hibbert wins jeep

More than 200 snowmobile racers converged on Thunder Bay, Ontario, to take part in the fourth annual Jeep 500 cross-country classic. The February 3-4 event was a weather-shortened version of the three-day race which would normally end in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

The 219 entrants started from Thunder bay in a quest for a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Sport and a first place purse of cash and prizes worth over $25,000. With racers from all over the snowbelt, it was Kirk Hibbert, 32, of Driggs, Idaho, who got to jump from the seat of his Arctic Cat EXT Special onto the seat of the top prize Jeep. It was Cat's first ever win in this event and Hibbert's second shot at scoring the win in his second try.

Called "Winter's Toughest Race" and sponsored this year by Jeep/Eagle Division of Chrysler Motors, Amoco Oil Company, Justice Brothers Snowmobile Oil and Forester Boats, the fourth annual Jeep event had to be called off in Duluth, Minnesota, after only 310 miles of what should have been a 500-plus mile endurance test. Hibbert's time for the two-day contest was 7 hours, 24 minutes, 28 seconds.

This year's event enjoyed a number of firsts. With 219 entries, the race broke 200 for the first time. Aarno Erola came from Finland to become the first European rider in the race. Four out of the top five finishers were from the western states, the first time Minnesotans have dominated the competition. Kirk Hibbert's win for Arctic Cat represented the first win by a sled other than a Polaris Indy.
Started this year at Old Fort William on the outskirts of Thunder Bay, the race began in snowfall and ran along a new trail which challenged competitors with roots, rocks and stumps lying in wait to trap the unwary.

Starting in a later heat, Hibbert survived the difficult 156-mile first day to post a time of 3:40:54, good for 15th overall at the first day finish south of the Canadian border in Grand Marais, Minnesota.

The first day's best time was set by James Campbell of Thunder Bay. He rode his Indy to a time of 3:27:09. Second fastest was Cat driver Vaughn Langaas of Plummer, Minnesota, with a time of 3:29:09.

Total finishers after the first day numbered 150. Sixty-nine drivers failed to reach the finish line on Minnesota's famed Gunflint Trail by cut-off time.

An overnight and two-hour maintenance period, the competitors lined up for the second and final day. It would be a spring along the North Shore trail into Duluth.

The 143 remaining competitors were flagged off in pairs to run the smoother North Shore State Trail to the Martin Road finish line with fast interim times along the route posted by Jim Campbell, Dan Zimmerman, Harley Doebber and Vaughn Langass.

Fastest overall time for the second day was set by Harley Doebber at 3:41:35, nearly a minute faster than the field. Unfortunately he had more than 30 minutes to make up from the previous day and had to start in 63rd position. Race winner Kirk Hibbert was only about 13 minutes back after the first day and started 15th and managed to finish in third spot on the second day and only about two minutes behind the second day's leader. In cross country racing it's consistency that spells victory. It was Hibbert's consistently fast times on both days which enabled him to win.

Among this year's finishers was Joanne Drew of Thunder Bay, one of two women entries this year. She finished with a time of 10:04:21, good for 91st place and well ahead of over half the starting field. The other woman, Teresa Fett, failed to finish the first day in her second Jeep 500 attempt. Finnish driver Aarno Erola was timed in 9:11:04 to post a 78th place.

Prizes totaling more than $75,000 in cash and prizes included contingencies from Arctic Cat, Polaris and Justice Brothers. Added to Kirk Hibbert's top prize of a Jeep Cherokee was a $5000 Team Arctic Award, a $1000 savings bond and $200 race cash. The event's total payback also included $6000 plus a $1000 bond and $1000 from Polaris which was awarded to Colorado's Fritz Kadlec for second place. Third place finisher, John Faeo has received $4,500 plus a $500 bond and $500 from Polaris. Faeo, by the way, like many of the Jeep entrants is a proven cross country competitor. From Anchorage, Alaska, Faeo lists winning the rugged Gold Rush Classic among his credits. That event is run over the famed Iditarod dog sled course in Alaska.

Drivers finishing in the top ten were all awarded cash prizes in excess of $1,000 plus contingencies from Arctic Cat, Polaris and Justice Brothers.

Kirk Hibbert and his wife, Teresa, told the people attending a victory party in Thief River Falls that his Jeep 500 win is the high point of his long and successful cross-country racing career so far. He has already announced plans to return in '91 to try for two in a row.

For you statistic crazies, here are a few facts. Arctic Cat, which had the second largest number of entrants, had 23 of the 95 finishers- including three of the top 10.

Polaris, which had the largest number of sleds entered, captured second to sixth and walked off with seven of the top 10, 16 of the top 20 and 25 of the top 30.

The top Yamaha driver was Phil Javinsky of Circle Pines, Minnesota. He finished 31st overall. Jerry Muenster, Jr. of Green Bay, Wisconsin, had the top Ski-Doo. He finished 65th overall.

James Campbell of Thunder Bay and the first day's leader finished in fifth place as the best finishing Canadian.

Jeep 500
February 3-4, 1990
Thunder Bay, Ontario to Duluth, Minnesota

Top 10
1. Kirk Hibbert, Driggs, Idaho, Arctic Cat, 7:24:28
2. Fritz Kadlec, Gunnison, Colorado, Polaris, 7:28:59
3. John Faeo, Anchorage, Alaska, Polaris, 7:29:01
4. Dan Zimmerman, Nisswa, Minnesota, Polaris, 7:30:33
5. James Campbell, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Polaris, 7:38:00
6. Craig Feierabend, Brainerd, Minnesota, Polaris, 7:38:05
7. Vaughn Langaas, Greenbush, Minnesota, Arctic Cat, 7:38:11
8. Gerry Mattison, Plummer, Minnesota, Polaris, 7:38:22
9. Todd Wolff, Annandale, Minnesota, Polaris, 7:43:59
10. Harley Doebber, Alexandria, Minnesota, Polaris 7:46:19