racing 1990

The Factories

Arctco
Arctco was not happy that Polaris Indys captured virtually all of the first 20 spots in last year's Jeep 500. To rectify that situation, Arctco unveiled a new EXT "Special" designed to bring the Indys dominance of marathon racing to a halt. To that end, Joey Hallstrom, Team Arctic race manager, reports that dealers, consumers and racers alike are tremendously excited about the new 1990 EXT Special and the Team Arctic efforts to make Cat a winner in the fourth Jeep 500.

In addition to the emphasis on the "Special," Team Arctic racers will again compete on the big bore Wildcat 650s in Formula III. Arctco has been a leader in promoting this form of consumer-identifiable "silhouette" racing. The Wildcats will again go head to head against the Indy 650s and Mach Ones. The new Wildcat racers feature upgrades learned in competition from previous seasons.

Team Arctic will also campaign in the Formula III circuit. The Formula III team has expanded to include several new members to join established veterans like Cat ace Brian Sturgeon, high points champion in Motorsports Racing Plus. Team Arctic riders for the season include: Wisconsin's Jim Herzig, Mod II champ in USSA; Maine's Tracy Gordon, F-III champ in NESRA; Ontario's Larry Van Dyke, OSRF Champ in F-III; Dale Lindbeck of Minnesota and a F-III winner in USSA; New Yorker Jeff Kirchmeyer; Michigan's Tom Martin; Manitoba's Keith Hayman; and Washington's Harvey Waldron.

Coming back to the Cat is veteran F-I and F-III pilot Darcy Ewing of Minnesota. Ewing scored the only outright victory earned by the Mach I in ProStar racing last season. He hopes to up his victories aboard his new Wildcat.

Providing support to the pro and amateur level drivers at selected races will be the Black Magic Motorsports racing van. Cat's support van and parts support is one portion of the factory's racing program. Selected top drivers receive discount priced sleds for racing. Various levels of Cat riders qualify for Team Arctic Certificates, available in $25 for first, $15 for second and $10 for third place.

In addition special Arctco contingencies have been announced for special events- like the Jeep 500, where the winner gets a $5,000 bonus, second through 20th place finishers get $200. Selected classes at Eagle River's championship derby offer $500 for Cat victories. The Formula III championship at Eagle River is worth $2,000 to a winning Cat rider.

Other selected events with contingencies include the "Soo" 500 mile enduro; Jackson Hole Hill Climb; World Series of ovals, snocross and drags; world record titles on the National Snowmobile Speed Run circuit; and the Super Sled Series.

Ski-Doo
Ski-Doo adds extra incentive to top drivers this season with its "Cash On Ice" contingency program.

Major racing events included in the program are:
Eagle River (Wisconsin) World's Championship
The "Soo" (Michigan) 500
The I-500
Grand Prix de Valcourt
Jackson Hole (Wyoming) Hill Climb

"Cash on ice" means a 1990 Formula Mach I to the Ski-Doo racer who wins the Formula III title at Eagle River. A similar prize will be awarded at the Grand Prix de Valcourt. The program will award $2,500 to a Ski-Doo racer winning the Soo 500.

Ski-Doo racers in the Jeep 500 will be eligible for extra cash.

If a Ski-Doo racer is in first place at the end of the first day of competition from Thunder Bay to Grand Marais, he'll pick up $250; second through tenth is worth $100; anyone in the top 20 picks up $50. Another $50 will be awarded to these and all other drivers who complete the race on a Ski-Doo snowmobile. The same cash awards are carried over to the second day.

If a Ski-Doo racer takes the checkered flag at White Bear Lake, the Cash On Ice program will award that racer $3,150 plus a Formula Plus 500 snowmobile. Second place on a Ski-Doo snowmobile is worth $1,150; third place $650; fourth place, $500; fifth to seventh are worth $150; and eighth to tenth, $100.

Cash On Ice offers $1,000 to the racer competing on a Ski-Doo snowmobile at the Jackson Hole Hill Climb who captures the King of the Hill title in either stock or mod classes.

Cash On Ice also includes competitors on Ski-Doo snowmobiles in the drag racing circuit this season.

Mach I Pilots Named
Ski-Doo driver Wayne Nicholsen managed to win the inaugural ProStar F-III title without scoring an outright victory on the circuit last year. His consistency and the consistency of the often out-gunned Mach I were the keys to the title. However, the new Machs will come to the track with more power, even better handling, and a hot team of F-III pilots.

Last season's USSA Formula III champion Wayne Nicholsen of Greenville, N.Y. will head up the effort. Entering his 21st year of snowmobile racing, Nicholsen's determination and drive make him a fierce competitor every time he hits the track.

Joining the Ski-Doo crew is Green Bay, Wisconsin racer Dale Loritz, who captured a title in Pro Spring; was named USSA high-point driver in both Pro Sprint and F-250; and earned titles at Eagle River and the World Series in Pro Spring. Veteran Yamaha racer Jim Wergin makes a switch to Ski-Doo after thinking about retirement last year. Wergin, from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, is a 21-year racing veteran.

Rounding out the Ski-Doo crew will be Keith Young of Springfield, Vermont, who competed on the Formula Mach I last season, finishing fifth overall in the USSA Formula III.

These Ski-Doo independents are scheduled to compete in Formula III events which will be held in conjunction with the Formula I SPORT races in North America.

Ski-Doo "Plus" Set for Marathon
The folks in Valcourt aren't crazy about letting the folks in Roseau have all the glory when it comes to marathon racing. The new Ski-Doo Plus "500" has been designed to give Ski-Doo marathon runners a leg up in the tough Jeep 500 cross country race and in other classes of racing competition as well.

The new Formula Plus 500 model is powered by a 521cc Bombardier-Rotax engine that has been tuned for more horsepower and higher speeds. Engine mods include replacing the 34mm carbs with 38mm Mikunis. More than 20 modifications were made to the standard 1990 Formula Plus to create the upgraded Formula Plus 500. Clutches were recalibrated; suspensions were modified. Ski stance was increased to 45-inches for maximum control and handling. Gas shocks were used where necessary to reduce the pounding riders take in this type of off-road racing.

While Ski-Doo wouldn't officially tell us its program, it has been rumored that the top Ski-Doo racers were given a sled allowance, a paid entry fee into the Jeep 500, and a thousand dollar parts allowance with the racing support truck. That has been a good formula to get some veteran racers to switch onto the new Plus.

The best finish in such cross country racing was Yvon DuHamel's top three finish in a long ago Winnipeg-to-St. Paul enduro. You can see why the Bomber crew covets a win.

Polaris
To help support Polaris independent racers for the 1989-90 race season, Polaris offers a multi-faceted program including Performance Checks, increased contingencies valued at up to $6,600 to Polaris drivers who win selected races, and two new full-time race coordinators to help Polaris racers with any technical questions they may have.

Performance Checks
The popular "Polaris Performance Checks" award program enters its fifth season as a special support program for Polaris independent racers. This special incentive program consists of special value checks redeemable for Polaris products. Checks are worth $25 for a first place win, $15 for a second place, and $5 for third place.

Only racers riding 1980 or newer Polaris snowmobiles in sanctioned stock or mod-stock classes are eligible for Polaris Performance Checks. Entries must be registered and entered as Polaris snowmobiles. Polaris identification must be readily visible on the race sled entry and the sled's hood must be in place.

To redeem Polaris Performance Checks, the checks must be applied toward the purchase of any Polaris product at any Polaris snowmobile dealer within 45 days after the race win.

Polaris Performance Checks are available to recognized ISR affiliated organizations.

Limited Racer Discount
While this program is already complete for the 1989-90 season, racers wishing to get on the program for next year can apply for the Polaris independent racer support program. Professional racers, who race a minimum of six races during the 1989-90 season and who intend to do the same next year, can qualify for this discount.

Racers must forward a racing history and resume to Polaris, c/o Greg Hedlund, Roseau, MN 56751.

Polaris Race Coordinators
For the upcoming racing season, Polaris will have two Race Coordinators, Greg Hedlund and Denny Kjos, available to help independent Polaris racers get the most from their Polaris snowmobiles. While Greg and Denny are involved in various service duties at the Roseau factory, they will be available by telephone to answer racing related questions.

As a part of their function as Race Coordinators, Greg and Denny review and approve requests for the special "racer discounts" to be made available to qualified racers this season. Greg and Denny can be reached at the Polaris plant during normal working hours by calling (218) 463-2312.

The race support program for 1989-90 is designed to foster and encourage competition at both the "grass roots" amateur level and the highly competitive "professional" levels of racing.

Through its support of racers, Polaris encourages competitive participation in snowmobiling and underlines the company's commitment.

Yamaha
Carrying the Yamaha banner for 1990 will be Tim Bender and a strong list of Yamaha support racers.

Heading the Yamaha effort is 10-year veteran Tim Bender of upstate New York.

Yamaha racing manager Jim Kedinger says, "We're looking at a really exciting racing season for Yamaha at both the amateur and professional levels. Our Exciters are performing better than ever in preparation for the big Formula III races, and we're hoping to see Tim Bender score an unprecedented fifth consecutive championship at Eagle River. We've also got some great new drivers this season, and we're confident that our new Yamaha Phazer IIs are going to score big in this season's ovals, snocross and drag events."

Returning Yamaha drivers include brothers Ed and Dan Devault of Madison, Wisconsin. The Devault brothers, victors at numerous circuits last season, will compete on oval circuits in both stock and Pro Sprint classes on Exciters and Phazer.

Brothers Pat and Jerry Hauck will drive in stock and modified drag racing classes.

"Three other Yamaha-supported drivers from the West will also be racing the Midwest circuits this season," Kedinger said. "Rick Haeg will race stock and Formula III on oval circuits; Mike Sackett will race stock classes on oval circuits and enter the International 500 mile race from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada to White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Bugsy Booth will race Phazer IIs on the USSA oval circuit in stock classes."

Independent Drivers
Yamaha extends the company's independent driver support programs, supporting drivers directly through Yamaha's dealer network. Qualifying drivers are eligible for discounts on Yamaha snowmobiles and parts. Application forms are available through Yamaha snowmobile dealers.

Racing Support
Yamaha also announced that racing support vehicles will be present at all this season's major events. These trucks provide a full inventory of specialized racing parts and are available in support of drivers at all levels who compete on Yamaha snowmobiles. The trucks and the staff involved provide a source of invaluable racing information and technical expertise for both amateur racers and professionals.

Yamaha continues its popular "Yamabucks" program whereby top finishers in Yamaha-supported races receive Yamabucks certificates, redeemable for parts and accessories at Yamaha dealerships nationwide.

"Some of the most exciting and enjoyable racing is at the community level," Kedinger noted, adding that, "Yamaha is working hard to provide the machines and support to make this grass-roots racing an exciting, fun sport for everyone involved."