Race story

Post by **#269liquidater** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:16 am

A good race for JD was Regina to Minot. It was all ditches, fast, hard snow and rough. We were going south so it was not as bad as going north, we were getting a ramp effect off the drifts and not hitting as many sharp edges.
After the first day Team Arctic had the first 3 spots, I was in 4th, Ron Reimer and Tom Otte were close behind me. They lined us up Sunday morning in the ditch just out side Estavan MB. It was a sunny day, cold and rock hard snow, (my Dater was smiling) Tom Otte came over to me and pointed to a large approach about 1/4 mile down the ditch. He said, I am going to lead those Cats into that approach and not let off!!! The Cat boys knew we were going to go for it and they wernt about to let us get out of site. I figured if any one could hit that thing wide open and not crash it was Tom, I knew I couldnt. They dropped the flag on the top 10, we were all in a pack as the approach came up, Tom did just what he said he was going to do, (that was his style) I hit the brakes at the last second and the sleds starting cartwheeling in front of me. I dont know how many crashed, I drove thru the caranage and put her wide open and didnt look back. As it turned out all 3 of the top Cats crashed, they should have known it wasnt there day and to not try and hit things as hard as Otte could.
There was a kid on a Dater that followed me almost all the way to Minot, he would stay about 30 yards back and rode in my track. I was a little worried about him for awhile as I was running really hard and couldnt lose him, but when I would back off a bit he never challenged me. After a while I quit looking back and just concentrated on running hard and enjoying the ride. I goofed once close to Minot as there cars on the road running along sidfe on me and they were taking pictures. I was looking over at them running about 80 and off the sled I went bouncing down the ditch on my head, the Dater sat there waiting for as if to say (what the hell were you thinking) looking very embarresed I ran to the sled plugged the teather in and forgot about the cars.
After the race I was telling Hubert about the kid following me almost all the way. Hubert said he started along side of us in Estavan and Hubert overheard his mechanic tell him, follow that guy next to you and you will get second, (he almost did) I never did find out who he was or what happend to him.
Thats how I remember the race, hope you enjoyed it.
Brian Nelson

Jack Frost · Post by **Jack Frost** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:39 am

Great story! Also welcome to the board Mr.Nelson.

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:41 am

Great story Brian! Thanks for posting it, very enjoyable reading.

-Joe Rainville

Post by **#269liquidater** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:50 am

I will have to find something green to ride at next winters Vintage Challenge ride, its to bad those old leathers shrunk so much , (lol)the only thing that fits any more is the helment. Like Karpik said, the only way were going to get in our old leathers is to have cancer. That big steak and bowl of ice cream for dinner tonight sure wont help.

Post by **#269liquidater** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:51 am

Joe
How is the racing going out there?

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:09 am

Brian were you living in Fergus Falls in the 70's?

400brian · Post by **400brian** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:07 am

Brian

Great post! Thank you.

Anything green in particular that you are looking for?

Be careful what you wish for, because someone here may just be looking to make a deal.

I swear I'm going to ride a 340S in northern WI yet! I just need to get the damn thing to RUN RIGHT!

400brian · Post by **400brian** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:09 am

Matt

We need to give Brian a better tag than newbie.

Post by **WinnipegStPaul9** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:21 am

Brian, for next year all we have to do add a "2" and a "6" in front of the "9" and you can ride my 340/S. DA

HoosierDeereMan · Post by **HoosierDeereMan** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:46 am

Brian,

Great story! Unlike Mrs. Nelson and the dog we never tire of hearing about the banging in the ditches, Deeres' in the trees, or jumping a crashed sled and fellow racer in the moguls. It's all great stuff! Keep the stories coming!

Thanks for the tow to the first gas stop at Cisco's. I wondered why the Big Cat was stuggling towing the 340/S at first. I broke the suspension and the main frame rail was wedged into one of the drivers.

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69camaro · Post by **69camaro** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:56 pm

Brian, that is a great story. I was a 6th grader when that race took place. I couldn't wait to get the newest Snow Week to see how you and all of the other Deere cross country drivers did. I must have had a stack of Snow Weeks two feet high from the middle 70's through the early 80's. Duane

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:25 pm

#269liquidater wrote:Joe
How is the racing going out there?

Hi Brian,

SnoCross is going OK so far this year. I've grabbed 2 podium finishes in Pro-Am, but Masters is frustrating with two 6th place finishes out of 11 to 14 racers in the final. Not alot of Pro-Am guys this year though.

Suprisingly, my much abused and rebuilt 2005 Cat 440 is still pulling holeshots, even on the new 600's. The new bulkhead purchased from Tom Rowland really brought her back into shape this fall after about 12 hrs of wrenching. I could be in better shape, but the last weekend I raced I led both finals...for a while.

In the Masters final, a clown tried to jump through my sled coming out of a sharp corner into a mogal field. I took his bumper right square in the lower back, but luckily I pancaked the throttle and got out from under his machine before the studs got me. That resulted in a trip to the ambulance in front of my wife, sister and brother in law and my brother and sister in law. Oops.

Last race was hard, as I was kind of hurting. Held first for about half the race, but dropped back to 3rd by the finish.

Racing back to back weekend at the end of March and early April. I hope to improve my points standing from 3rd in Pro-Am and 4th in Masters. I need decient results to put in for new Cat now that all the wedding stuff is over. Cari would rather I retire since I will be 40 in June, and working on a Masters in Engineering. But I am not ready to yet!

Thanks, and please keep posting your racing memories, they are way more interesting than my SnoCross results!

-Joe Rainville
RMR-West Bib#621
Pro-AM/Masters

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Horicon Joe · Post by **Horicon Joe** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:50 pm

Brian ..... welcome and thanks for the story! I could not read it fast enough! Maybe it is because I am a slow
reader? Send us more please

Joe

ruppster · Post by **ruppster** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:00 pm

Yes , Another great story from a legend in the snowmobiling world. I too couldn't wait for the next issue of SnowWeek to arrive to see all the race results from both Cross Country and Oval Racing.

GreenSpeed · Post by **GreenSpeed** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:20 pm

Brian, as has been said, Welcome and thanks for sharing. I just can't get enough of these racing stories!
-John