Another fine version of the Hay Days Snowmobile Expo is in the books and that means the 2011-12 season has officially shifted into high gear. Among the many highlights at this year’s event were the announcement of new teams, riders and equipment, as well as the release of the 2012 national and regional schedules.
The Carlson Motorsport team was front and center on contingency row with their new Polaris sleds and coolers full of Muscle Milk support. Speaking of big red, the IQ racer that has propelled Ross Martin and the Judnick Motorsports team to numerous wins over the past several seasons, was unveiled in the Polaris corral, mostly unchanged but sporting a familiar color scheme that reflected the winning heritage of the red, white and blue racers of the 70’s.
In the Arctic Cat camp, there was much to do about the all-new Sno-Pro racer which was met with rave reviews. The sled, which is based on Cat’s Pro Cross consumer platform, will come in both snocross and cross-country versions with componentry available to make it user-friendly for vertical racers as well.
The Scheuring Speed Sports team commandeered an entire corner of contingency row with their “Fun Spot” display that featured the AMSOIL Upside Download backflip photo booth as well as the Traxxas try me track where fans could try their hand at R/C truck racing. In addition to the scheduled autograph sessions and meet and greets that took place at the manufacturer tents, Tucker Hibbert made several appearances at his own rig complete with a sweet line of T-Train merchandise.
Warnert Racing and their top gun Tim Tremblay are geared up to make another run in the pro class. Warnert’s had a massive display that included both their snow and ATV racers, as well as lots of prizes and representation from Foremost Insurance. Several other touring teams, including Christian Brothers Racing, Team LaVallee and the Leighton Motorsport crew could also be found on contingency row, bench racing and counting the days to Spirit Mountain.
Overnight lows for the Duluth area are projected in the mid-20’s for later this week, so buckle up and get ready.
