Deere Racing the beginning and end

[JRC ETD]

Much has been said about the the mid seventies racing campaign surrounding the 340's, and Liquidator but not much about the start of Deere racing and the end. Jr. Pederson's single sled priviteer entry in the I-500, Ron Como, Ernie Munie'e, Bob Enn's efforts that same year as priviteer's spawed Deere's early interest as a company in racing.....understand that Horicon had just recently been changed from building grain drills to consumer products and racing anything was about as new to them as building snowmobiles!! The entire cunsumer products business strategy with products, dealers, marketing, snowmobiles, clothing, ect. was concieved and launched at the same time with a racing effort thrown on top was a tall order! Ray Greg was the General Manager of Horicon at the time and orchestrated all of these efforts with great finess! The early factory sleds were really something to see....and the efforts of John Orvis, Ed Kruel, Bill Borth, Bob Hoffman would provide the early results in 1972 that started the effort that they contributed to with Carl Firehammer, Jack Hoffman, Lee Hardesty, Larry Swanson and many others at Horicon into the 1980's. Jr. Pedersons 500 may be at the HOF, and I am planning on bringing John Orvis's 1972 factory 500 racer also (static display) both were I-500 finishing sleds. The 1978 race season was the disbandment of ETD and a new focus on racing through independent drivers. Doug Oster, former ETD driver won races, as did Dan Enns and others. The cross country legacey of ETD sled preparation and physical conditioning was proven again in the 1978 I-500 as former ETD teamates Nelson, Reimer, and myself earned 1st, 3rd and 4th place finishes, Ron and I racing on our own. Stan Hayes was 5th in that race and his long record of winning in all snowmobile racing events is unmatched. Stan joined Deere soon after and raced the new Liquifire with Ed Kruel building the sleds as the final factory Deere racing effort, Stan had terrific results racing the prototype class with a pretty stock Liquifire beating many of the ICCSF pro-times. Dan Enns was on a Liquifire in the very first Sno-Cross race, with Jamie Anseuw also scoring with late model Deere sleds. Dan Enn's would go on to win the Soo 500 with Guy Useldinger on a Indy, and Jamie Anseuw is the current race director for the Blair Morgan factory based Ski-Doo team! Stan Hayes has almost 30 years at Horicon as a engineer. Thought I would share these memories this AM with you......it truley is a small world, and the Deere racing effort was a huge contribution by many that spawned a life time of careers. Best JRC

[grantnelson00]

Jon,

this is so good to read. You know, if you took your posts and put them together with some pictures, you'd have a nice little book.

[Matt]

In case everyone hasn't seen this, we do have an article with pictures on the site about Jr. Pederson's first ride, submitted by Chuck Moser.

[JRC ETD]

Thanks Grant, I am considering a small book of the racing history, and my Dad is currently writting his Deere and Co. memories....he is that last Deere officer that actually knew decedendants of the Deere family

[JDGuy]

Jon: THANKS for that, great history. Looks like some pretty marginal snow for the HOF ride, another week and 1/2 half to get some more snow. Start the serious snow dance. Forecast temperature to be in the low 30's, but that is ways away yet, the weather will change between current forecast and then. May need to trailer over to Michigan where there is some good snow, Paradise area, Lake Superior, white fish point.

[JRC ETD]

Now boys....that kind of results with a Liquifire in the Soo is just plain outstanding and shows great strategy, mathmatical planing, expert sled prep, and smart driving, obvious not the fastest sled, obvoius good strategy to compensate