My dad would let my brother & I miss school & he'd fire up our sleds . We'd head over to Arrowhead resort & watch the come bye. Best days of my life then. Thanks for sharing this video. It's a Trip down memory lane 👍🏼
We had a 72 panther from the 500 from louis caron and his cat shop . When dad brought it home i just had to go for a ride across the river to futroses place as they were big snow jet racers and had a quick race with them and blew them away boy that made me feel good . After i got home and put the sled in the shop we found out that almost all the cleats were worn through from the sliders and they were pretty well gone also . The machine had two gas tanks on it one up front between the legs and one at the back so it could travel between fuel stops . Ran that machine for many years hauling around both my brothers on sleds and car hoods . What memories .
I am just at home with these old films and machines. Those sleds might bust your butt sometimes but taught you how to manage and make it there and back. Thanks for a memory recall !
We have better gloves, coats, boots, bibs, heated hand grips, heated visor to keep the shield from fogging, studs, dual carbides, and 1000x better suspension. These riders were total bad asses!
I still remember our 9th grade English teacher screaming at us to keep eyes on the books, not out the window, as these guys came screaming down #75 into Hallock.
I was part of this race two years in a row as mechanic for our team. The first year was on a JD 340S and the second was JD 340 Liquidator. I still have the team jacket for the 340S in a plastic bag in my closet. Wore it just once. Oh, the things I saw and the stories I could tell. Once in a lifetime event.
I was 14 at this time snowmobiling was so popular in Pa at that time every body had them. I recognize every make and model of these sleds, couldn't remember crap in school but I knew snowmobiles. Lol
1968 I was a senior....class was let out on break to watch the sleds tear down the ditch of the main highway. Dale Cormican won it that year on a Panther. The following year I was entered on a sponserd big bore Skidoo TNT! Ironically I broke down on day 3 on the Walker to Isle leg ,in the same ditch that passed the school I graduted from that spring!
My dad first bought a 1972 ski doo tent 440 the carburetors were right at your private then a arctic cat panther 292 I still have it wish someone would have some cross country races for antique sleds an sleders lol love those old machines great film thanks for sharing
People might not know this but Leroy was also a custom harvester in his later years. He cut wheat for us here in Kansas for years. Got to be good friends with him. Had no idea he was a celebrity in the snowmobile racing world until after he died. Missed his funeral. Still sad about that.
It was 75 miles from the start line to the border crossing into the US. During blizzard conditions that morning, some crossed in 50 minutes. They where supposed to stop and then be waved on. Very few stopped. Later in the race a policeman stopped traffic at a spot where the sleds crossed a blacktop road. He clocked one crossing at 75 miles an hour. Arnie
Every year, a bus (and during the first years, they were NOT heated) would park on Highway 75 in 'downtown' Humboldt, MN, and us kids from Humboldt-St. Vincent school would be allowed out of class to go watch the racers as they roared through town!
When I was a kid i remember reading an article in Sno Goer magazine. It was told via a driver’s point of view on a Polaris TX . He ended up finishing but he had no brake cable, busted ski’s, had to run the throttle with one hand something about the throttle cable or something. Remember reading that damn article 5 or 6 times .. underneath my bed sheets with a flashlight. These folks were warriors that took a pounding on those ditch divers …
This makes my Back hurt just watching this no suspension except bogie wheels and front leaf springs. These guys were legends in these temperatures the cold weather gear back then sucked and I cannot imagine removing duct tape from frozen skin.
Should keep the race era correct . That would really divide the men from the boys ! Imagine today seeing a 1973 Stinger going full 500 miles? What a blast that would be!
They ought to bring this back could you imagine the carnage or worse. It’d be like the Isle Of Man race but with sleds and snow .. Linblad seemed to win everything .. just like the villenuev brothers
20:1mix! Hahahahaha the smell of exhaust must have caused instant headaches. I have a 70 Oly 335 that I run 50:1now. Today's oil is much better quality.
I wonder how a new arctic cat blast 400cc single would do. These cats don’t have much but engine and the sound mean. I drove a 1972 John Deere 400 as a kid and could near 40mph out of it, didn’t see a JD.
1971 I think actually. My brother and I bought a 400 in 71, $1050 with 2 JD suits and helmets. The local dealer wanted nothing to do with them but the company basically forced them to sell sleds. They only received 3 that first year, 2-400’s and 1-500.
@@oldslow3694 Thanks I found that a few years ago. John Deere had a Full factory race Team for like 2 years.. After that they gave out Big Contingency money to anyone who won or placed well on a John Deere. The CEO of John Deere Lawn and Garden left the CO and Interested in building sled disappeared. It kept the Lawn Mower Factor Busy in the Summer Building sleds ..and Busy in the Winter building Lawn Mowers for the next Summer..
AAA yes side burns bad hair smokes booze...skidoo suits that dont fit and Tillutson Carburators,,,all the making of a bad snowmobile race lolo.O yes dont forget the smell of gas on your skidoo suit.
Thanks Dave I really appreciate your posting this as does my 85 year old father who ran the race in 71, 72,73,and 74.
I saw my grandpa twice in this video! such a cool thing to see it in action rather than just one photo!
How tough were these guys hardly any suspension on the old sleds what a good watch I love it
Not to mention they aren't exactly wearing Goretex and merino wool clothing or using heated visors
This song will be stuck in my head for days.
My dad would let my brother & I miss school & he'd fire up our sleds . We'd head over to Arrowhead resort & watch the come bye.
Best days of my life then.
Thanks for sharing this video. It's a Trip down memory lane 👍🏼
We had a 72 panther from the 500 from louis caron and his cat shop . When dad brought it home i just had to go for a ride across the river to futroses place as they were big snow jet racers and had a quick race with them and blew them away boy that made me feel good . After i got home and put the sled in the shop we found out that almost all the cleats were worn through from the sliders and they were pretty well gone also . The machine had two gas tanks on it one up front between the legs and one at the back so it could travel between fuel stops . Ran that machine for many years hauling around both my brothers on sleds and car hoods . What memories .
I am just at home with these old films and machines. Those sleds might bust your butt sometimes but taught you how to manage and make it there and back. Thanks for a memory recall !
Damn and a kiss from the snow queen man how times have changed.
Plus a splendid treat if you won
We have better gloves, coats, boots, bibs, heated hand grips, heated visor to keep the shield from fogging, studs, dual carbides, and 1000x better suspension. These riders were total bad asses!
No kidding. They are getting the snot beat out of them on the lowest moguls.
I listen to this to hear the music. It makes me forget about worrying about getting drafted and not being able to afford a Road Runner.
I still remember our 9th grade English teacher screaming at us to keep eyes on the books, not out the window, as these guys came screaming down #75 into Hallock.
Your teacher never rode a snowmobile. Such ais the life of a teacher.
Sounds like the teacher was a spoil sport..🤔
I was part of this race two years in a row as mechanic for our team. The first year was on a JD 340S and the second was JD 340 Liquidator. I still have the team jacket for the 340S in a plastic bag in my closet. Wore it just once. Oh, the things I saw and the stories I could tell. Once in a lifetime event.
Remember these races as a child. I can't imagine riding those relics 500 miles, let alone a race.
That’s amazing race. One tough bunch.
I was 14 at this time snowmobiling was so popular in Pa at that time every body had them. I recognize every make and model of these sleds, couldn't remember crap in school but I knew snowmobiles. Lol
1968 I was a senior....class was let out on break to watch the sleds tear down the ditch of the main highway. Dale Cormican won it that year on a Panther. The following year I was entered on a sponserd big bore Skidoo TNT! Ironically I broke down on day 3 on the Walker to Isle leg ,in the same ditch that passed the school I graduted from that spring!
Broken...typical skidoo
Best darn video on UA-cam ! I declare them all winners. "The spirit of the chase!"
wish there were still cross-country races like this, would love to participate
This race still goes on although difrent locations. There is many cross country races in the Midwest/ Canada!
ua-cam.com/video/wKIxJnfLRoM/v-deo.html Soo 500
It still happens I just looked it up
My dad first bought a 1972 ski doo tent 440 the carburetors were right at your private then a arctic cat panther 292 I still have it wish someone would have some cross country races for antique sleds an sleders lol love those old machines great film thanks for sharing
my dad gave me a ride on the same sled! I remember getting too close to the carbs and cutting off air flow and bog down. lol thanks for the memories!
Checkout the town Eganville Ontario, they have yearly get together with many old machines....Mercery, Boa Ski, Moto Ski, ALouette.....etc
I was 5 in 1971. My dad bought a brand new Ford f100. 302. 3 on the tree for 1800 bucks. And everybody had a ski doo suit.
I remember this....was great to watch this again..
People might not know this but Leroy was also a custom harvester in his later years. He cut wheat for us here in Kansas for years. Got to be good friends with him. Had no idea he was a celebrity in the snowmobile racing world until after he died. Missed his funeral. Still sad about that.
Man that would be so cool if they still did that
Totally would
I thought they still did?
Thank you for uploading the video, Dave.
And thanks to whoever shared it just a moment ago on facebook!
This was my childhood, but living in Alaska. We were a Polaris family, and my dad was a top racer.
Love it thank you for uploading this!
So sad though when he talks about Yamaha being the new entry😥.
My brother and I raced at the mini tona at the Minnesota state fairgrounds back in the early 70s on our 71 kitty Kat witch we still have to this day
I was "pit crew" for our dealership in 75-76 Oh the stories that could be told.
You should certainly share some of those stories lol lots of us would be interested
It was 75 miles from the start line to the border crossing into the US. During blizzard conditions that morning, some crossed in 50 minutes. They where supposed to stop and then be waved on. Very few stopped. Later in the race a policeman stopped traffic at a spot where the sleds crossed a blacktop road. He clocked one crossing at 75 miles an hour. Arnie
Every year, a bus (and during the first years, they were NOT heated) would park on Highway 75 in 'downtown' Humboldt, MN, and us kids from Humboldt-St. Vincent school would be allowed out of class to go watch the racers as they roared through town!
My favorite song, love it
That looks awesome. Right down the side of the highway too.
Wish they still did this I’d love to try it in my chaparral
STACY REDMOND on a POLARIS from MASON CITY IA, where were you? You are our hero from Iowa. Always a mile ahead of everybody with a big grin!
Great video! Thanks for posting.
very nostalgic
These videos are great. Thanks man.
When I was a kid i remember reading an article in Sno Goer magazine. It was told via a driver’s point of view on a Polaris TX . He ended up finishing but he had no brake cable, busted ski’s, had to run the throttle with one hand something about the throttle cable or something. Remember reading that damn article 5 or 6 times .. underneath my bed sheets with a flashlight. These folks were warriors that took a pounding on those ditch divers …
This makes my Back hurt just watching this no suspension except bogie wheels and front leaf springs. These guys were legends in these temperatures the cold weather gear back then sucked and I cannot imagine removing duct tape from frozen skin.
Great video
They should still do this to this day! That would be cool!
It would be way to easy with today's sleds
@@polaris680ultra I think it would be almost twice as fast--that doesn't seem to be "...way too easy..." in my opinion. YMMV.
Should keep the race era correct . That would really divide the men from the boys ! Imagine today seeing a 1973 Stinger going full 500 miles? What a blast that would be!
They still have this race ua-cam.com/video/wKIxJnfLRoM/v-deo.html
This is awesome
I was 4 years old at the time living in the F\M area. Now live by lake Minnetonka.
Great stuff
A video after my.own heart. This is cool that said I'm a wedge man till the end.
Dang I'm ENVIOUS AND JEALOUSY AT THE SAME TIME AND ITS 2021
O remember being let out of School for this
They ought to bring this back could you imagine the carnage or worse. It’d be like the Isle Of Man race but with sleds and snow .. Linblad seemed to win everything .. just like the villenuev brothers
I Was there in 1969!!
I was in it # 92 polaris
What model sled?
$7500.00 dollars was a lot of money in 1971.
Adjusted for inflation, $7,500.00 in 1971 is
equal to $49,084.30 in 2021 .
@@geneb2262 And over 60 Canadian
I don’t think I ever ran anything at 20:1 after the first tank of gas. Then it was 40:1 and you only stunk up a room half as much.
Cool, the old leafers!
So cool!
don't know how i missed that chart top'n hit..
makes me think of Bobby Bittman on the Sammy Maudlin show.
i can smell this video good shit
Clearly filmed on an iphone. Bring back the ball fro 🔥
Erwin Melvey punctured his oil pan? His sled motor was a four stroke? At any rate he had determination.
Chain Case Oil Pan...
20:1mix! Hahahahaha the smell of exhaust must have caused instant headaches. I have a 70 Oly 335 that I run 50:1now. Today's oil is much better quality.
Gas .32 cents / gallon !
no heated shields , no hand or thumb warmers.... tough as nails, oh yeah and no suspensions either... lol
The winner is trying to rub the frostbite off of his ears
@@Roddy556 it took big balls of steal !!
I wonder how a new arctic cat blast 400cc single would do. These cats don’t have much but engine and the sound mean. I drove a 1972 John Deere 400 as a kid and could near 40mph out of it, didn’t see a JD.
John Deere didn't start manufacturing snowmobiles until 1972, that's why you're not seeing them.
1971 I think actually. My brother and I bought a 400 in 71, $1050 with 2 JD suits and helmets. The local dealer wanted nothing to do with them but the company basically forced them to sell sleds. They only received 3 that first year, 2-400’s and 1-500.
Cool like Motorcycle Enduro off road
How in the hell could they concentrate with all the trumpet, and saxaphone music in the background?
😂
It gets the adrenaline going
20:1 fuel !?!? Holy !
That's what I was thinking
The Massey Ski-Whiz ran 20:1 with 30wt regular engine oil. The smoke was real.
On one hand looks like fun on the other hand I would prefer a more Modern sled.. 20 to one oil MIX Give Yamaha a couple more years..
Yamaha had oil injection in 1969!!
BahhHRrreeeeeeeeeeaaammmmM !
I was going to make a Joke about John Deere's being pretty good at these.. Now I see the Caption John Deere wins 1976 I 500
Toughfbasterds
john deere built a sled for this race there was article in snoweek about the teams training workouts great stories from that era
@@oldslow3694 Thanks I found that a few years ago. John Deere had a Full factory race Team for like 2 years.. After that they gave out Big Contingency money to anyone who won or placed well on a John Deere. The CEO of John Deere Lawn and Garden left the CO and Interested in building sled disappeared.
It kept the Lawn Mower Factor Busy in the Summer Building sleds ..and Busy in the Winter building Lawn Mowers for the next Summer..
AAA yes side burns bad hair smokes booze...skidoo suits that dont fit and Tillutson Carburators,,,all the making of a bad snowmobile race lolo.O yes dont forget the smell of gas on your skidoo suit.
Jesus. What year was this?
1971
36 cents a gallon. No wonder they gave it away for free.
Take into consideration there wages then and its not much different then today really
THERE NO OIL PAN ON A SLED BAHAHAHA
I believe he’s talking about the chain case.
No