Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By CHARITY SMITH
SAXON, Wis. — The Mid America Snowmobile Tournament of Expert Riders will bring their latest form of racing — Terra-X — to the Iron County Fairgrounds in Saxon on Saturday. T
he event is sponsored by the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce, White Thunder Riders, and the Iron County Fair Board.
Hurley Chamber Director Rita Franzoi said that Terra-X is “one of the most fun forms of snowmobile racing,” in a press release.
Terra-X racing is a new form of snow oval sno-cross snowmobile racing that incorporates trail riding with different forms of racing, according to Skip Schultz founder of MASTERS which created Terra-X. It consists of time trials, with the top three advancing per class. Terra X offers Feature, Open Mod, and Open Stock racing classes.
“It incorporates three forms of races so you get the trail riders and then those that may have done it or seen or watched a sno-cross where you got a jump in it. ... Terra-X has a little bit of that and then its got some right turns and left turns kind of like a trail and it also has what were doing for the first time a real big sweeping, like a real big turn ... on both ends of the track,” said Schultz. “So what it is a little bit of everything. Its got a trail with rights and lefts like a trail would have, and a jump like the sno-crossers would have, and then its got a sweeping turn like an oval racer would have. It’s got a little bit of everything.”
Schultz said the idea of the new format is to give the average person a chance to feel like they can race. He said racers don’t have to have the “guts” required for the Copper Peak hillclimb, or the money required to join a sno-cross or snow oval team.
“Anybody can compete,” he said. “Because what they are doing is just starting out by going against a clock. They’re not going against somebody else. They’re just going out to have the fastest time. No danger. Just go out by yourself and do the best you can.”
The day will also include a Vintage 500 Enduro event for those with 500cc or less sleds dating back to 1999 or older. They will drive their sleds around a track continuously for a half hour. According to Schultz the 500cc was the most popular sled in that era.
“They go on the Terra-X course all at the same time but they got to run for a half hour straight. No breaks. No stopping,” said Schultz. “Believe me, by 20 minutes their muscles, their back, their tired. That’s why it’s called enduro. You have to go a half hour straight.”
The Enduro race will take place at the end of the day.
“Beat your buddy in Terra-X or bring that old 500 back to life,” Franzoi said in a press release.
Schultz said they will also have races for youth with 120cc sleds.
Registration is available online at mastershistoricracing.net or in person from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the track. The competition begins at 10 a.m.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the White Thunder Riders. Concessions will also be available. Food purchases will support the Penokee Range 4H Livestock Club and beverage sales will support the Saxon Boating Club.
“It will be a fantastic day to get outside and enjoy North Iron County,” Franzoi said in a press release.