Tremblay Claims Entertaining ISOC Canterbury Snocross
January 6, 2012
In one of the most entertaining final races in years, Quebec’s Tim Tremblay overcame a dogfight with three other top competitors to win Friday night’s Pro Open final at the Traxxis-sponsored Canterbury National in Shakopee, Minnesota.
. Before that, however, Tremblay’s main fight this week was with customs agents that almost prevented his appearance at the race – more on that later.
. On an unseasonably warm and windy night, 15 top pros worked their way into the final after two rounds of heat, followed by a last chance qualifier for some competitors.
. The top qualifier was Wisconsin-based Polaris racer Ross Martin, and the season points leader showed his strength right away after the green flag waved, jumping out to an early lead while many sleds traded paint behind him.
. After an initial shuffle, Amsoil Schuering Speed Sports teammates Robbie Malinoski and Darren Mees slotted in at second and third, with Cat racers Dan Ebert and Tucker Hibbert fourth and fifth. Then came Mathieu Morin, Tremblay, Garth Kaufman, recent jump record setter Levi LaVallee and Mike Bauer.
. Four laps into the race, Malinoski started pressuring Martin. The two traded paint a couple of times, with Malinoski running into the back of Martin on one lap, then Martin forcing Malinoski over the burm in the same turn four a lap later. The two ran probably 8 laps never more than 8 sled-lengths apart.
Hibbert Wins Sunday ISOC Final
December 11, 2011
Tucker Hibbert apparently didn’t want to leave any questions unanswered on Sunday afternoon in Michigan.
. After starting slowly and staging dramatic charges in both finals in rounds 1 and 2 in Duluth, Minnesota, last weekend, and then giving up the lead due to a mechanical problem Saturday in round 3 in Michigan, Hibbert got the early lead and absolutely checked out in Sunday’s Pro Open final at the ISOC Amsoil Championship Series Blackjack National.
. With the victory, the winningest driver in snocross history has slotted himself firmly in second place in the season point and, more importantly, served notice to all who may have thought his run was over with a dominating performance.
. Hibbert won both of his heat races on his Monster Energy/Speedwerx/Stud Boy Arctic Cat and went into the final as the No. 1 qualifier. That allowed him to choose his starting position in the final, and he didn’t waste the opportunity. He was one of a pack of sleds that launched into the first kink, but then his sled power surged ahead and climbed the hill much faster than his competition. Coming down the hill the first time, he already had a 5-sled-length lead on points leader Ross Martin’s Dupont-backed Polaris, with Tim Tremblay third on his Warnert Ski-Doo, Emil Ohman fourth on another Ski-Doo and then Robbie Malinoski and his Polaris fifth. [Read more]
The Evolving State of Powersports Design
August 24, 2011
For me, suspension performance, acceleration, engine character (sound, vibration, harshness) and driver comfort are the most important qualities in a new off-road vehicle, but I’ve got to admit: I’m a sucker for good design. Sometimes it’s the little things like the type of headlight bulb used, a textured material in just the right place or a pleasing selection of color choices that accentuates a machine’s lines.
What’s Your Favorite Arctic Cat?
June 24, 2011
Anybody who’s ever ridden an Arctic Cat likely has a favorite – and the list to choose from is long and distinguished. Many will be on display at Cat’s upcoming 50th Anniversary blowout coming at the end of July.
My favorite from the modern era wasn’t a sled that will immediately come to mind for a lot of people, but it created its own fame, and a lot of good stories.
The 94 ZR 440 was a favorite of mine.
My first year with Snow Goer magazine was the winter of 1993-94. It was a grand time in the snowmobile industry – sales of new sleds were really starting to take off, modern long-travel suspension was making its first inroads and we had snow, snow and more snow!
Admittedly, I came to the job without much recent time on Arctic Cat snowmobiles – I had never ridden a Cat with an AWS-based front suspension before my first couple of rides that season. And, we were lucky enough to have a ZR 440 as a member of our fleet.
I immediately fell in love. It had the race graphics (yeah for checkered flags, at the time), the sporty AWS IV suspension with advanced (at that time) Fox internal floating piston gas shocks with remote reservoirs and a lightweight (at that time) chassis.
2012 Snowmobile Sneak Peek Tour Info: See The New Iron For Yourself!
March 22, 2011
Would you like to see the exotic new Arctic Cat chassis in person? Want to grab a glance at Polaris’ trend-setting Switchback Adventure? Do you need to touch Ski-Doo’s new rMotion skid frame to fully grasp how it functions? Maybe you want proof that power steering really did make its way deeper into Yamaha’s lineup?
Or maybe, just maybe, you’re looking for a way to extend your passion after a snowy winter, and hanging out with other snowmobilers while checking out fresh iron seems like a better way than staring out the window and watching the spring rains?
Whether you choose one of these excuses or make one of your own, the spring snowmobile tours featuring the 2012 snowmobiles from the four major manufacturers are in full swing, with trucks full of new sleds and fancy displays crisscrossing the country.
Remembering Edgar: Another Insiders View
March 11, 2011
A lot has been written and said about Edgar Hetteen in the wake of his passing. The “grandfather of snowmobiling” started both Arctic Cat and Polaris, and for that he is fondly remembered, but many people don’t recall the role he played in lifting the entire snowmobile industry, not just those two companies.
This reminder is offered by Richard Harrison, the founder of Trail-A-Sled and thus Scorpion Snowmobiles. It was forwarded to me by his son, Randy. It’s worth the read:
Edgar, thank you!
The recent passing of snowmobile icon Edgar Hetteen caused me to pause and reflect upon his contributions not just to snowmobiling in general, but to Trail-A-Sled, Inc. specifically.
In 1959, Glen Gutzman, my father and I started a fiberglass fabrication business, specializing in motorized air-sleds. We named it Trail-A-Sled. By the early 1960’s, Trail-A-Sled had a significant business relationship with Polaris Industries. We fabricated numerous fiberglass parts and had entered into a joint marketing agreement for our two-passenger air-sled design.
In this 2008 image, Edgar Hetteen (right) is joined by Scorpion co-founder Richard Harrison (left) and Dave Guenther (center) of the Antique Snowmobile Club of America.
Consequently, on numerous trips to Roseau I grew to know Edgar’s brother Allan quite well. By this time, Edgar had moved on to Thief River Falls, doing Lord knows what at the time. In the years that followed however, it became apparent that Edgar’s Arctic Cats were a substantive force in the burgeoning snowmobile industry.
As Trail-A-Sled itself entered the snowmobile craze, both Polaris Industries and Arctic Cat became rivals, but we shared a common bond, together building an entirely new industry. It was a bumpy ride and the future success, which is now so obvious, was at that juncture far from certain.
For Trail-A-Sled, our lowest moment came in November of 1967 when our flagship manufacturing facility was lost to a resin-fueled inferno that overnight, seemingly ruined our dreams forever. We at Trail-A-Sled and the community of Crosby, Minnesota were devastated. We’d lost everything, our books and records, parts and inventory, carburetors – the entire assembly line. It was the height of the manufacturing season and even if we could restart production, we lacked the critical assembly components to build a sled worth buying.
However, in that moment, aid came from the most unusual of quarters. Despite being rivals, and depleting his own inventory, Edgar hurriedly provided us with a 500-piece shipment of highly valued Tillotson carburetors. At the time, Tillotsons in any number were nearly impossible to come-by. With his aid, and others, we were within days able to fashion a make-shift assembly line and begin slowly turning-out Scorpions once again – with Arctic Cat supplied carburetors of all things!
At a time when a rival was on the ropes, Edgar was there for us, just like he was for so many others in this business.
In the years that followed, snowmobiling was good to us at Trail-A-Sled. We were proud that our Scorpion product line was competing head-to-head with the likes of Polaris Industries and Arctic Cat but there was always a common bond between us, and that was of love for the sport and the need to nurture it beyond its infancy to a sustainable, accepted mode of winter-time transportation and fun. This included the appropriate trails, regulations, and community and governmental support. In this, Edgar was our common champion, our figurehead. His tireless advocacy of snowmobiling benefited everyone, not just Arctic Cat.
I left the snowmobile business in 1970 and through the years lost touch with Edgar, and many of those early pioneers. However, in recent years I’ve become involved with the wonderful people leading the antique and vintage snowmobile renewal and through this association, was grateful to once again shake Edgar’s hand on several occasions. I learned of the Christian faith we share, his generosity, and the unwavering love of his beloved Hannah.
I was also able, some 40 years hence, to once again thank him for those Tillotsons. I regret now that we didn’t spend more time reminiscing about those wonderful days. Something tells me that in due time, we’ll get a second chance.
- Richard E. Harrison, co-founder Trail-A-Sled, Inc., Scorpion Snowmobiles
Pioneer, Inventor and Ambassador Edgar Hetteen Passes
February 14, 2011
Historians will remember Edgar Hetteen as the man who started Polaris and Arctic Cat and made historic journeys to prove the capabilities of the snowmobile. Those who knew him well will remember his sharp mind, determined nature, passion for snowmobiling and amazing story-telling abilities.
Edgar Hetteen on one of the first Polaris snowmobiles.
Hetteen died on Saturday, February 12, 2011, in a nursing home in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, at the age of 90.
Hetteen’s trail to greatness in the snowmobile industry began in 1944, when he opened his first business – called Hetteen Hoist and Derrick – after returning from World War II. It was a company based on invention – starting with a hoist used to place electrical pole and followed up with sprayers, choppers and other farm equipment. The company’s name would change to Polaris in the mid 1950s.
Though Hetteen is often credited with inventing the Polaris snowmobile at roughly the same time that J. Armand Bombardier was working up his Ski-Doo line, the company’s first sled was actually pieced together by business partner David Johnson while Hetteen was out of town in January of 1956. Edgar’s response? “Anger isn’t the proper word to describe my emotions, but I certainly was miffed at my longtime friend,” Hetteen was quoted as saying years later. “Why was David wasting his time like this? Our factory builds farm equipment.”
But soon Edgar and his brother Allan Hetteen were hooked, and worked to improve the original Sno Traveler. And, in 1960, he embarked on a 1,200-mile, cross-Alaskan adventure to document the cross-snow capabilities of the machines. But, to hear Edgar tell the story, instead of being accepted as a conquering hero upon his return, the Polaris board of directors questioned why the company president went on such a junket. The dispute led Hetteen to leave the company that summer, and eventually to start Arctic Cat down the road in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, in 1961. He would sell Arctic Cat to Lowell Swenson in 1965.
This image of Edgar was taken when he was inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall Of Fame.
“For all of the success, a funny thing was happening to me,” he wrote in his 1998 autobiography, Breaking Trail. “As a company prospers, an entrepreneur has to transform and grow with it in stature and knowledge and sophistication. I didn’t particularly like that. As I examine my past, I was much happier when we were struggling and things were rough than when we started to boom and I had to wear a suit to board of directors meetings.”
Hibbert Wins Fifth Straight X Games Gold In Snocross
January 30, 2011
If Tucker Hibbert keeps this up, he’s going to have to put an addition onto the house he and wife Mandi are building, just to hold all of his medals, trophies and other racing awards.
The king of snocross was at it again today in Aspen, Colorado, where he won his fifth straight X Games gold medal in snocross and sixth overall on his Monster Energy Drink, Castle Racing, Stud-Boy and Speedwerx (among others) sponsored Arctic Cat.
Much like the last four years, there was very little drama in the event once things got rolling. Hibbert got out front, pulled away and was never seriously challenged, adding to the legend that he has built.
Hibbert’s dominance of snocross has caused some to cheer against him – just so the finishing order isn’t so darned predictable. The career Arctic Cat racer now living in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, addressed that when interviewed on ESPN immediately after the race, with a “sorry if it was a little boring,” quip.
“It feels amazing, that was an awesome race,” Hibbert said.
The field for the 15-lap final was set with a set of qualifying races and a last chance qualifier. Bobby LePage of Duluth, Minnesota, racing on a Levi LaVallee Race Team Polaris, ran away with the first semi final in surprisingly easy fashion. Tim Tremblay (Ski-Doo) finished second, with fellow Canadian Robbie Malinoski (Ski-Doo) third, Johan Lidman (Cat) of Sweden fourth and semi-pro bump-up Kyle Pallin (Cat) super-excited to finish fifth and earn a bid into the final.
Over The River & Through The Woods
January 5, 2011
I was really feeling the holiday spirit this year, and it likely had something to do with the heaps of snow dropped on the Upper Midwest during December. While I grew up in northern Wisconsin’s snowy Northwoods, I’ve lived in Minneapolis for the last 10 years. I have never seen so much snow up here, and it wasn’t even Christmas!
I decided there was only one way to handle this turn of events; I cleared my schedule, took some vacation time between the holidays and loaded up a pair of snowmobiles for an extended holiday with friends and family in northern Wisconsin — and I was hoping to rack up as many trail miles as possible.
Driving up from the Twin Cities, the snow levels lessened as the miles added up. My hometown of Park Falls, Wisconsin, had about half the snow of my yard in Minneapolis. It was unusual, but the ditches were full and it looked like trail conditions were close to ideal.
Pulling in to my parents’ house out in the country, I played with the dogs while unloading the trailer and planning my upcoming riding. The goal? Revisiting the snowmobile trips of my childhood.
Will New Swedish Sensation Remind Of The Flying Finn?
July 23, 2010
Quick: Name your favorite Scandinavian snocross star!
When most North American snowmobile race fans think of racers from Scandinavia, the first name that pops into their head is Toni Haikonen. The “Flying Finn” came stateside in the mid 1990s and changed our sport with his high-flying, dynamic style that made him a joy to watch on the track.
What’s even more amazing, looking back at the pictures now, is that Toni made his big impact racing on an F-chassis Ski-Doo. They seemed mildly OK back then (though certainly not as nimble as the Polaris and Arctic Cat race sleds at the time), but go back and look at a photo of one of those behemoths now – would you want to air one of those beasts out?
Following Toni, we had several snowmobile racers come from across the pond and win a national snocross race here or there. Per Berggren proved he could come up big on occasion, and Tomi Ahmasalo was consistent and stronger than an entire team of oxen. Contributor Lynn Keillor reminded me this morning of Chris Hugo Vangen, a Norwegian racer who came over here for a race, made a splash but then was booted out of the country because his paperwork wasn’t complete to allow him to stay here and make money.
The last couple of years, we’ve seen a new wave of imports. In fact, last year Christian Salemark and Emil Ohman became the first Swedes to compete at the Winter X Games in snocross since Berggren and Jonas Perrson ran in 1999.
Well now you’ve got another name to learn: Johan Lidman.
Earlier this week, Team Sportech Racing announced that the 19-year-old Swede will be racing in the Pro classes this year aboard an Arctic Cat and racing out of their trailer. The full press release is below.