PowerSports Snowmobile Tour Readies For Canterbury Races

The WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour will celebrate homecoming this weekend as it makes its annual visit to Canterbury Park. The historic race will mark the first doubleheader event at the horse racing facility and will feature two complete racing shows for both the Pro and Semi-Pro classes. The weekend will also have on tap a full card of Amateur, Women and Junior Class racing.

? We couldn? t have asked for a better place to hold a double national event,? said PowerSports Entertainment, Inc. CEO Rick Murphy.? Canterbury has a special place in the hearts of our riders, our team owners and our staff, and we? re excited about running two complete shows right in our own backyard.?

Snowmaking has been taking place for the last month and has continued throughout February.

? Beginning in January, our snowmaking crews took the opportunity make large piles of snow in anticipation of the event,? said PowerSports Entertainment Executive Vice President of Operations Kent Lungstrom.? That, combined with the natural snow we? ve received recently has given us more than enough to put on a world-class and unique racing event.?

The event very well could end up making, or breaking several top Pro riders? hopes for a championship. Ross Martin (No. 837 Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) padded his Pro Open points lead with a victory last weekend in Eagle River. But close behind is TJ Gulla, who took over the points lead in Pro Stock, also with a victory last weekend. Gulla (No. 44 Pirtek/Polaris) has been on a tear of late. Riding for Shakopee-based Hentges Racing, Gulla won the most recent Pro Stock race, at Eagle River, and holds the lead in the Pro Stock standings.

Also in the hunt are Ryan Simons (No. 167 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat), Blair Morgan (No. 7c Blair Morgan Racing/Ski-Doo), Levi LaVallee (No. 108 Pirtek/Polaris),? Monster? Mike Schultz (No. 5 Avalanche Racing/Polaris) and many, many others.

Yet, it will be anyone? s game as the Tour will compete on one of the most unique track layouts in Canterbury history.

? We have a few surprises in store for Canterbury,? said Murphy.? This will be a unique and exciting racing event.?

One of those surprises is a visit by daredevil snowmobile freestyler Paul Thacker. Thacker will bring his Monster Energy Drink-sponsored machine to Canterbury to attempt to beat his own world record snowmobile jump. Thacker is scheduled to perform the feat on Sunday.

Additionally, Canterbury features the most indoor seating on the Tour. The indoor seating area offers wide vistas of the track. The Tour will also hold its regular Pro autograph session on Saturday, and Christian Brothers Racing will be holding a contest that will award one lucky fan an Arctic Cat snowmobile. Finally, the Tour will hold a benefit for Allison Jeffords. Jeffords suffered serious head and leg injuries in an ice-heaving accident on Christmas Day.

Canterbury Storylines :

Double Trouble…This weekend? s race represents Rounds 8 and 9 of the 10-race 2006-2007 PowerSports Snowmobile Tour. The event is the second double race in a row, and will feature two full Pro Open, Pro Stock, Semi-Pro Open and Semi-Pro Stock shows. The event will also feature amateur, junior, veteran and women? s classes.

Local Angle… Many top riders on the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour hail from Minnesota. Leading that charge is Semi-Pro points leader Dan Ebert, who lives in Lake Shore. Other Minnesota natives in the field include: Levi LaVallee (Longville), Mike Schultz (Pillager), DJ Eckstrom and Carl Schubitzke (Duluth), Andrew Johnstadt (Beltrami), and Kurt Bauerly (Otsego).

Freestyling…Alaskan Paul Thacker is scheduled to attempt to break his own record jump on a snowmobile on Sunday. Thacker, with sponsorship from Monster Energy Drink and Slednecks, will attempt to surpass the record 245-foot jump he completed here last weekend. Also scheduled is Yamaha? s freestyle ace Jimmy? Blaze? Fejes.

Snocross On Speed…SPEED will telecast this weekend? s racing events in one-hour, tape-delayed timeslots. Please check local listings for dates and times.

New Women? s Class…In a continuing effort to build its ladder system, the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour will feature a Women? s Stock Class during select races on its 2006-2007 schedule, including this weekend? s race. The Women? s Stock Class is open to all Amateur-level women riders, competing on liquid-cooled sleds up to 600cc in engine displacement. The new class will allow women the chance to compete at an entry level before stepping up to the Pro Women? s Class. Women? s Stock entrants will also be allowed to race in Junior, age-appropriate classes during race weekends. The new class will be featured at all National events this season, except the Ski-Doo Grand Prix de Valcourt in Quebec.