2010 May

Ron Ruzewski’s Car On Pole For Indy

Former Yamaha snowmobile engineer Ron Ruzewski is Team Technical Director for Team Penske. His driver Helio Castroneves is on pole for this weekend’s Indy 500.

“It was incredible. Just an amazing day. One that makes you feel so proud of what everyone has accomplished. I almost couldn’t watch Helio on his 227 and 228 laps…At times I had to look away from the TV screens and telemetry monitors!”

~Ron Ruzewski

You might not know Ron Ruzewski, but you certainly know his driver, Helio Castroneves, three-time Indy 500 winner and polesitter for this Sunday’s 94th running of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Ruzewski, whose formal title at Team Penske is team technical director, also serves as Castroneves’ race engineer. In plain English, Ruzewski is the man responsible for tuning the suspension and aerodynamics on the Brazilian’s Dallara-Honda IndyCar, and as fans witnessed on Pole Day at Indy last weekend, he gave Castroneves a car that not only earned pole position, it leveled the competition while doing so.

Read the rest here:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indy500-meet-ron-ruzewski/

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News

LaVallee Set To Undergo Surgery

LeviLaValleeWebImage2 From the Levi LaVallee Facebook page:

“Over the past 5 weeks Levi has gone under extensive PT for his foot – with no progress showing, the decision was made to under go surgery. He is off to Santa Monica, CA tomorrow and is schedule for surgery on Friday. Please send warm thoughts and well wishes his way for a speedy recovery!”

Update:

“Levi had a very successful surgery! He is feeling ok right now, still a little groggy – - but pumped to have the surgery done with and hopefully nothing but improve from here on out.”

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News

Highlights From The 2010 FIM Snowcross World Championship

Jackson Hole 2010

Short film of some runs from the 2010 World Championship Hillclimb in Jackson Hole, WY:

2010 Jackson Hole Snowmobile Hill Climbs Part 2 from Dave King on Vimeo.

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News

Snowmobile Racer Wins Popular Science Invention Award

Shawn Watling invented a rear axle drive system for snowmobiles and won a Popular Science invention award. Here’s a vid of the sled in action:

Read the full story here:
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2010-05/invention-awwards-faster-safer-snowmobiling

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News Tagged With: drag racing, shawn watling, snowmobile racing, snowmobile rear axle drive

Hibbert To Compete At Summer X

Tucker will compete against the world's best on the dirt at SX XVI

Goodridge, Minn. (May 13, 2010) - Five-time ESPN Winter X Games Snocross gold medalist, Tucker Hibbert, officially accepted an invitation to compete in the Super X (Supercross) event at Summer X Games 16. Hibbert was chosen as a first round pick by a selection committee and will be one of sixteen riders from around the world to compete at the historic LA Coliseum the end of July. It will be his first appearance at the Summer X Games but he’s no stranger to racing motorcycles. He entered his first motorcycle race a year prior to his first snowmobile race and has been competing in both disciplines at a professional level since 2000.

At only 15, Hibbert was catapulted to instant fame by becoming the youngest gold medalist in Winter X Games history as the sole semi-pro in an all-pro Snocross field. He went on to win three national championships and two more X Games medals before walking away from the national Snocross scene in 2003 to shift his focus to racing motorcycles. From 2004-2006, he raced the AMA Supercross and Motocross series full-time but continued to race one snowmobile event yearly, the Winter X Games. November of 2006, he returned to the national Snocross circuit and has continued to split his time between both sports. He now holds nine Winter X Games Snocross medals, four National championships, 55 national victories and was recently crowned the 2010 FIM Snowcross World Champion in Sweden. His motorcycle honors include four top-ten AMA Supercross finishes along with one heat race win and eight AMA Motocross top-15 finishes.

2011 Polaris Race Sled Changes

Polaris Press Release:

MEDINA, MN (May 11, 2010) – What do you do with the world’s best race sled? If you’re the Polaris engineering team, you work to make it even better for next winter.

The Polaris race development team has taken the proven Polaris IQ® Racer – a sled that has won numerous titles on race circuits across the snowbelt – and improved it substantially for the 2010-2011 season.

How? By developing an all-new Independent Front Suspension (IFS) that’s the best they’ve ever built.

How new is it? It has new spindles, new upper and lower control arms, a new upper control arm ball joint – and more!

It’s not only new, it’s better. In late-season and post-season testing, Polaris engineers and top Polaris factory racers dialed in the new IFS to give racers more precise and flatter cornering, easier steering – and better durability than ever.

In the rear, the 2011 IQ Racer features a new Walker Evans coil over needle front track shock that improves performance and consistency in all racing conditions.

From the nose to the snow flap, the 2011 Polaris Race Sled is the best ever – which is saying something, considering the championships Polaris racers have been piling up in recent seasons.

Full details will be revealed in the fall. See you at the track!

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News Tagged With: IQ Race sled, polaris, snocross, snowmobile racing

Lap of Track In Mala, Sweden

Ride along with Adam Renheim as he takes his Lynx for a burn around the track at the FIM Snowcross World Championships in Mala, Sweden:

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News Tagged With: Adam Renheim, FIM Snowcross, snocross, snowmobile racing, Tucker Hibbert

USCC Vintage Cross-Country Rules

Racers will experience the joys of leaf spring suspension this season on the USCC circuit

In stock classes, no change or modification can be done to the snowmobile unless specifically allowed by these rules. If these rules do not specifically allow a change or modification, then it must be assumed that the change or modification is not allowed

STOCK CLASSES

1) VINTAGE

Maximum displacement is 440cc liquid cooled and 500cc air-cooled, 1981 or older leaf spring

models only.

2) VINTAGE LEGENDS

Same machine rules as VINTAGE, but riders must be age 50 or older at time of event.

GENERAL

1) The snowmobile must have the original OEM engine, hood, exhaust, frame, suspension and cowl. Replacement parts must be of same model and year.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Snowmobile racing News