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Polaris Racers Win Nine Eagle River Derby Titles

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Press Release –

Dustin Wahl Earns Podium Spot In Championship, Beau VanStrydonk Wins Two Oval Titles, Snocrossers Sweep Pro Open

Polaris snowmobile racers earned nine World Championship titles and three Polaris ice oval racers finished among the top six spots in the World Championship race held at the 46th annual Eagle River (WI) Snowmobile Derby on January 15-18.

In the World Championship final held Sunday, January 18, at the famed Derby Track, Polaris racer Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minnesota, fought through the field following a restart to earn a third place finish.

Nick VanStrydonk of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, finished fifth and Brandon Johnson of Greenbush finished sixth.

Polaris racers won Eagle River World Championship titles in both ice oval and snocross classes during the four days of racing. The Polaris oval champs were:

• Dustin Wahl in Formula One Open (Thursday) on a Wahl Bros. race sled with a Polaris Liberty® engine.
• Beau VanStrydonk of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Pro Sprint 600 and Junior III 600 Sprint (both on Friday).
• Joey Fjerstad, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Semi Pro Champ 440 (Friday).
• Scott Clark, Eganville, Ontario, in Formula 500 (Friday).

Polaris racers who won World Championships in snocross were:

• Shaun Crapo, Aurora, Minnesota, Pro Open (Friday)
• Chris Kafka, Stratford, Wisconsin, Pro Open (Sunday)
• Kendra Daniel, Marshfield, Wisconsin, Sport Women
• Manny Drexler, Stratford, Wisconsin, 120 Champ

Wahl Fights Through Pack in WC

Dustin Wahl posted the fourth-best time in World Championship time trials, and ran well in qualifiers to earn a spot in Sunday’s final.

Just five laps into the final, Wahl got caught up in an accident on a restart and was forced to restart at the back of the field. He worked his way through the field to reach third when he ran out of laps and had to settle for a podium position rather than the title.

VanStrydonk and Johnson ran strong to finish in the top six and Joey Fjerstad reached the final but crashed out of the race on lap five.

Strong Oval Finishes

In the Junior III 600 Sprint class on the Eagle River ice oval, Polaris racers finished 1-2-3-4, led by winner Beau VanStrydonk.

Finishing second through fourth, respectively, were Michael Urban, Gunnar Sterne (on a Polaris-powered Wahl sled) and Matthew Ritchie.

Polaris racers also dominated the Formula 500 final on Friday. Scott Clark took first, and finishing third through eighth, respectively, on Polaris sleds were: Eric Buchholz, Ben Harris, John Henke, Ken Lacy, Greg Davis and Bryan Fischer.

Snocross Racers Shine

Derby organizers showcase selected snocross classes during their popular Friday Night Thunder event and also during Sunday’s lineup of World Championship finals. Polaris snocross racers ran well in the spotlight both times, winning the Pro Open class each time.

On Friday night, Shaun Crapo won Pro Open to lead a parade of Polaris IQ® Race Sleds across the finish line. Seven of the top 11 racers were on Polaris sleds, including: Derek Ellis (fourth), Mike Bauer (fifth), Chris Kafka (sixth), Ryan Carey (eighth), Bill Smith (ninth) and Kory Hodkiewicz in 11th.

On Sunday, Kafka won Pro Open and Ellis finished third. In Sport Women snocross, Kendra Daniel won Stephanie Schmidt took second.

About Polaris – With annual 2007 sales of $1.8 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all terrain vehicles (ATVs), including the Polaris RANGER™, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use. Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ATVs in the world. Victory motorcycles, established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are rapidly making impressive in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 stock price index. Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

Davidson Finishes Third in USCC Red Lake I-500

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Press Release –

Polaris Cross-Country Star Corey Davidson Finishes 30 seconds Out of Second After 3 Days of Racing

Polaris cross-country racing legend Corey Davidson fought for the lead over three days of grueling racing and finished third in the USCC Red Lake I-500, which was run January 16-18 near Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Davidson, a three-time past winner of the event, was in second place after two days of racing. But the Holt, Minnesota, racer slipped slightly on the final day to finish third, 30 seconds from second and just 2 minutes behind the race winner.

Two other Polaris racers finished among the top 11 finishers overall in this year’s I-500. Eric Gausen of Warroad, Minnesota, finished in eighth place overall, and Gabe Bunke of Moorhead, Minnesota, finished 11th overall, just 28 seconds out of 10th place.

Davidson, who won the I-500 in 1997, 2003 and 2005, was the top finisher in the Vet 30+ class, a full 24 minutes ahead of the runner-up in the class. Other Polaris finishers in the Vet 30+ class were Jason Dobmeier (fifth) and Chad Ingebretson (seventh).

In the Pro Open class, Davidson was credited with third, Gausen was seventh, Bunke was eighth and Aaron Christensen of Metiskow, Alberta, was 10th.

Polaris Places 3 in Top 6 in Semi-Pro 600

In the Semi-Pro 600 class, three Polaris racers finished among the top six, led by second-place finisher Dustin Holmstrom of Newfolden, Minnesota.

Ken Christensen of Provost, Alberta was fourth and Jason Dobmeier of Roseau, Minnesota – the birthplace of Polaris – was sixth.

Other Polaris finishers in the Semi-Pro 600 class were: Jeff Ignaszewski (11th), Robert Marion (14th), Eric Christensen (17th) and Frederick Lewis (18th).

Strong Finishes in Veteran Racer Classes

In the Masters 40+ class, Polaris racer Ken Christensen of Provost, Alberta, finished second, Eric Christensen of Centuria, Wisconsin, was fourth and Dennis Sobczak of New Berlin, Wisconsin, was fifth.

In the Legends 50 class, Polaris racer Dennis Topp of Baudette, Minnesota, finished second, and in the Fan 600 class, Paul Anderson of Lewiston, Minnesota, finished second.

The next race on the USCC schedule is the Ada 100 in Ada, Minnesota.

About Polaris – With annual 2007 sales of $1.8 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all terrain vehicles (ATVs), including the Polaris RANGER™, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use. Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ATVs in the world. Victory motorcycles, established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are rapidly making impressive in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 stock price index. Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

The 2008 “Branch 616 Old Sled Run”

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The 2008 “Branch 616 Old Sled Run”

Story & Photos by Mike O’Reilly

They say one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Depending on your perspective, it was either a scrap yard or a diamond mine on the trail between Constance Bay, Ontario and Quyon, Quebec early last March.

There’s no doubt the thrill of nostalgia can collide with reality once the now brittle rubber hits the trail.

The noise and vibration of motors practically sitting in your lap; the smell of pre-mix following you everywhere, courtesy of the infamous Tillotson spit-back, and what’s that out of the corner of your eye? Another bogie has come adrift and is now passing you along the Ottawa River ice.

There can be tremendous satisfaction in bringing a piece of our snow country heritage back to life. The unique look, the sound and ride of these old machines rekindle special memories for those present throughout the development of snowmobiling in the 60s and 70s.

Throw a leg over a vintage sled and it becomes clear how far snowmobile engineering has come. At the same time, it’s surprising how well some of these early and crude creations worked.

The interest in vintage as of late has exploded. Many who wouldn’t have looked twice at vintage iron five years ago are now paying attention to the brands and models they grew up with.

The Supertrax Vintage Event Calendar lists swap meets, shows, races and rallies for almost every weekend from September to March – if you want to drive to Minnesota or Maine.

For Canadians though, there are fewer opportunities. Fortunately, Constance Bay, Ontario, on the shores of the Ottawa River just west of Ottawa, is ideally situated to provide a solution.

Constance Bay

The Legion in “The Bay” has already hosted an annual snowmobile poker run and the roots of snowmobile enthusiasm in the community run deep. It wasn’t a stretch to add vintage to the mix.

The biggest bonus was the availability of a well-marked trail on the Ottawa, to Quyon, eliminating the need for trail permits on sleds that are only used once or twice a year. Thus, in 2007, the inaugural “Branch 616 Old Sled Run” was born.

Apart from a legal route that does not require a trail permit (a significant deterrent to vintage trail rides most places in the province), the most notable feature of this event is Gavan’s Hotel in Quyon, Quebec.

An old-fashioned beer hall and tavern, Gavan’s harks back to the days when industries like lumber, mining and railroading still fueled the economy – days when the connection to religion and the land of your forefathers was still clearly understood. Life was tough and could be brutal and short – not unlike a ride on a ’71 775 TNT, for instance.

Gavans

After vibrating and smoking your way up the river ten miles or so from Constance Bay, there’s something weird and wonderful about getting off a mid-60s Olympique or Snow Cruiser and walking into the sensory experience that is Gavan’s. In fact, some of the clientele probably haven’t changed much since those old sleds rolled off the production line.

Last year it was Mike Harvey’s GPX that succumbed to overheating as a result of the slow crawl through the woods to the river. This year Tim Poirier’s SRX picked just about the same spot for its 30-year-old pistons to sign off once and for all.

In scenes that would trigger memories for veterans of early day trail riding, there were hoods up and sleds on their sides at regular intervals along the way. Roy and Jean Teske from Buckingham, QC, out for the first time on their immaculately restored Diablo Rouge made regular stops to tighten up fasteners.

My own ’68 Olympique, as noted in the local newspaper the following week, suffered a broken fuel return line and stumbled to a halt along the Quebec shore.

Mechanical gremlins aside, the looks on the riders’ faces as they arrived back at the Legion said it all.

Dig out that old Skiroule or Sno Prince and join us in Constance Bay in March to relive memories from your long forgotten youth. An extra bogie or two probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

Visit www.oldsledrun.info for more.

The Laurentians, North of Montreal

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The Laurentians, North of Montreal

Widely known for its warm welcome and enviable reputation, the Laurentian region is classed as the #1 snowmobile destination in Québec in terms of overnight stays, offering some of the most diversified lodging in the province.

Linked to trail networks in the Ottawa Valley, Mauricie and Lanaudière regions, it is easily accessed and a must for all snowmobilers.

For a day excursion or a more adventurous trip lasting several days, the Laurentian trail network will let you discover, as you ride from village to village, Québec’s #1 four-season holiday destination.

The Laurentians’ favourable geographic location ensures a reliable snowfall each season. An average of 350 cm (12 feet) of snow covers the region with a wintry coat.

Comfortably seated on your snowmobile, you can take off across snowbound forests, lakes and mountains, and discover the wide-open spaces on our network of over 2,650 km of groomed and well-maintained trails.

Wake up the old-time trapper in you; the snowmobile offers a marvelous way of discovering Québec’s boreal landscape, with its vast distances, panoramas and variety of lodging.

We strongly encourage you to plan your stay by going over the numerous offers from the advertisers on the back of our regional trail map. You can then easily locate them on the map or review the various packages on offer by visiting our website.

Fun is waiting for you. Start your trip today, visit www.bonjourquebec.com/snowmobile.

F8 Push

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Question:

Dear Motorhead,

I have an 2007 F8 that pushes in the corners. I have studs and 8″ or 10″ dually carbides.

What do you recommend for additional ski pressure?

Thanks!

Don

Response:

Thanks for your email!

Almost all MY 07 F-Series AC’s pushed – with the exception of the 4 stroke powered version.

There were multiple things to be done to these sleds to reduce the understeer (push).

Pulling up the front arm slightly to increase ski pressure was the best fix however it de-activated the sliding front arm feature and diminished ride quality under certain conditions.

The dually carbides may not be the best answer. They spread bite over too large a surface. I would return to 6-8 inch single runner carbides. Yes, darting will increase but handling will improve.

Also dial up the front suspension preload settings to increase ski-pressure even more.

Finally – ensure you have no studs in the outer track belts – only the center belt. You can also update your sway-bar to 08 spec – it had a lot of “stiction” in 07 and created binding which made the understeer worse.

The real fix for this issue came with a new tunnel to bulkhead angle which steepens the rake of the front spindles – this cures the problem and allows the sled to steer like it should.

Motorhead Mark

Broken Wheels On Polaris 600 IQ LX

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Question:

Dear Motorhead,

I have a 2008 Polaris 600 IQ LX. I bought the sled new, and it now has about 250 miles on it.

I added a set of bogie wheels in the available holes near the FRA. I have broken two wheels on the right hand side on the mounting block I added. The left side is fine, and I see no damage anywhere on the skid.

I ride on groomed trails, and do not recall hitting anything that could have broken the wheels.

Any ideas as to what’s happening?

Thanks,

Joe Kirkeby

Response:

Thanks for your email!

Did you check the parts diagram for the M-10 skid to see if those holes are actually for extra tires?

I personally have never seen tires located there on any M-10. Your problem may be mechanical interference at full suspension compression.

Motorhead Mark

Check out the specs for the 600 IQ LX

Fowling Plugs On 800 Dragon SP

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Question:

Dear Motorhead,

I was wondering if u guys have had or heard of any problems with the new Dragons fowling plugs. I have an 800 SP and have gone through 4 already and have only 70 miles on it.

I’ll admit though that I was letting it idle maybe a lilttle too much at first. I also know of a guy in my area with a 600 SP that is having the same problem.

Also, I was wondering how much a 1.5 inch track would affect the trail riding performance of my sled. Would I have to upgrade the carbides for the added traction?

Andrew

Response:

Thanks for your email!

If you’re using non-ethanol fuel you need to hook up the two wires behind the left key panel. This will allow a leaner fuel map and will cure your problem.

Do not hook up this wire if you are in the mid west US and using high percentage ethanol fuel.

I wouldn’t recommend a 1.5 lug track unless you will be almost exclusively riding in deep snow with little hard pack running.

Simply put you’ll burn up your hyfax in record time. 1.25 is the highest lug practical for both deep and hard pack snow use.

Motorhead Mark

Check out the specs on the 800 SP

Blown Engine On 98 ZL 500

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Question:

Dear Motorhead,

I have a 1998 ZL 500 and blew the engine. I changed it out with a ZR 600 motor, updated the carb’s with all jetting needs, but the machine is sluggish in mid range.

I didn’t change the CDI box though. Should I upgrade it or keep changing things out in the carbs?

Thanks,

Bob Cooper

Response:

Thanks for your email!

Bob, Dude – YES! Get a 600 CDI box! I can’t believe the thing runs at all!

You may need a seatbelt or velcro gloves to hold on when you get the full measure of power the 600 actually produces!

Good luck!

Motorhead Mark

Arctic Cat Turbo Z is Mind-Bending

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Arctic Cat Turbo Z is Mind-Bending

By: Kent Lester

Okay, remember those ads Arctic Cat used to run with the guy riding some NASA water slide device that produced unbelievable G-force? It showed a close-up of his face distorted like a chimp. Well, that’s what it feels like dipping into the throttle on the Turbo Z-1.

There’s no turbo lag at all (thank goodness) and when the track gets some bite, it just launches you like an F-16 with the afterburner kicked in. Fun? Wow!

Unbelievably, you can trail ride all this power and the sled doesn’t get funky, either.

I wouldn’t recommend putting your 12-year-old sister on it, but you can actually get it down the trail in a sensible manner – if you don’t pin the throttle.

When you do, there’s an honest 175 stallions stampeding over that track and it is very attention grabbing. Make sure your pacemaker is fully charged.

It generates so much thrust we’ve had trouble keeping those air scoops attached to the side of the hood. They suck so hard and catch so much air they keep flying off. We suggest duct tape or crazy glue.

Our press sled is a Sno-Pro with upgraded shocks (Fox airs up front) but we still prefer the standard version’s more compliant ride (similar to the non-turboed Z1).

As it is, this sled is not overly stiff and is very pleasant to ride on an everyday basis, plus it will outrun just about anything on snow this year – guaranteed!

Click here for specs and details!

Polaris Push Toward ISOC Titles in Second Half

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Polaris Snocross Racers Use Strong Canterbury Finishes to Position Themselves for Points Races

Press Release –

Polaris snocross racers earned podium spots in all four premiere race classes and amassed valuable points in ISOC racing at the Air Force National presented by Polaris on January 9-11.

The race held at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, was the final race before a mid-season break in the ISOC schedule, and Polaris Pro and Semi-Pro racers are poised for a second-half push toward several points titles.

In Semi-Pro racing at Canterbury, Derek Ellis (Avalanche Racing) of Clayton, Idaho finished third in both the Open and Super Stock classes.

Reaching the podium in the Pro classes were Hentges Racing teammates TJ Gulla of South Hero, Vermont, who took third in Pro Open, and Levi LaVallee of Longville, Minnesota, who was third in Pro Super Stock.

Gulla is currently second in Pro Open points while LaVallee is second in Pro Super Stock points.

PRO OPEN: Five in the Top 10 at Shakopee

The Polaris racers competing aboard their 600 IQ® Race Sleds powered by Liberty® 600 engines earned half of the top 10 finishing spots in Pro Open.

Gulla took third and was followed by LaVallee in fourth, Ross Martin (Judnick Motorsports) in fifth, Brett Bender (Hentges Racing) in sixth, and DJ Eckstrom (Amsoil/US Air Force) in eighth.

Martin is third in Pro Open points heading into the break. He is the defending points champion in the class.

PRO SUPER STOCK: Polaris Racers Dominate the Points Race

In Pro Super Stock, Polaris racers filled six of the top 10 places at Canterbury, and there are six Polaris racers among the top nine spots in the points race.

In racing at Canterbury, LaVallee finished third followed by Bender in fourth, Eckstrom in fifth, Shaun Crapo (Amsoil/US Air Force) in sixth, Bobby LePage (Hentges Racing) in eighth and Matt Judnick (Judnick Motorsports) in ninth.

In the Super Stock points race, LaVallee is second, Eckstrom is third and Crapo is sixth, followed by Martin (seventh), Gulla (eighth) and Judnick (ninth).

SEMI-PRO OPEN: Polaris Racers Finish Strong

Six Polaris racers finished among the top 10 in Semi-Pro Open as they earned key points to get in position for a second-half run for the points title.

Derek Ellis finished third at Canterbury followed by Chris Kafka (Hentges Racing) in fifth, Mike Bauer (Judnick Motorsports) in sixth, Bobby LePage (Hentges Racing) in eighth, Matt Bristow (Bristow Racing) in ninth and Dylan Martin (Martin Racing Inc.) in 10th. LePage is currently second in points, Kafka is fourth and Martin is 10th.

SEMI-PRO SUPER STOCK: Ellis Earns Another Podium Position

Polaris placed three racers in the top 10 in Semi-Pro Super Stock at Canterbury, with Derek Ellis earning his second podium position with another third-place finish on the weekend.

Mike Bauer (Judnick Motorsports) finished eighth and Dylan Martin finished in 10th. Martin is currently third in Super Stock points and Kafka is eighth.

X Games, Then the Final Push

The sport’s leading racers will compete in the ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado, January 22-25. This if a non-points event, but because it is televised live worldwide, it’s a prestigious, high-profile event.

The ISOC National Tour resumes February 6-8 with the Brainerd (MN) International Raceway National, the first of five races in the final seven weeks of the season. This late-season cluster of events is when the points titles will be determined.

About Polaris – With annual 2007 sales of $1.8 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all terrain vehicles (ATVs), including the Polaris RANGER™, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use. Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ATVs in the world. Victory motorcycles, established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are rapidly making impressive in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 stock price index. Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

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