There is a definite silence around vintage racing right now as everyone prepares for the big Eagle River race this weekend. I’ve heard the track is in great shape, they have over 400 entries, and some old school big time racers will be back this year on vintage hardware. It’s the first race of the Vintage SnoPro Master Series, and drivers just need to be signed up in the correct classes to enter.
Archive for 2005
ON TO EAGLE RIVER
Thursday, December 29th, 2005
STRATHCONA IS ON
Thursday, December 29th, 2005
Looks like if you want to see some racing this weekend, you’ll have to make the trip to Strathcona, Minnesota. Wolf Lake and Hayward both cancelled due to poor ice. The guys up at SLEDS said everyone is welcome, they are doing a $10 entry fee for non-sleds members and it should be a very good time.
I got my new Snow week magazine today. Great cover of Terry Wahl. Great editorial by Colby Johnson, who is in line to become the Patron Saint of Vintage Snowmobiles, should Danica get out of control. I really look forward to getting that magazine. The one big bummer? Pretty much no mention of the vintage races at Beausejour, or anywhere else, except for a blurb on a one-lung incident. What’s up with that?
Looks like if you want to see some racing this weekend, you’ll have to make the trip to Strathcona, Minnesota. Wolf Lake and Hayward both cancelled due to poor ice. The guys up at SLEDS said everyone is welcome, they are doing a $10 entry fee for non-sleds members and it should be a very good time.
I got my new Snow week magazine today. Great cover of Terry Wahl. Great editorial by Colby Johnson, who is in line to become the Patron Saint of Vintage Snowmobiles, should Danica get out of control. I really look forward to getting that magazine. The one big bummer? Pretty much no mention of the vintage races at Beausejour, or anywhere else, except for a blurb on a one-lung incident. What’s up with that?
NEW FEATURES
Wednesday, December 28th, 2005
In a never ending quest to build a better vintage sled web site, I’ve made some significant changes over the last few days. First there is a new classifieds section – you no longer need to register to post an ad. Very soon, it will have a very simple way to add nice photos. Tonight, I turned on whole new Events section. Again, you no longer need sign on to add an event.
Enjoy!
In a never ending quest to build a better vintage sled web site, I’ve made some significant changes over the last few days. First there is a new classifieds section – you no longer need to register to post an ad. Very soon, it will have a very simple way to add nice photos. Tonight, I turned on whole new Events section. Again, you no longer need sign on to add an event.
Enjoy!
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM 1975
Saturday, December 24th, 2005
Mick Fesko sends along these pictures for everyone on this Christmas Eve day. Photos from the 1975 World Series. It was a very, very dirty race. No pun intended.
Have a great Christmas and lets all rest up before the big winter season og ’06 gets underway!
Mick Fesko sends along these pictures for everyone on this Christmas Eve day. Photos from the 1975 World Series. It was a very, very dirty race. No pun intended.
Have a great Christmas and lets all rest up before the big winter season og ’06 gets underway!
TRICKY DICK’S GAS SHORTAGE
Thursday, December 22nd, 2005
HOLY SNOPRO!
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005
Kurt Krueger of ProVintage Performance will be piloting this
74 SnoPro at Eagle River this winter!
Kurt Krueger has done it again! He’s becoming a one-man Bombardier factory race team and historian, all wrapped up in one package.
Today Kurt sent in his entry for the 340 SnoPro class – this BEAUTIFUL reproduction 1974 Ski-Doo SnoPro 340! It should be the only one of it’s kind at the famed Eagle River track, January 6th, 7th and 8th.
I don’t know about you, but for me, this is, without question, the sexiest damn Ski-Doo ever built. Unfortunately, they never saw the light of day much back in 1974. Today, one original hood is owned by Mike Trapp (at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame) and Yvon DuHamel owns the only original 74 SnoPro – a 650cc machine he’s has had ever since it was built.
There is a bit of controversy over why Ski-Doo never raced these sweet looking monsters back in 1974. The official line was that it was because of Jimmy Carter’s gas shortages. Others have speculated that there was some real issues with the sleds. We’ll probably never know the real reason. According to Mike Trapp, the sleds were tested, tested hard and he was very ready to go SnoPro racing.
So instead of racing, Yvon and Mike took the 650′s to different parts of the country and did some Public Relations. Ski-Doo was never really represented in the first ever SnoPro series. Although the series was very popular with the fans, I’m sure more then a few of us were disappointed that Ski-Doo was not there.
So that begs the question. Can Kurt and his new sled make up for Ski-Doo’s lost year of racing??? Will we get to see some 74 Polaris, Cat and now Ski-doos on the track, together for the first time? Has anyone cloned a 74 Yamaha?
I have to stop thinking about it. My mind will explode. Folks, we are one BIG step closer to those who were lucky enough to see and original SnoPro race to re-live the experience, and for those of us who never saw one, to witness some of the best racing of all time.
Way to go KURT!
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Kurt Krueger of ProVintage Performance will be piloting this
74 SnoPro at Eagle River this winter! |
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Kurt Krueger has done it again! He’s becoming a one-man Bombardier factory race team and historian, all wrapped up in one package.
Today Kurt sent in his entry for the 340 SnoPro class – this BEAUTIFUL reproduction 1974 Ski-Doo SnoPro 340! It should be the only one of it’s kind at the famed Eagle River track, January 6th, 7th and 8th.
I don’t know about you, but for me, this is, without question, the sexiest damn Ski-Doo ever built. Unfortunately, they never saw the light of day much back in 1974. Today, one original hood is owned by Mike Trapp (at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame) and Yvon DuHamel owns the only original 74 SnoPro – a 650cc machine he’s has had ever since it was built.
There is a bit of controversy over why Ski-Doo never raced these sweet looking monsters back in 1974. The official line was that it was because of Jimmy Carter’s gas shortages. Others have speculated that there was some real issues with the sleds. We’ll probably never know the real reason. According to Mike Trapp, the sleds were tested, tested hard and he was very ready to go SnoPro racing.
So instead of racing, Yvon and Mike took the 650′s to different parts of the country and did some Public Relations. Ski-Doo was never really represented in the first ever SnoPro series. Although the series was very popular with the fans, I’m sure more then a few of us were disappointed that Ski-Doo was not there.
So that begs the question. Can Kurt and his new sled make up for Ski-Doo’s lost year of racing??? Will we get to see some 74 Polaris, Cat and now Ski-doos on the track, together for the first time? Has anyone cloned a 74 Yamaha?
I have to stop thinking about it. My mind will explode. Folks, we are one BIG step closer to those who were lucky enough to see and original SnoPro race to re-live the experience, and for those of us who never saw one, to witness some of the best racing of all time.
Way to go KURT!
BOGUS 2ND CHANCE!
Tuesday, December 20th, 2005
Have you bid on Ed Webb’s sleds on eBay? Have you been notified that you can buy the item because the auction winner did not pay up? BE CAREFUL! These are all bogus! If you send money – you’ll get nothing!
Have you bid on Ed Webb’s sleds on eBay? Have you been notified that you can buy the item because the auction winner did not pay up? BE CAREFUL! These are all bogus! If you send money – you’ll get nothing!
NEW RAREBIRD – 73 SKI-DOO ELITE #001!
Monday, December 19th, 2005
An ‘Elite’ Elite. Serial #001!
12/19/2005
Rick Stockey is the proud owner of our first consumer Rarebird. This baby is a 1973 Ski-Doo Elite, with the distinction of being the very first one ever made. That’s right – serial number 1!
Rick bought in Northfield, Minnesota in 1999 or 2000. It was part of a deal with the previous owner that included a car. Rick and the previous owner were well aware of the rarity of such a sled, and so both enjoyed a darn good trade.
It has had minor touch ups done to it, but is still in original condition. This original Elite is powered by a 28 horse 440 fan cooled motor with Tillotsen carbs. it has two Olympic tracks, is 103′ long, 44″ wide and weighs in at a smokin’ 682 pounds.
In 2003 Ski-Doo requested that Rick bring the sled to the Earl Brown Center, just North of the Twin Cities, for special display featuring Ricks #1 sled, and the prototype it was made from. It was a special day Rick will never forget. “It was just really neat that they [Ski-Doo] called me and asked to have it brought up for the show. It was a lot of fun”.
Rick has driven the sled several times and very much enjoys the ride. “It has a top speed of about 45 miles per hour. It rides very nice on the trail and is big enough to bring a buddy and some beverages. It’s a strange ride also, because you feel like you are in a little car riding in the ditch!”
All good things must come to and end and Rick says his time with the Elite has reached a milestone. “I’ve had it for almost 7 years, I’ve certainly enjoyed owning such a rare sled, but it does take up a lot of room, and I’ll beet some one else at this point would really love to have it”. So after an “Elite” relationship, Rick is letting her go to a new home.
This is the first entry into a new catagory of Rarebirds – Rare consumer sleds. We are still working on the criteria for what qualifies as a rare consumer (non race sled). But anything that was first off the line, I think, certainly qualifies.
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An ‘Elite’ Elite. Serial #001!
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12/19/2005
Rick Stockey is the proud owner of our first consumer Rarebird. This baby is a 1973 Ski-Doo Elite, with the distinction of being the very first one ever made. That’s right – serial number 1!
Rick bought in Northfield, Minnesota in 1999 or 2000. It was part of a deal with the previous owner that included a car. Rick and the previous owner were well aware of the rarity of such a sled, and so both enjoyed a darn good trade.
It has had minor touch ups done to it, but is still in original condition. This original Elite is powered by a 28 horse 440 fan cooled motor with Tillotsen carbs. it has two Olympic tracks, is 103′ long, 44″ wide and weighs in at a smokin’ 682 pounds.
In 2003 Ski-Doo requested that Rick bring the sled to the Earl Brown Center, just North of the Twin Cities, for special display featuring Ricks #1 sled, and the prototype it was made from. It was a special day Rick will never forget. “It was just really neat that they [Ski-Doo] called me and asked to have it brought up for the show. It was a lot of fun”.
Rick has driven the sled several times and very much enjoys the ride. “It has a top speed of about 45 miles per hour. It rides very nice on the trail and is big enough to bring a buddy and some beverages. It’s a strange ride also, because you feel like you are in a little car riding in the ditch!”
All good things must come to and end and Rick says his time with the Elite has reached a milestone. “I’ve had it for almost 7 years, I’ve certainly enjoyed owning such a rare sled, but it does take up a lot of room, and I’ll beet some one else at this point would really love to have it”. So after an “Elite” relationship, Rick is letting her go to a new home.
This is the first entry into a new catagory of Rarebirds – Rare consumer sleds. We are still working on the criteria for what qualifies as a rare consumer (non race sled). But anything that was first off the line, I think, certainly qualifies.
STRATHCONA OPENER
Monday, December 19th, 2005
Nathan Wesltund on his 77 leads them through the 4th corner at the 05/06 SLEDS season opener at Strathcona.
Jim Haug #78 and yours truly #77 testing the 77′s out the weekend before. Photo taken after I rolled it.
I heard all good things about the SLEDS season opener in Strathcona, Minnesota last weekend. The drivers I talked to said it was a top-notch event, with great ice, great fun and good times. Keep checking the SLEDS web site for results. I’m sure they will have them up soon!
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Nathan Wesltund on his 77 leads them through the 4th corner at the 05/06 SLEDS season opener at Strathcona.
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Jim Haug #78 and yours truly #77 testing the 77′s out the weekend before. Photo taken after I rolled it.
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I heard all good things about the SLEDS season opener in Strathcona, Minnesota last weekend. The drivers I talked to said it was a top-notch event, with great ice, great fun and good times. Keep checking the SLEDS web site for results. I’m sure they will have them up soon!
WOLF LAKE OPENER CANCELLED
Saturday, December 17th, 2005
Scott Tillman posted around 12:00 today that the ice needs more time on the lake before it is safe to race & plow. Last week’s snow proved to be too much. Oh well, I guess that means more time for me to keep re-measuring my toe-in. 
Scott Tillman posted around 12:00 today that the ice needs more time on the lake before it is safe to race & plow. Last week’s snow proved to be too much. Oh well, I guess that means more time for me to keep re-measuring my toe-in.