The inaugural Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge at Lutsen Mountains on April 18-19, 2015 was challenged by warm weather and then rain on the second day of racing, but it appeared that everyone who took the gondola ride up the mountain had a great time.
Although there are some things he would change, Todd Myers of CorPowersports was pleased with the first-ever event and said he would like to come back. A few days after the race, Myers said, “We are already working on the details to make year 2 bigger and better!”
There were riders from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota and a large contingent of racers from Thunder Bay, Ontario, making the event an international competition. Myers said attendance was a little lower than expected, but he said he thinks it is because riders didn’t believe there would be enough snow. “They’re looking at the pictures now and saying, ‘I wish I would have been there!’”
Racers especially appreciated the incredibly challenging Hill Climb on a ski run full of moguls. Spectators too, enjoyed watching the machines maneuver over the challenging course.
Local racers who won spots on the podium at the Midwest Extreme. (L-R) Jorey Brazell, David Carlson, Taylor Ryden (standing in for Cory Ryden), Devin Bloomquist, and Dustin Nelson.
The rain on Sunday did put a damper on the event, but Myers said CorPowersports was able to host the qualifying race for the Jackson Hole, Wyoming World Championships before there was too much meltdown.
After that the course was changed for the racers that wanted to continue. “We made the best of it,” said Myers. “It’s April in Minnesota!”
Lutsen Mountains spokesperson Jim Vick agreed. “We were pleased by how the weekend went, well, Saturday anyway. But we’re in the weather business, so we are used to that.”
Vick also agreed there are details to work out before the next event. He said it could be a little more spectator-friendly so Lutsen Mountains will work with CorPowersports on bringing the action closer. “We’ll try to stay on Moose Mountain though, the riders really liked it there. It’s something we’ll continue to build on,” he said.
A number of Cook County racers took part in the Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge with David Carlson placing second in the vintage cross country race with his 1973 John Deere JDX and Jorey Brazell taking third in the vintage II race with his 1987 Arctic Cat Jag 440.
Devin Smith of Grand Marais placed 3rd in the cross country 800 stock and 4th in the 800 stock Hill Climb. Devin was riding Kelvin Ekroot’s Polaris 800 Assault.
In the veteran cross country class, Dustin Nelson of Grand Marais finished first with his SkiDoo XRS 800 and Cory Ryden of Grand Portage finished second on a Polaris RMK 600.
For full Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge results, visit the CorPowersports website at: corpowersports.com/news/index.asp?q=detail&nid=61
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