Moorhead, Minn. (February 6, 2012) – Bunke Racing riders Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen and Bobby Menne won the Soo I-500 this past Saturday, February 4, 2012. It was Bunke’s third win at the prestigious 500-mile enduro race and his first since winning the race back in 2005. Held on a 1-mile ice oval in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the Soo I-500 is the only race of its kind in snowmobiling and one of the crown jewels of snowmobile racing. The Bunke Racing No. 74 sled set the pace at this year’s event, leading over 269-laps of the 500-lap race including the last 53-laps as the team put a stamp on its race win.
The Soo I-500 is much like a NASCAR Sprint Cup race – it takes place on a 1-mile oval and includes pit stops for fuel and sled service and features the same caution flags and a pace vehicle just like Sprint Cup. This year’s race began on an ice oval that had steadily deteriorated in the days leading up to Saturday’s 500-mile race. Warm temperatures combined with qualifying, a Pro Am race and other events in the days before the race left the already soft ice on the track thin and rough. On race day the track was down to dirt in more than few places just 100-laps into the race. Many wondered if the race would be called as the track continued to get worse throughout what is typically an 8-hour event. Officials kept the race going though, and riders fought the challenges of dirt and mud as well as the few icy and snow spots that managed to hold up over the course of the day.
As the race wore on, the No. 74 Autolite Polaris with riders Bunke and Christensen was able to stay on or within a lap of the lead lap the entire race. The team was often setting the pace, laying down fast laps and forcing the teams behind them to push their equipment. When it came time to make the final drive for the win the No. 74 sled was in the lead. With just 50-laps to go and ready to make a run at victory, yellow flags kept the only other sled on the lead lap within striking distance of them, forcing the Bunke sled to continue to push until the final lap. As Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over til it’s over,” and no one was able to relax until Christensen, who was aboard the No. 74 in the closing laps, had actually taken the checkered flag on lap 500 with a winning time of 9 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds.
“I think about winning this race every day of the year,” said Gabe Bunke. “To actually hold this checkered flag is about the sweetest thing I can imagine.”
Bunke last won the race in 2005 with co-riders Josh Davis and Corey Davidson, and before that he won as part of a team with Mike Gentz, Jr., in 2002. Now, Gabe is a team owner and fields two machines in the race – his own sled No. 74 and the No. 537 piloted by Ryan and Travis Faust and Scott Maciag. That sled finished in 7th place, a respectable finishing spot in such a grueling race. Bunke and Menne also brought home third place in Thursday’s Pro Am race, a 40-mile event held to give new riders to the Soo some valuable seat time. Menne, a Rookie Soo rider, started 21st and rode his way into 4th placewithin 20 laps. Bunke got aboard the sled for the final 20 laps and picked up one more spot to put the sled on the podium.
“You could say this is what we planned for and we did,” said Bunke. “However, there is a lot of luck that comes into play in this race as well. But sometimes you make your own luck, and our team has worked really hard the past few years trying to get this win.”
Bunke continued: “This team isn’t just me; there are a lot of hard-working, knowledgeable people behind us that are key players that make it all happen like my co-riders, my crew and all of our sponsors. This is a victory for all of us.”
Next up for Bunke Racing is the USCC Grafton 100 in Grafton, ND. For more info on Bunke Racing visit www.bunkeracing.com. You can also follow Bunke Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BunkeRacing
