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For a decade the USCC (United States Cross-Country Snowmobile Racing Association) worked to bring cross-country snowmobile racing back to prominence within the snowmobile world.
The founder, president and driving force behind that circuit was Pat Mach. Mach died in February of 2011, leaving a huge vacuum within the USCC and in snowmobile racing. The Mach family pledged to run the circuit for one more season in honor of Pat, then announced it was ceasing operations in May.
Enter Brian Nelson. Nelson tried to buy the USCC from the Mach family, but when the two sides couldn’t reach a purchase agreement, Nelson announced he was starting a new circuit, the USXC (United States X-Country). The 2012-2013 USXC cross-country racing circuit will consist of six to eight races, including a premier three-day, 500-mile cross-country race in Northwestern Minnesota. The goal of USXC is to continue cross-country’s tradition of grassroots racing with racer-friendly events at many of the classic cross-country venues, giving drivers, crews and fans the best possible experience.
“The USCC was a first-class organization that rescued and grew the sport,” said Nelson. “With the USXC, we want to continue where USCC left off and continue to move cross-country snowmobile racing forward.”
Plans for the coming season don’t call for any radical changes, but moving forward USXC says it hopes to grow cross-country in a couple different ways.
One is to get riders on production, or closer to production, snowmobiles with all four brands participating. Next is to bring back a point-to-point race like the old Winnipeg to St. Paul race. Last is to make sure USXC fosters Junior and Sport class racing.
“We hope to see a lot of kids and families at our races,” Nelson said. “The kids at our races are going to be where we are someday, leading our sport. The more kids we can get involved the more we ensure the sport will be alive for years.”
Nelson has a long history in snowmobiling. He was a legendary cross-country racer who won the Winnipeg-to-St. Paul I-500 in 1976 aboard Enduro Team Deere, and again in 1978 for Team Arctic. He has owned a multi-brand snowmobile dealership (Nelson Marine) and hosted and promoted ISOC cross-country races and NSSR speed runs in the 1990s. Nelson also has operated a sled and motorcycle tour business since 1980 and was inducted into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 2000.
His most recent foray into racing was in 2011, when he competed in the vintage class at the USCC Red Lake I-500.
“Cross-country snowmobile racing has been my life for more than 40 years,” Nelson said, “Starting USXC is my way to give back to the sport I love. With the support of a great team of people, the industry and racers, we will preserve and even grow cross-country snowmobile racing in the years ahead.” More info: Email USXC at info@usxcracing.com.