a preseason look before snow racing

Many snowmobilers may think that when the snow melts, snow and ice racing is over. That may be true for a few gifted racers who are naturally fast and have a youthful physique that only gets better with age. But as most of us know, speed and fit bodies are not inherited. No one can expect to competitively compete without working on their sled and physical condition in the off-season. In fact, according to Mike VanDam, an ice racer in Conrad, Montana, and Kevin Gerrard, a snow racer in Long Lac, Ontario, the most crucial part of racing is during the off season.

This June, VanDam was upgrading his Vmax 750 to an 800 and lightening the chassis on his 440 and 660 from 560 pounds to 450 pounds. Meanwhile Gerrard was tuning his Vmax-4 (Monster Max 880 with a big bore)- checking the track, replacing the gaskets, adjusting the cylinders' clearance, draining the carbs, adjusting the clutching and replacing springs as needed.

VanDam's project began when he installed larger pistons in his Vmax 750. Upon completion, he performed a series of dyno tests and made adjustments to ensure his rpm's were achieving peak performance. Porting and pipe work, which came next, was taken so seriously that he claims to have tried three sets of pipes on one machine before selecting a perfect match. Even though VanDam finished the bulk of his work, he didn't consider his job complete until he received consulting from Pat Hauck, owner of a Yamaha high performance shop and top grass drag racer for Yamaha. "You have to keep in touch with guys like Pat Hauck," he says. "He gives excellent advice." Although VanDam is an ice racer, he swears that ice and snow racers who compete on grass will have a jump on those who don't. "You can figure out the characteristics of your sled," he adds. "By the time the season comes you have a couple hundred miles on your new sled."

Gerrard, another friend of Hauck, also sees the benefits of grass racing because it shares similar principles with ice and snow racing. Although he has concentrated on snow racing for the last 19 years, he says studding and suspension are critical in all drags. "For starters, keep skis as low to ground as possible, but without dragging," he advises. "Stiffen the part farthest back on the seat and set the front travel at an inch and one half to two inches. If you're doing wheelies, you're wasting time." The Canadian added that racing with dull studs is another waste of time. He suggests re-studding often because good studs provide power. "If you can't get power off the ground, forget it," he said.

In addition to Gerrard's and VanDam's commitment to tuning their sleds in the off-season, they contend that keeping physically fit is equally as important. "You need a good back and arms because you're lifting your sleds a lot. I'm always busy working at the saw mill. I keep my weight under control at about 170," says Gerrard. "Keep your body weight the same. If you gain 20 pounds (in the off season) it's like you have a few less horsepowers. If you don't keep your weight, you can throw it (all your tests) in the trash can." VanDam maintains his weight by regularly riding his mountain bike. He also keeps his reflexes sharp by using a practice tree- a panel you punch as soon as you see a light go on. At races he gets an additional workout by helping three or four friends in the pit when he's not racing.

When the race competition is tough, Gerrard is glad he keeps his sled and boy in shape during the off-season. "Racing is quite aggressive," he says. "It's like doing 660 feet in six seconds. When you average 95 to 100 mph, everything needs to be in perfect shape for you to win."