shakeand bake

If you’re not first, you’re last!”

“No, no, he didn’t slam you, he didn’t bump you, he didn’t nudge you... he ‘rubbed’ you. And rubbin, son, is racin’.”
Ok, ok, there are plenty of good (and bad) racing quotes, tips and superstitions that we’ve seen or heard. In this issue we delve a little deeper into the world of snowmobile racing, including profiles, parts suggestions, schedules, circuits, history and more.

One observation I’ve made in the 30+ years I’ve been on sleds is that racing is a main artery in the snowmobile life-system. Through racing, hundreds of major developments for consumer sleds from the trail to the mountains have been made. IFS, rider-forward positioning, long-travel suspensions, powervalves, modern brake systems and much more has come from racing.

Recently I have heard several ramblings in my travels that ‘trail riders don’t benefit much from racing.’ To those people, I would say, ‘do you still chip teeth in the stutter bumps when you ride?’ Most of the suspension tech today trickled down from the racing world. That is just one example, but it solidifies the fact that we need snowmobile racing. Snocross, asphalt drags, cross country, vintage, grass drags, ovals, ice drags, endurance, etc., all this only positively impacts our sport and we should support it.

Finally, believe it or not, snowmobile racing is still something a family can do and afford. Sure, you probably aren’t going to compete in pro-open snocross tomorrow against Tucker Hibbert, but local drags, ovals, vintage and especially cross-country racing is extremely reasonable for a group or family to get involved in without breaking the bank. We’ve got info in this issue from ISR and USXC that speaks directly to this important fact of trying to keep families involved. Check out the full racing section for more info… and you racers, stay on the gas!