Press Release –

Marginal snowmaking conditions in the Sarnia, Ontario area have forced the WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour to withdraw from the race it was co-promoting with CSRA at the Hiawatha Horse Track in Sarnia.

CSRA will move forward with their scheduled event for that weekend.

“For some time now we have been concerned that the lack of snowmaking weather and the amount of available snow will prevent us from building the National caliber track that our racers expect,” said PowerSports Entertainment, Inc. Executive Vice President of Operations Kent Lungstrom.

“Our snowmakers we sent there to make snow but we had to pull them because the weather wasn’t available or foreseeable. We then hoped Mother Nature would come to the rescue but the natural snowfall received so far is only enough to build a decent quality regional racing surface and not the larger, deeper track needed for the Pro class riders to compete upon over a whole weekend. We think the CSRA will have a fine weekend on the snow they have and we wish them the best.”

Next stop for the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour will be a double header for the Pro and Semi-Pro racers at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN. Snowmakers have been making snow for weeks and this recent cold snap created some great snowmaking conditions.

For ticket and schedule information, please visit us at PowersportsTour.com

By: Motorhead Mark Lester

While we knew it was inevitable – with EPA 2012 emission guidelines demanding Direct Injection (DI) to make 2 strokes viable for snowmobile motivation – we were shocked to see it so soon.

When I pulled the cord on the E-Tec 600 TNT PR unit here at Supertrax World Headquarters in late January I was overcome with a profound sense that this was significant.

This is what I had longed for – a light, super efficient and EPA clean 2-stroke! A 2-stroke nobody – not even 4-stroke lovers – could bad mouth. Truth is, after living with the E-Tec for 500 miles it’s better than I had envisioned.

The sled is scoring 20 mpg and higher – actually carding a sliver under 20 mpg on a 70 mile, 14-lake pull at an average of 80-85 miles per hours on every lake. Outstanding.

It runs completely smoke and odor free. It is as smooth as an electric engine from idle to full shift.

The E-Tec starts with an immediate and eerie attention to 1100 rpm. In fact the motor idles so predictably it doesn’t care if it’s minus 20 or immediately after a 100 mph pull – the motor settles back to 1100 rpm and sounds sorta like an outboard.

The exhaust cadence is noticeably different. At a loss for words to describe it – the engine doesn’t sound like a 2-stroke and it doesn’t make noises like a 4-stroke either. How about this – I think it sounds like a 3-stroke.

Oil usage is ridiculous – and why wouldn’t it be? No fuel is scavenged under the piston so injected lube stays on the bearings – never experiencing “wash down” from fuel. Injected oil slowly works its way up the transfer ports, onto the piston wall.

Evinrude does a dramatic demonstration with a 225 HP V-6 E-Tec by cutting the oil line and running it 50 miles without oil. The engine is fine.

Clearly, BRP and Ski-Doo are flexing their muscles with the early intro of a 2012 certified snowmobile powerplant like the E-Tec 600.

Next year they’ve jumped in with both feet – the much loved 600 SDI (see: Great Engines We’ve Known and Loved in Volume 19, #4 of Supertrax) is all but eliminated from the Ski-Doo line and replaced with this amazing, revolutionary, first-ever Direct Injection snowmobile powerplant.

Helmets-off to Ski-Doo. You guys are acting like leaders.

Press Release –

With winter conditions well established in many parts of Canada the CCSO in partnership with the provincial organizations reminds snowmobilers across the country that February is Snowmobiling Environment Month.

Snowmobiling offers a wonderful opportunity to get out, get active and enjoy the beauty of Canada’s natural wonders during the winter months.

The Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCS0) reminds snowmobilers that it is every snowmobiler’s responsibility to know and follow the Snowmobilers Code of Ethics and to ensure that our trails and forests continue to flourish.

The following recommendations can help to ensure that each and every trip onto the trail networks is done in an environmentally favorable manner.

Leave Tracks, Not Trash

If you had space to bring it in, then respect nature by carrying it out.

Protect Wildlife

Animals are more vulnerable in the winter, so keep your distance and leave them alone.

Stay On The Trail

Wherever organized trails exist, reduce your environmental impact by riding on them.

Snowmobilers have historically paid their own way for the development and maintenance of the snowmobile trail systems. In many areas trails developed by snowmobile clubs directly benefit many other outdoor enthusiasts.

During the non-winter months, many of these trails are used for hiking, horseback riding, bicycling and other trail based activities.

Share the message during the month of February that “Snowmobilers are Environmentalists”. We care about the environment and work closely with businesses and the governments to properly plan the trails systems.

Well designed, signed and maintained trails and riding areas will provide future generations with many enjoyable recreational snowmobiling experiences.

Press Release –

Recent Tragedies Highlight Risks of Random Ice Travel

After several off-trail drowning tragedies last weekend, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) questions what else can possibly be said or done to prevent more such incidents from occurring.

Since the first snow in November, the OFSC has continually issued strong cautions that ice conditions are poor and unpredictable this winter. The federation has also issued many warnings for everyone to stay off Ontario’s waterways, unless and until a trail is open and staked by the local snowmobile club.

“We have been especially diligent in making continuously updated information available on our website and working locally through our clubs and volunteers, with police agencies, and with the media, to get the ice safety message out,” said OFSC Manager of Safety and Public Education, Bill Harrison. “Unfortunately some people still persist in making the personal choice to put their lives at risk by riding off of open and staked OFSC trails.”

Ice safety at the OFSC starts with operating land-based trails to avoid water crossings wherever possible. OFSC clubs have built thousands of bridges to make water crossings safer. Where a land trail or bridge is not possible, clubs choose the best possible crossing route; water trails are not opened until sufficient ice has formed and the proper thickness confirmed.

In many areas, mild weather plus heavy snow have combined with the absence of deep freeze temperatures to prevent good ice from forming this winter. Thus, many traditional water crossings remain closed as of last week.

OFSC clubs report trail conditions a minimum of twice a week, including ice crossings, and these updates are always available to the public at www.ofsc.on.ca. Recent statements on the website about ice include: “Ice is never safe! Stay off All Bodies of water until the local clubs have staked the water crossings!” and “Unstaked Lake Trails Remain Closed And Are Unsafe!”

“The bottom line is that no ice is 100% safe,” says Harrison, “but your crossing risk can be greatly reduced by using only open and staked OFSC trails, by riding in good visibility conditions, and by avoiding excessive speed and alcohol consumption.”

For many years, the OFSC has recommended that anyone traveling on ice should wear a buoyant suit and carry self-rescue ice picks. By following these few simple precautions, most ice tragedies are preventable. So once again, the OFSC urges snowmobilers to STAY OFF ICE AND WATERWAYS unless riding on an open and staked OFSC trail.