are eager to face off on the track.

Now, the ice is in place, the haybales are being stacked and the racing action is on its way. Racing will be held Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19. Featured racing action will be held from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. each afternoon. Gate fees are $20 either day, or $30 for the full weekend pass. For more information, visit www.pro-ice.com.

The ORA is Here to Stay, 2009-10 Schedule Released

The Oval Racers Alliance, otherwise known as ORA, has officially released their 2009-2010 race season schedule.  In their inaugural season, the ORA will host three races featuring both modern and vintage snowmobiles.

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WSA Pro-Ice in Garrison, MN

As the ice oval season is drawing to a close, race teams and fans headed to Lake Mille Lacs, in Garrison, Minnesota to compete and watch the WSA Pro-Ice race that took place February 28-March 1.

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Wahl Wins Saturday Pro Champ at Valcourt (complete results)

Dustin Wahl was the recipient of good fortune from his teammate to win Saturday’s Pro Champ 440 feature race at Valcourt.

Wahl chased race leader Nick VanStrydonk until the last turn of the white flag lap. VanStrydonk nailed the start and had the lead. Wahl advanced and kept pressure on the young VanStrydonk, with Brian Bewcyk in third. But Wahl was the one in position to win. 

“I was right on his bumper going into 3-4,” Wahl said of his VanStrydonk pursuit. “I’m not sure what happened. I stayed on it and came out of four in front. It’s nice when things work out like that — when it comes out in my favor. I’ve been on the other side of things like that too many times.” 

VanStrydonk knew exactly what happened, however. He watched Wahl’s teammate, Brandon Johnson, on previous laps and guessed wrong on his line. Johnson, about to go a lap down to VanStrydonk and Wahl, respectively, ran a lower line on the white-flag lap — the same lap VanStrydonk was running. 

“I didn’t want to go high,” VanStrydonk said. “That was a bad line. I took it once and almost went to the bales. I stayed low, got behind Brandon and I just had to follow him through the corner.” 

No ill will, mind you. That’s racing, and VanStrydonk was pumped. “I was having fun,” he said. “It was a fun race.”  

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Wyman Winter Carnival Hosts XMR Races!

Craig, Colorado – February 16, 2009 – The Wyman Museum hosted their annual winter carnival this past weekend and provided a great site for Xtreme Mountain Racing’s snocross and enduro races. Almost 5,000 spectators visited throughout the weekend to watch races, see vintage snowmobiles, ice sculptures, the museum and more. Wes Selby built a great track for the races and all the riders, Pro’s to 120’s, had a great weekend.

Semi-Pro Riders Comin' at Ya!

In addition to bringing his skills to the helm of the groomer, Wes Selby proved victorious in the Semi-Pro races in both the Stock and Open classes. He rode his black Cat well and put on a great show for fans. Zach Acord was in the chase as well and despite a sore hip took second in both events. The Sport classes were rounded out by the usual suspects and the points race between Peterson and DePalma continues. Dylon Moss rode hard in the sport classes as well, but had a few offs that set him back. He did however ride his Polaris to victory in the Junior 16-17 class, followed by Trevor Corbin and Trent Chanell. Debbie Montgomery rounded out the Montgomery race team and found herself on the podium in the Sport Women class, with TJ and Logan also riding well in the Masters and 120 classes respectively. Dylon Thomas won the Junior 14-15 class with the Stoffles, AJ and Michelle not for behind. The racing was good and the fans and riders had a great time. [Read more]

Van Strydonk Sets New Eagle River Record

Beau Van Strydonk, of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, set a new record at this year’s 46th Annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby.  After winning five classes, Van Strydonk broke the previous held record of four class wins in a Derby weekend, coincidentally held by his cousin Nick Van Strydonk.

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Brian Bewcyk Repeats Eagle River Victory

Brian Bewcyk claimed his second World Championship win at Eagle River when he defended his title. He led for 24 laps.

Brian Bewcyk, the pole sitter at the 46th running of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, emerged from the pack in the lead at the start of lap 2 and remained in front to the checkered flag. He defended the World Champion title after winning Eagle River last year on the same Wahl chassis Ski-Doo. 

“Last name on the Snow Week Cup, first name on the Snow Goer Cup,” said team owner Jeff MacDonald. “I told him he was going to be the first name on that cup this morning.”

The new Snow Goer Cup is a traveling trophy that records the name of the winner of the Derby. On the cup already are the 45 previous winners. Bewcyk was the last winner recorded on the retired Snow Week Cup, whose permanent resting place is at the World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River, WI. 

Bewcyk’s first words after his win was a tribute to his brand. “Happy Birthday Ski-Doo,” he said, in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary. “My holeshots were working good,” he said, of the initial sprint to the first corner as well as the three race restarts after track incidents hauled out the red flag. “I was working to stay on the inside line,” he said. “If you bounced up into the snow, you lost a lot of momentum.”

Hooper/Arctic Cat driver Dan Fenhaus was in second from the first restart, but Wanderscheid worked around him out of turn four. Wanderscheid and Fenhaus had their lines cross in turns 1-2, and Wanderscheid spun out after the pair made contact on lap 7. 

While Wanderscheid made several advances and moved his way through the pack in two separate runs, he couldn’t get back to the front for a spot on the podium, and finished fourth. 

Bewcyk was unchallenged at the front. He had both the best lap time and fastest speed, 18.373 seconds and 78.376 mph, respectively. 

Other News & Notes:

• On lap 5, Joel Fjerstad wrecked on the low line in turn three causing the first red flag. He was OK, but the sled was battered after tumbling into the infield.
• Gary Moyle and Dustin Wahl were involved in a lap 5 wreck after the restart. Moyle was transported to the hospital for evaluation, but we were told it was precautionary. Wahl restarted at the back of the field, and finished third.
• Wanderscheid spun out on lap 7 causing a third red flag. From his last-position status on the restart, he had a monster holeshot and blasted into third after the restart. He was back behind Fenhaus, and tried a different line in turns 3-4 but was too high in the snow and lost momentum. He was trying different things to find something to work. He had the speed – he recorded the second fastest speed.
• Eagle River native Nick Dolezal started in the back row. He advanced as far as fourth at lap 17, but he lost drive and finished eighth.

Mike Poach, Nick Dolezal Advance to World Championship Final

The two drivers needed to complete the field of 12 vying for the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby Champ title were determined through a Last Chance Quaifier (LCQ) completed moments ago. Mike Poach and Nick Dolezal battled with other drivers to secure the two transfer positions for the feature race that will go green in at 3:00 Sunday.

Shane Peterson was the early leader. A crash off the high bank in turns 3-4 removed three drivers from the dogfight when it brought out the red flag, but all the drivers were OK. A few laps after the restart, Peterson was in the lead, Poach second and Dolezal in third. Peterson bobbled low in turn 2, and the correction to avoid a wreck removed him from the final. 

Poach (#2) and Dolezal (#180) will start in the back row in today’s race. They are joined by the drivers who were qualified for the front row Friday and yesterday:

#39 Brian Bewcyk (pole)

#66 Gary Moyle

#10 Dan Fenhaus

#28 PJ Wanderscheid

#74 Dustin Wahl

#16x Joey Fjerstad

#22 Brandon Johnson

#58 Cardell Potter

#33 Malcolm Chartier

#13 Nick VanStrydonk

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