IT'S BACK BABY! THE NEW VSCA!

6/02/05
THE VSCA IS BACK IN A BIG WAY!
I snagged an issue of the new VSCA magazine this past weekend in St. Germain. I really didn't get a chance to read through it until last night - and all I can say is WOW!

Mike and Judy have put together a first issue that completely blew away my expectations, exceeding them with every turn of the page. There are tech articles by Glen Mallory, Readers Rides, stunning race coverage from the biggest vintage races of this past winter, show coverage from Minnesota, West Yellowstone, Michigan, stories, an article by Scott Tillman on the Wolf Lake Outlaws and more. Even the ads are better!

It's clear we have a good team in control of the magazine now, and I'm very happy it's back. I was told last weekend that the magazines have been mailed to all they had in the subscription database, but the postal service may take a couple of weeks. In the meantime, you can pick up a copy at the Milbank South Dakota show this weekend. You can subscribe here.

EDGAR HETTEN RETIRES
I didn't think they guy would ever stop, but Edgar Hetten, cofounder of Polaris and founder of Arctic cat and several other companies announced his retirement via a press release today. Edgar is 84-year-old and has retired from his position as vice president and secretary of ASV Inc.
Edgar officially left his position last Friday, according to a report in Wednesday's edition of the Duluth News Tribune. Today, the three companies Edgar was a big part of have $2.6 billion in annual sales and 5,293 employees. Edgar will continue speaking about entrepreneurship to groups, and he wants to encourage people to take risks, and if they fail, to try again.

"I'm almost 85 years old, and if I'm going to have any retirement at all, I'd better do it," he said.

I had a chance to meet Edgar at the first Eagle River Vintage Reunion and we had a very, very interesting discussion. Edgar knew my late grandfather, Herb Borah, very well when both of them were at Polaris in the early days. He told my some great stories about Herb, who passed away before I got to know him at all. We all owe Edgar a debt of gratitude, as much of the fun we enjoy today wouldn't have been possible if it were not for Edgar's being there.

HAVE A GREAT RETIREMENT EDGAR!

THE NEW PATRON SAINT OF VINTAGE SNOWMOBILES?
So far the email is 20 to 1 in favor of Danica Patrick. No votes came in for Liv yet.

6/01/05
ST. GERMAIN ROCKS
25% more sleds, many more people, double the swappers and a lot of very happy people attended the 2005 Hall of Fame Classic Sled Roundup this past weekend. The magnificent Boss Cat II was the big hit of the show. You have to see it in person to get a feel for how low it is, and how really long and sleak it is. The Warning family also had the original parachute on display. The best part was the people that walked up and said "Yeah, looks nice but does it run?". Hearing that, one of the Warnings would pop the lid, push a button and fire it up. Does it run? It purrs like a kitten. A kitten with great big sharp teeth that is!

Young Mr. Scott got the thrill of his life when he got to sit on a real SnoPro.

Big winners included Dr. Jones of Le Seuer, Minnesota, the Warning Family and Randy Springer. There was so many cool sleds there that it was hard to nail down a favorite... But...

I think Bill Stull's 1975 Rupp PDC 650 (another "what if" custom sled from a man who gives new meaning to the phrase "Live it Rupp") really took the cake. Following close behind was Brad Warning's custom Alouette IFS Super, Dr. Jones Prototype Moto-Ski, Kurt Kruegers' 650cc Bullet, Randy Springers King Kat and 79 SnoPro, Jeff Steenerson's 800cc 73 Starfire, Al Enno's 77.5 Moto-Ski SnoPro repro, some serious Viking's, Todd Koehn's rear engine Arctic Cat... and so many more nice sleds that it was border line overwhelming.

The weather held out perfect, sunny, 70 degrees with a gentle breeze. Food provided by the Bo-Boens snowmobile club was very tasty indeed. Mark Anderson was on hand to accept the title of the 2005 Vintage SnoPro Master, and a trophy that was taller then him. His name is now #1 on the Cup that is on display at the Hall of Fame, courtesy of myself and Loren Anderson. Ken Bitzman accepted the trophy for IFS winner, Devin Fackrell, who was unable to attend.

The really fun part? Everyone was there to support the history of Snowmobiling and a 20 plus year old dream. The dream that one day soon, we will have a great big beautiful Hall of Fame and museum befitting the colorful history that all of us in the snowbelt share. With your help and continued support - it could happen this year!

More photos to come.

A NEW PATRON SAINT OF VINTAGE SNOWMOBILING?
Awhile back we thought about stripping the beloved Ms. Tyler of her 'Patron Saint of Vintage Snowmobiling' title. Why? Well, it's been almost 6 years now, and we still haven't heard a word from Ms. Tyler if she's a Cat lady, a Ski-Doo fan, a Yamaha queen or what. We've heard nothing. Nada. Zippo. So from time to time I think gee - maybe we should find a better saint. But who?

Well, two new candidates have leaped off the television screen as possibilities. So here they are with all the Pros and Cons. Which one would you pick?

Liv Tyler	Courtney Hansen	Danica Patrick
Current Gig: Movie Star.	Current Gig: Host of TV Show: "Overhaulin".	Current Gig: Indy race Car Driver.
PROS: 1. Represents all that is good. 2. Father is a Rock Star 3. Can drink with the best of them. 4. Recently became a Mom. 5. Can play a very sexy nerd girl.	PROS: 1. Originally from Orono, MN. 2. Actually likes playing with rusty things. 3. Father once owned Brainerd Int. Raceway. 4. Likes to say: "You've been overhauled". 5. Spokesperson for Rolls-Royce.	PROS: 1. Looks considerably better then Jeff Gordon in a racing suit. 2. Father T.J. is a famous vintage snowmobile racer. 3. Likes going really, really fast. 4. At 5' 2", she fits nicely on a 78 Polaris RXL. 5. Lists Jacques Villenueve as a role model.
CONS: 1. Yet to Acknowledge her crown. 2. Father is a Rock Star 3. Lives in La la land.	CONS: 1. Marketing degree. May use phrases like "maximize efficiencies" and "Create Synergy". 2. Lives in La la land. 3. Originally from Orono.	CONS: 1. Once lived in France. 2. Watch's "Regis and Kelly" 3. May Look a little too much like dad.

So what's your choice or comment?

5/24/05
BACK IN BLACK - AND PURPLE!
What's 22 feet long, purple & black, goes 168 MPH, has Chevy 327 motor in it and is featured on the back cover of Snowtech Magazine's first book "Racing's Early Years"?

Ladies and Gentleman, allow me to introduce you to the one, the only, <<drum roll please!>>

BOSS CAT II!

Restored and Running! The BOSS CAT II. See it in St. Germain Wisconsin this coming Sunday!

For weeks now I've been telling everyone that the Hall of Fame benefit in St. Germain Wisconsin will be featuring some of the most unique, interesting, exotic, and super rare sleds ever to have been built. All on display and helping to raise money to support the Hall of Fame in its never ending quest to preserve the history of our favorite sport. The Boss Cat II absolutely falls into that category. Maybe it defines the category.

This has to be on many lists as one of the coolest 'sleds' ever built. Cat created this beautiful machine in 1971 for the 1972 season. The Boss Cat II set an initial record of 127 MPH with Dale Cormichan driving and later went 130 MPH with the late great Charles Lofton. It was the subject of much controversy at the time, as many people felt it was not really a snowmobile, but a car with tracks and skis. Never the less, it gained the title of "World's Fastest Snowmobile" and was a very successful marketing tool for Arctic. Everyone likes to feel proud about the product they bought, and if you bought a Cat back then, one can image it was quite easy to be proud of Cat when they built stuff this cool.

So what ever happened to the Boss Cat II? Racer Paul Groth bought it from Arctic Cat in in 1983 when Cat went under. Paul repainted it, took a lot of weight off, modified the motor and drove it 168 MPH.

Sometime later, Paul advertised it in Snow week (for sale: one used Boss Cat II) and sold it Vaughn Spurlock. Vaughn kept it for 10 years to go along with his matching Boss Cat III. Both sleds were sold to Rod Everts who held on to them for 10 years. Jim & Keith Warnings bought both in 2004 and have been working on the restoration until this point.

And restore it they did - not only was it painstakingly put back to the original color and details, but the new owners got it running ("we can't wait to drive it!") and will be able to take it down a strip or two in the winter of '06, just shy of the sleds 35th birthday.

Click here to see some more photos of the sled over the years. Come see it in St. Germain Wisconsin this Sunday!

Speaking of the Hall of Fame show - there are people coming from Alaska and Maine to see this show. All I can say is "wow!" and safe travels to those making the hike!

Rare 650cc Moto-Ski Bullet to be unveiled at St. Germain this weekend.

SEE IT IN ST. GERMAIN!
Kurt Krueger of Pro Vintage Performance sent in this photo of his newly restored 650cc Moto-Ski Bullet. He will have it on display this coming Sunday at the big Hall of Fame Classic Sled Roundup in St. Germain Wisconsin.

These were a very low production number sled that were ahead of their time. Unfortunately, the motors didn't hold up well. But the guys who used to race them all have commented that if the motor had just hung in there, they would have been unstoppable. The motors were low and front mounted, the sleds handled very well, and were very fast.

The 1971 Bullet originally had seven engine sizes, ranging from a 282cc KMS motor to a 793cc Hirth. They had 18" tracks, were built on an aluminum chassis and weighed in from a range of 300 to 340 lbs.

According to a source known to Kurt, this is only one of five Bullets in existence. I would have to agree with that. The only other one I've seen belonged to mega- collector Jerry McGee.

Pro Vintage Performance specializes in the restoration of Ski-Doo and Moto-Ski sleds, as well as being a huge contributor to the performance of many of the vintage racers tearing up the track today. The massive collection of Pro-Vintage is featured on the vintagesleds.com's '5 Years of Vintage Mayhem" CD-Rom.

Todd Elmer Gets up after a bad rear-end collision.

UBER TREASURE UPDATE

God bless the Internet. Jim Smith of Oregon noticed my story about Todd Elmer crashing one of Steve Thorsen's 1978 440 machines. Lo and behold, Jim was there that day and took this photo of the accident!

"I was at the World Series in West Yellowstone and saw Todd Elmer slam into Team Abold racer, Ray Risnick. I snapped a couple of photos of the wreck just after it happened. The photo I have attached is that of Todd just getting to his feet after the incident. His sled has welded it's self to Risnicks. It's hard to make out any distinguishing marks on the RXL, NGK, #17, maybe a better eye then mine might see something else."

You can see in the photo that the RXL is darn near bent in the middle, and it smashed the Cat tunnel half way up the sled - look close you can see the RXL skis are not too far from the Cat's handlebars! Looks a little like that RXL wanted to be more then just friends with the Cat. What we can't tell is if it is a 440 or 440-X machine. Mr. Smith told me that Ray Risnick ran both classes. I can see a slight bit of metal under the hood of the RXL, but no way to tell if it is aluminum or Magnesium. Todd's number (17) has been hastily put on the hood.

Next up for the sled I've found (See Uber Treasure story below) is to get the motor bolted in, then look up Mr. Steve Thorsen and see if he's at all interested at looking at it and if she jars any memories. I'm also hunting down more 1978 photos of all the 440X sleds to see if there are any other distinguishing marks, rivet holes, scratches, mounting holes or other clues to identify it properly.

ANOTHER TREASURE
A good guy up in the far North has had this 1974 Polaris SnoPro in his possession for many years. He is quiet, private man who spends the

Don Omdahl's 74 440cc SnoPro

majority of his time with his family. When he does get a couple of minutes, he's out in the shop restoring old sleds. I met him via phone way back in about 2001. At the time, he was not quite sure what this sled was, so we started digging into it. Of course, I was pestering him to sell it to me from day one. He'd just laugh and politely say no.

Is it a 74 SnoPro? Absolutely. It is completely magnesium. Serial number starts with a '9', the model year number for 74. The tag on the sled looks exactly like a 73 tag, but it says 'manufactured in Nov 73'.

Over the years we discovered one huge clue: Looking at photos from 1974 SnoPro sleds from races in Ironwood, Eagle River and West Yellowstone shows, the middle and the end of that historic race season. Of the approximately nine 1974 Polaris SnoPro machines made, only one shows up in all the photos with a white stripe on the tunnel and around the back of the sled.

That was Don Omdahl's 440cc Machine. That white stripe is still on the sled, although someone took a bomb can and sprayed over it. On the Polaris 50th Anniversary DVD, one shot shows Don going around the corner on the 440 and gives a stunningly clear shot of the sled. No question this is the same sled - including the gas tank.

What kind of shape is it in? Completely restorable. The original 4 band titanium cleated track is there, complete with track guides that are welded on. Chaincase is great, both clutches are fixable. Seat foam is there. Clutch guard is okay. The motor that came with it is a 74 340cc SnoPro motor. The former owner had already purchased a new hood and pan. So what is it missing? The skis (unique to the 74 SnoPro), the handlebars and the suspension, but I have one of those.

Many thanks to the former owner ( he likes to stay kind of low-key, so we'll leave his name out for now) for allowing me the privilege to restore such a classic, and to the many people who have (in person or over the Internet) assisted in identifying its origins.

5/10/05
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO....?
For those of you with a stack of old sled magazines and newspapers laying around (AKA 'Sled Porn'), do you ever look at the cover and go "Mmm, I wonder where that sled is?"

Jon Carlson's "Race & Rally" Deere.

Looking at all the old Race & Rally's, one could imagine spending years trying to track them all down - that is each sled that was ever on the cover. One could also imagine that this would be an exercise in futility, as many have been crushed, or in some fashion removed from the planet. Like the 1974 cover featuring a 74 Yamaha SnoPro. Or the 76 cover featuring Mike Trapp on his 76 Ski-Doo SnoPro. Both sleds, by all accounts, are gone, never to be seen again.

Then again, every once in awhile you get lucky and one falls into your lap.

That's exactly what happened to me just a few days ago. I took a trip to visit with Jon Carlson, my camera in tow. Jon, as very many of you know, is a member of the legendary John Deere Enduro team from the 1970's. He now works for Textron and has a pretty sweet collection of race sleds from John Deere, Ski-Doo, Polaris and Arctic cat.

What I didn't know, nor expect, was that Jon had the sled he is pictured on from a Race & Rally magazine in his possession. Not only is it in his possession, but it's hanging from his living room ceiling as the center piece of the house! Complete with a framed version of the Race & Rally cover! Possibly the best sled display I have yet witnessed.

In case your wondering (as I did), yes, Jon's wife was all for hanging the sled there, although she's not likely to be found on the chair directly beneath it. After meeting Jon's wife, I would also have to add that Jon is one very blessed man.

Jon's collection will be featured here on the site soon. Right after I show you what's lurking in an unassuming red building on the Iron Range. Here's a hint: It rhymes with Borpion. Okay, Borpion is not a word, but what the heck rhymes with Scorpion?

MEET MR. IFS SNOPRO MASTER: DEVIN FACKRELL
Devin Fackrell beat out teammate Ken Kitzman by just two points to win this years SnoPro Master title in the IFS division of the SnoPro Master Series. Devin won on a single sled: A 1978 Arctic Cat 440cc machine that was tough for anyone to get around everywhere it showed up. Ken Kitzman was driving the a Ski-Doo SnoPro.

Devin came all the way from Logan Utah to race in the series this year. During the day, Devin is an Auto glass technician, and his racing is sponsored by Britestitch Monogramming & Minnesota Soundwaves.

For his efforts this year, Devin will receive a check for $500 and a trophy big enough to frighten small children. His award will also be handed out, along with Mark Anderson's, at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame Classic Sled Roundup on May 29th in St. Germain Wisconsin.

Devin's prize was sponsored by Carrier and Strandlund Refrigeration. Strandlunds's and Carrier have been big vintage sled supporters for several years now, and can often be spotted at Midwest Vintage shows with big 'ol Strandlund Refrigeration trucks - stop by and say thanks!

UBER TREASURE!
Just wanted to say thanks to superman Wally for giving me the opportunity to find out the history of and restore yet another classic 1970's Polaris race sled. I'd like to also thank Don Schmidt for bringing it out safe & sound.

Newest treasure: 1978 440X Polaris factory race sled.

This time, it's a 1978 440X RXL, one of just a few 440X sleds built for the factory team to race in 1978, the last year of the Polaris Professional Race Team.

Unlike other RXL's, this one has a lightweight magnesium bulkhead, and has a motor mount fit only for the 440cc triple motor.

It has a very odd serial number - it starts with "001" unlike any other 78 RXL I've ever looked at - they normally start with "041". The track that has every other cleat in Titanium, something I've never seen on any other RXL. The handlebars are offset, and the front of the steering is 1.5" longer then a 'normal' RXL. Some parts are reinforced, and appear to be original reinforcements. It has a 73 Starfire brake disk, drilled to the 9's and a larger brake assembly, all identical to the Jerry Bunke 440X at the Hall of Fame.

The first question is who was the original driver? Well, I have limited photos from 78 at this time, but some small clues, like the handlebar bends, the extra nozzle in the gas tank and the holes where the footloop are all point to Steve Thorsen.

I have learned from Todd Elmer that at the end of 1978, after Jerry Bunke's accident, the Polaris truck went to West Yellowstone, and independents like Todd got to race the factory sleds. Todd hit a sled in front of him that had stopped when Todd was going wide open. The impact caused Todd to fly off the sled he was riding and go over the top of the sled he hit. The sled he was driving was destroyed, and he says it was Steve Thorsen's 440. Question is, which 440? Each Polaris driver in 78 had a 440 machine and a lighter 440X machine.

But then again, I've got no pictures of Brad Hulings sled. It could just as easily be his, and I'd be just as thrilled. We can rule out Jerry Bunke, as his 1978 440X machine is on display at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame. I love a good mystery and this one will be fun to solve.

"I JUST GO BANANAS"
Say that your favorite vintage sled Blogger has an upcoming opportunity to have coffee with one of the all time great Arctic Cat race drivers. He's been somewhat of a Phantom in recent years, but that won't diminish his big win at Eagle River. Without mentioning his name just yet, (although I've already dropped 3 big clues!) lets say I'd like to take the opportunity to ask this legend some questions for you. I've got tons of questions lined up, but if you had the opportunity, what would you ask an Arctic racing legend?

5/04/05*
MEET MR. SNOPRO 2005: MARK ANDERSON
Ever since 1973, Mark Anderson has been racing - and winning on the ice oval. Mark Anderson, with 35 points, is the overall winner in the first ever 2005 Vintage SnoPro Master Series.

Mark started the series at Freeport, winning three classes and finishing 2nd in three more. Moving on to Arctic Cat's back door on his 1973 Polaris Starfires, Mark won four more races and took a 2nd and 3rd in two more. In Strathcona, Mark won four races and took another second. Wrapping up the season in Beausejour, Mark won two and took 2nd in two more.

Going to battle with just two sleds, one a 340cc and the other a 650cc machine, Mark won 13 of the 20 races he entered. Those of you who have seen Mark run know he is one tough competitor. For those of you that have not made it to a big time vintage race yet, here's the scoop on the first ever name on the Hall of Fame trophy. Mark will also receive $1,200 in prize money, and a big huge take home trophy courtesy of our sponsors.

Mark started racing in 1973 on a 73 tx 295cc Polaris TX he scrimped and saved for at a very young age. In his first race in Manitowac Wisconsin, Mark won the stock class he entered, only to find that USSA rules disqualified the 73 295cc TX because Polaris had not made enough of them. Frustrated, Mark sold the sled and bought a 295cc Starfire, won his first race on it, and he still owns it today. In fact Mark says at next years Hall of Fame Ride With the Champs vintage ride, he will be riding his original 295cc Starfire.

Mark ran a number of sleds over the years, including an RXL in about 1979 through 1981. He switched to a Scorpion SnoPro chassis, with a 340cc Super mod Rotax motor. IN 1988, the racing associations weighted results in favor of the early race at Eagle River. Mark had built a Pro-Sprint sled and won more races then anyone else that year, but had to settle for a 3rd overall in points - due to the heavy weighting of points at Eagle River earlier in the year.

Later a twin-track Ski-Doo was under Mark at the track. He recently learned that the motor from that sled was used to power Al Fenhaus to his Eagle River World Championship. Ski-Doo gave Mark a ride on a 1995 stocker. He did well but felt the restraints of running a 'stock' sled overly restrictive. Mark went back to modified racing at that time, but hired driver Jason Looker to campaign his sled.

The first time Mark saw vintage racers was at Eagle River where just 5 sleds were on the track. Mark jumped into the vintage races in 1999 aboard the original 295cc Starfire. In 2000, Mark won two firsts, a second and a Friday night title at the famed Eagle River track.

Last year and this year Mark finally gave up on the new sleds, instead choosing to go back to driving and racing the vintage sleds exclusively. "The vintage sleds are a lot more work to drive" Mark said. "When the track is rough, you really feel it, but it's still a real thrill".

Mark is sponsored by his company, Anderson Heating and Sheet Metal, Mike Wienandt Performance (been doing his engines for 25 years!) Super Seer, Knorr Auto Body, Kirby Company and Auto Trim and Design. Mark is assisted in victory by his girlfriend Marilyn Harvot and vintage super-guy Rod Everts, who owns Marks 650cc race sled.

Congratulations to Mark!

Coming up: Our first ever IFS Class winner!

4/29/05
SNOPRO SERIES CUP
Pictured below and to the left is the beautiful new Vintage SnoPro Master Series cup that will be engraved with the first ever name on May 29th. Loren Anderson donated the cup on behalf of the Snowmobile Hall of Fame. This cup will remain at the Hall of Fame, and this years winner will take home a different trophy. We hope to have pictures of the trophies for both the overall (leaf-spring) and IFS winners soon.

4/28/05
SHOWROOM
New feature: If your looking to buy or looking to sell a a sled and would like the most exposure possible, we will list the sled in the new Showroom section. Currently we just have one sled: this stunningly nice 1977 Polaris TXL, complete with an NOS seat. I can't tell you what a difference it makes on these that it has a 100% original seat instead of a recovered seat. It just makes all the lines of the sled look 'right'.

This sled was restored by Jim Haug, a restoration guru that is getting better at the craft with every sled. Jim no more then finished the sled when he decided to let it go, as he's got many more projects waiting in the wings. For guys like Jim, it's the joy of doing the work more so then the joy of ownership.

The sled came to Jim complete. Correct motor, suspension, you name it. He stripped it to the bone, repainted it, replaced any bad parts, and put a new hood and new seat on it that he found on eBay. Take a look!

4/27/05
POLARIS TROUBLE
We are getting unofficial reports of lots of people being fired at Polaris - including some well known people that have been around since the industry began, and some of the guys who have been responsible for the best work ever done at Polaris. We'll hold back on the detail until we get more - but these seems really strange, in light of the fact the corporate side of Polaris keeps putting out press releases about record profitability! Anyone else hearing about this?

According to my sources, suits from Medina came up and escorted as many as 34-36 people in Roseau out the door. It appears to be across the board in ATV's, Snowmobiles and all other areas. It's also happening in Spirit Lake, Medina and Wyoming. Some where offered demotions, most were not.

UPDATE: I have 3rd party confirmation from someone who spoke to a Polaris media person - they indeed laid off 60 workers in all the Polaris manufacturing facilities, saying that seven years of declining snowmobile sales and poor snow conditions made it necessary to make the cuts. Polaris employs about 3,800 people, so I don't think it can be called a massive layoff, though I'm sure it feels massive to anyone now out of work. Note that this media person characterized it as a layoff, but the reports I'm getting indicated lots of people were flat-out fired. I don't know for sure what the real story is, but I'll stay on top of it.

4/18/05
SNOPRO MASTER SERIES
We have our winners. The official announcement will be made May 4th, exclusively here on vintagesleds.com. The Leaf-Spring division class winner will take home $1,250 and a big huge trophy. The IFS division winner will take home $500 and a big huge trophy. The Leaf Spring Division winner will have his name inscribed on the Vintage Master Series Cup (pictured on the left hand side of the screen), which will be on permanent display at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame.

Next weekend, suggested rules, classes and races will go out to all who are interested. Our goal for 2006 is to make vintage racing bigger and better then ever. We'd also like to try and figure out how we can get more participation from racers on the East and West Coast. Two informational meetings will be held, where we will be taking nominations for committee members. First meeting is Monday, May 30th (Memorial Day) the day after the Snowmobile Hall of Fame Classic Roundup. Second metting will be in Northern Minnesota, near the date of the SLEDS racing banquet. Everyone with an interest in vintage racing is encouraged to be at one, or both meetings.

Rumors are floating about a Triple Crown race next year also - with the winner taking home one of Dick Peterson's 1973 race-ready Starfires!

4/15/05
MORE GREEN IS GOOD!
Looking at this page with the green Kawasaki hood and the green Hall of Fame Roundup logo, I couldn't help but notice the page looks pretty nice with green, so I had to add more...

Many moons ago, Jay Carsley (AKA Rude Dog) called and asked if he did a web site, would I be upset? "Hell no!" I said "It would give me something to read!" and Jay has never disappointed me since. Tonight while sniffing around, I found an article Jay put together about the restoration of two very, very classic green sleds: An amazing pair of two of the original 1976 Skiroule SnoPros.

Jacques Villenuave's 250 Skiroule

Scott Clarkson, and in particular, Rob Young did an AMAZING job (robs sled looked like a pile of useless junk a lesser man would have run screaming from!) of bringing back two of these classic racers to life. Jay did a great job of laying out a very cool restoration story, complete with Jacque signing the Gilles Villeanueve sled "In Gilles Memory". How cool is that????

I'd have to pick on Jay for one point in the article: the real story behind the Polaris 77 IFS sleds total domination of SnoPro was not the IFS... Although the IFS was critical to the success of the 77 Polaris team, there's a LOT more to that story...

But we'll save that for later. For now, I just want to call attention to a truly fascintating and riveting article, totally FREE for all of us to enjoy, simply because Jay likes to share....

Scott Clarkson & Rob Young revive two Sno Pro legends.

And now that I know who has them Kawasaki hoods...

4/14/05
SHARK FOUND?
Well, not quite. Peope (who shall remain nameless) keep sending me photos of this 1977 Kawasaki SnoPro hood under development. I've never seen a chassis with it, but with a hood that looks that cool - who cares?

Oh baby....

I don't know anything more about this baby, other then the person making it has spent an emormous amount of time on it, and is doing a very nice job.

Would it be awesome to see someone build a clone for vintage racing or what??? How much fun would it be to see one of these beloved little racers back on the track????

4/13/05
A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME
"I have the vintage sled addiction and like you, I can see a ski loop in brush you can't even walk through from 500 feet away. Every Sunday, the first thing I do is go to the Farm section in the paper and go through the sale bills looking for that sled that's been sitting in a barn for 30 years.

Last week, I was on my way to work and saw a bunch of stuff out in a corn field lined up for a sale. I decided to stop and take a look, and why not? I pulled into the field and almost had a heart attack. There, sitting in one of the rows was a 72 ThunderJet! All these years of searching and picking through salebills were over! The seat and glass were gone, it had a cracked and bent tunnel, motor and carbs were locked up, it had incorrect bars with a bent and welded steering post, junk track, and the motor mount plate was all corroded through. It looked as if it was ridden by a 13 year old wide open down a ditch until he ran it into a tree. But hey, it was a 72 T Jet, all those things are minor when you have the addiction.

I've always wanted a T Jet, but could never afford the ones I've seen for sale. Every collector has a "holy grail" as in the sled they would most like to own. For me, the 72 T Jet is the one. Stupid me, I actually thought I could sneak in there and buy this one for a reasonable price IF no one caught wind of it. I kept my mouth shut to everyone I know that even knows what a snowmobile is.

The whole week, it was all I could think about. I found myself leaving for work a little earlier every morning so I could stop for a few minutes and just look at it. I got onto the Internet looking for repro parts and talked to a couple guys that were knowledgeable about the Thunderjets.

Well come sale day, I was so worked up I could not keep any food down. As the auctioneer got closer, I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. This was actually going to be my chance to own "the one." The auctioneer started at 20 bucks and I jumped in. Before I knew it it was at a grand and not slowing! I knew then that I was out of my league. I just straight up didn't have that kind of cash to stick into a project like this.

At that time the auctioneer running the other ring stopped mid sentence and everyone over there turned around. 98% of the people there were local farmers that had no clue about significance of the sled and would have taken the sled to the local scrap dealer if it was dropped off in their yard. It was totally out of their comprehension that this almost bare chassis covered in dust and birdcrap could be at $1000 and rising fast. The auctioneer finally ended his cry at $1900. When my head stopped spinning I went over to the winning bidder, shook his hand and congratulated him on his purchase.

As I was walking to my truck, I heard him start to explain to the bewildered auctioneer and curious spectators what he had just bought. I was sad, but happy at the same time that it was going to someone who was going to take care of her and do everything right. It really hit home how crazy this whole vintage race sled thing is getting, and the exuberant prices that are going along with it.

The days of finding an old racer in the barn and picking it up for cheap are over. Its a whole new ball game now."

Well said Neal. Great story - keep looking through that brush - I believe your sled is out there looking for you.

4/12/05
NEW VSCA SITE - AND MAGAZINE!
One experience I think all of us share is that rush when the new VSCA magazine shows up in the mail box... if you are like me, you have to drop whatever you are doing, read it cover to cover, then read from cover to cover again, then maybe one more time in case you missed something. Since I haven't received a new magazine in nearly a year - I think I'm having withdrawal symptoms.

Fear not, relief is on the way.

The new web site for the VSCA is up and running - and you can read all about Mike and Judy Meagher, who are busy as beavers trying to get the magazine out by June, and have the first stack of them at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame show on May 29th!

Work is still being done on the web site, and I'm happy to announce that vintagesleds.com and the VSCA will be working together to build features that better serve the very unique vintage snowmobile crowd. A new classifieds section will be ready soon (until then both sites will use the existing classifieds), a new message board will be added so vintage sledders can shoot the breeze until there fingers fall off from typing.

A fun new item on the VSCA site is to feature a unique sled from time to time. First up on the agenda is neat sled I've never seen before - a 1969 Ski-Jet.

Mike wanted me to let everyone know that it is okay to subscribe, or renew your subscription. Everyone with a current subscription will be getting a copy, however some of the records obtained with the magazine are not current, so they will be trying to sort that out with this first issue. If you know your subscription has expired, please renew to ensure you get yours on time!

4/06/05
ROBERT L. HULSEBUS JR.

Mr. Robert L. Hulsebus, Jr., aged 63, passed away on Sunday morning, April 3, 2005, following a long journey with Parkinson's Disease. Bob was a graduate of Hudsonville High School and served his country in the US Navy. Bob was a member and Past Master of the Rockford Lodge #246 F & AM, a member of the Loyal Order of Moose in Wyoming, a member of the Merritt Lamb Post #102 American Legion, and member of the Diesel Crows group. He worked as a machine repairman for General Motors.

The Service for Mr. Hulsebus will be today at 11:00 a.m. at The Pederson Funeral Home, Rockford. Military honors will be under the auspices of the Kent County Veterans Honor Guard. Interment in Restlawn Memorial Park. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider West Michigan Parkinson's Disease Educational Program or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Many of you will remember Bob as one of the original SnoPro drivers for Kalamazoo Engineering in the 1970's. Bob is featured in the Kawartha Cup video from 1977 demonstrating his protective gear. His trademark mustache also got his picture published many times in magazines like Race & Rally and SnoTrack.

Information on Bob's passing came the Grand Rapids Press and vintage sledder Craig Fredenburg. Best wishes to all of Bob's surviving family members.

4/05/05
NEW RAREBIRD!
I've known about this sled for several years now. I'm very happy to be almost the first to re-introduce it to the world. Ladies and Germs, this is Brad Hulings 1980 340X SnoPro Scorpion race sled. Currently owned by Mike Johnson, Mike and vintage Racer Jeff Biddescombe

have hunted down 90% of the original parts from this exact sled, cleaned it up and put it back together - and does it ever look nice!

Having seen some clones of these 80 factory sleds, it is refreshing to see the original. Scorpion made several of these available in a "consumer" model, but the factory sleds are quite different. Mike made a list of all the differences that you can read on the photo page.

Brad finished up the 1979 Season as the #2 driver in SnoPro, thus the #2 on this 1980 sled. In 1981, he would go on to have his best year ever, again on a Scorpion setup to suit his style. You can bet this sled won a lot of races. I suspect it will go on to win many shows!

4/01/05 UPDATE
THIS JUST IN! (NOTE THE DATE!)
It's confirmed! LIV TYLER will be at the Benefit show for the Snowmobile Hall of Fame on May 29th, in St. Germain, Wisconsin. Liv's assistant, Jada Blasmen, said Liv has been monitoring the web site for months, and has fallen in love with the old sleds and wants to see some in person. "Plus" miss Blasmen said, "Liv went to some race last winter and she said she never smelled anything that made her want to make love as much as those race fumes". Hearing that there will be race sleds burning the mystical race fuel at the show, Liv apparently just can't stay away.

Wow! Liv Tyler in person! April Fools!

4/01/05
PHOTOS FROM BACK IN THE DAY
Tim Johnson sent in these four photos a long, long time ago. Thanks for being patient Tim, but we finally got them up. 4 photos - 3 from 1972, one from 1986. Two nice photos of the Polaris X-3, one of the 72 Ski-Doo drag racer, and one very, very wrong picture of Brad Hulings turning right (turning right!!?? Brad going right? Next thing you know, cats will be sleeping with dogs!) on an 86 Ski-Doo Pro-Stock.

BRAD HULINGS 1980 SLED
Just got off the phone with the owner of Brad Hulings (confirmed) 1980 factory Scorpion racer. This sled is amazing, and the owner has found all of the original parts, some of which will blow your mind when you see them. Ever seen that famous Scorpion poster from 1980? "Introducing the number one sled in America" it said, with a big picture of Brad on one of his 80 sleds. This one looks like a perfect match! The owner is sending me photos and the whole story, of which I will pass on to everyone here very shortly. This is a rare and unique piece of Scorpion history - stay tuned!

*PLUS* the 1980 Scorpion will be at the Milbank show!

HALL OF FAME MATCHING FUNDS
Got an email from Loren Anderson today of the Snowmobile Hall of Fame. As many of you know, the Hall has a matching donation of $100,000 from a family to build a new building for the Hall's ever increasing collection of some of the world's most unique, rare and interesting sleds. Well, the matching is going a bit slower then hoped - they would really love to see ground breaking on the building this year. If you can help, or you know anyone that can help, the museum would love to hear from you.

I've been a big supporter of the hall since my first visit way back in 2000. They really have amassed the biggest and best collection in all of snowmobiling I for one think, that to really preserve the amazing history of the sport, we all need the hall to succeed well past the time any of us are pushing daisies!

3/30/05
CLASSIC PHOTO
From Jim Strandlund, this photo is from the race in Beausejour this earlier this month. Just a guess, but I'm thinking the Thunderjet driver in this photo is questioning the choice of sponsors for the race... (Sobering Funeral Chapel?)

3/29/05
CLASSIC CRUISE DRAWS 94 RIDERS
Wisconsin Trails Hold Up Under Sunny Skies

The Deerbrook Bridge Runners Snowmobile Club was almost overwhelmed when 94 trail riders gathered on Feb. 5 at Quinn’s Bar in Neva Corners, Wis. for its second annual Classic Cruise vintage ride and fund-raiser. This turn-out almost doubled the 55 riders who attended the first Classic Cruise last year, according to club spokesman Mike McDougal. Last year’s weather was bitter cold, but this year riders were greeted with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-40s, weather that was almost too warm to ride. The trails in the area were still in good shape, however, and with the snow melting fast, many riders no doubt thought the Classic Cruise might be a last chance to ride locally this season.

Story and Photos by Charles Plueddeman.

MILBANK DATES ANNOUNCED
Another one of the shows I look forward to - Milbank South Dakota - has announced this years show will be June 3rd & 4th. That's teh weekend after the big Hall of Fame Classic Roundup in St. Germain, Wisconsin (May 29th), but hey - what a great way to start the long suffering until it freeze again then with back to back shows?

3/22/05

BIG SNOW CAN'T STOP THE SHOW!
They say timing is everything, and on January 21 the first big snowfall of the season left 11 inches on the ground in Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley area the night before the 7th Annual Low Buck Vintage Riders vintage sled show, swap and trail ride.

The snowstorm didn’t make it easy to get to the Low Buck show, however, and attendance was diminished from previous years. There were 175 registered show sleds, compared to 239 sleds in 2004, and the swap area was sparse. A radar run scheduled to be held on the lake ice was also canceled. Those who made it enjoyed the usual fun produced by this vintage-only club, which proudly proclaims its motto: We’re Not Cheap, Just Low Buck!

I've always heard great things about this show and now Charles Plueddeman shares his experience this year. Complete with show results and some of the absolutebest photos from 2005 - including my new favorite of Todd Koehn on his Vintage Cat and Charles' Puma, pictured here.

3/21/05
DICK PETERSON RETIRES FROM RACING
Ask anyone, and they'll tell you that Dick Peterson and his fleet of vintage race sleds was always a major attraction of the vintage races around the Midwest in the winters of 2004 and 2005.

To each race, Dick brought 2 full size trailers, 4 1973 Starfires (295cc, 340cc, 440cc, 800cc) and 3 1978 RXL's (340cc, 440cc triple, 440X Rotax powered) and one mean 440 Yamaha SRX. He also brought several helpers all year that made it possible for Dick to jump from sled to sled and keep them running strong.

Dick Peterson was a one man professional race team.

If you've tried racing vintage sleds, you know it takes a great deal of lung capacity, upper body strength, back power and a giant set of you-know-whats. Dick, racing a different sled in nearly every class, not only did it, he did it very well, and every weekend over the last few winters. All that at the tender age of 52 years young this year.

Dick proved to be a very, very tough competitor and a lot of the other racers just wanted a chance to beat Dick. Occasionally, someone pulled it off, but for the most part, Dick was victorious more often then not.

Dick didn't win the vintage SnoPro Master Series this year, but he was a contender all year long, and more importantly, won extra points at every race from race promoters for good sportsmanship. This year, on several occasions, Dick also let other people drive his expensive, well-maintained sleds, just to make each race interesting.

Dick called last week and said he and his lovely bride have decided to take a new turn in life - they will be doing some flying, taking some trips and enjoying a lot of other activities that won't leave room next year for racing. In fact, after this year, Dick will retire from Stock Car racing as well.

"I've made a lifetime of new friends from my experience with Vintage Racing. I got to do something I dreamed about all my life, and will always be grateful to the people and the experience." Dick said during the call.

What about his sleds? "I made a commitment to give everyone who I got these from first chance to take them back. If they don't want them back, they are for sale". So far, a few of the sleds have been spoken for, but many are available. If you are interested in any, you should call Dick. I can attest, these sleds are all setup beautifully for Vintage Racing, and would be a great start for anyone - and most, if not all the 73 Starfires could be restored to original. Dick carefully kept all the original parts and pieces, and all that will go with each sled.

Vintage racing will surely miss Mr. Peterson and his fleet of sleds - so we'd like to just says thanks to him and all his efforts for putting on one heck of show!

3/14/05
SCORPION HOMECOMING
By all accounts, this winters "Scorpion Homecoming" event in Crosby, Minnesota on February 5-6 was a smashing success. I heard nothing but glowing reports from people that went as to how much fun they had and how great it was to see the old Scorps around Crosby again.

For those of you unaware of the story, Scorpion turned the sleepy little mining town of Crosby Minnesota into a hub of activity at the height of the factories production in the 60's and 70's. When Cat bought Scorpion (and eventually killed it off when Cat went down in '82), the little town of Crosby was deeply affected, but now seems to have found its place.

This past winter everyone came to town smiling and driving a wide range of sleds, over 250 of them in all. Tons of pictures can be seen on the Big Johnson Jeeps web site and Solberg's Vintage Snowmobile page. 500 people from many states where in attendance, as well as Trail-A-Sled, Inc. founders (later Scorpion Snowmobiles) Glen Gutzman and Dick Harrison and Scorpion racer Les Pinz.

The Harrison family, headed up by one of the Trail-A-Sled founders, Dick Harrison brought out their private collection of Scorpions to share. Speaking of that collection, I was able to head up there myself a few months ago and took many a picture of the Harrison's stunning collection & display. I even got to bring home a genuine "Scorpion" bourbon bottle label that is in my office on display.

The Harrison Collection is coming soon to vintagesleds.com. In the meantime, if you live in near the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, you can catch a special about the event on Saturday, March 19 (6:30 p.m., KARE 11, Twin Cities - Check local listings.) on the program "Minnesota Bound".

Of course if you want all the details, visit Trail A Sled.com, where they have tons of updates, photos, history and cool stuff about Scorpions - it really is the definitive Scorpion web site.

3/11/05
CHAMP VIDEO
You've seen those NASCAR cameras inside the race car right? The ones that make you feel like you are driving the car? Well thanks to Dustin Wahl for pointing this one out... 2005 World's Champion Gary Moyle had a camera installed on the hood of his Arctic Cat Champ racer! Ever wonder what it is like to race around ice at about 100 M.P.H.? Now you can find out! Gary's web site (MoyleRacingUSA.com) has them up for all of us to enjoy. Thanks to the Moyles for making this available. What a ride! Windows Media Player 9 is required to view the video.

NEW SUPER IS - WELL, SUPER!
Here's a picture of Steve Burdick's recent sled goodie - his "new" 340cc Alouette Super. It is a blast to ride, and is a nice addition to Steve's Alouette Collection. The Burdicks are also the proud owner of a Silver Cloud, 2 Super Brutes, and a mini brute.

Nice work Steve - I think you officially have the most complete Alouette collection on earth!