Park Rapids Race 1976

Post by **JRC ETD** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:15 am

So goes and grows the legacey of Deere racing, the interesting part is that the team was a group of kids from the prairies that believed they could win and a company that believed it also! Amazing the power of innocence, determination and youth. I have always voiced my opinion that year 2 at ETD was more remarkable than 1976, with the additions of Otte, Ebert, Tabor, Kretzman, Norgard, we added outstading incremental talent! We started the Liquifire program with Hough leading the first race on a Liquifire consumer sled at the Peace Garden classic. Willy, Craig and I jumped on the racing Liquifire developement and made it work for the 1978 season. The winning, friendship and teamwork was spread evenly amoungst us. The shop was much larger, better lighting and more tools. The tragic loss of Roger cemented the resolve to race harder and we bonded together stronger. Bob had a fantastic season with Steve and won with the grace and humility of a true champion. The second dance with a year old Liquidator was a gutsy move in racing, but it shows how strong the sled was and Deeres resolve to stand in back of it's product and customers. JRC

Post by **dator** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:03 pm

Very well said Jon.I was looking at some of our race photos,from the Bottineau race and had a nice picture of Rodger,i will see if i can post it on here soon.(not to good with the posting part!!)

Steve,thanks for correcting me on the trail rider incident, in my Willmar post.Seems like i get mixed up once in awhile.(i guess it's that age thing.) I'll call you soon.----Bobby

PS Are you and little O going to Warroad this weekend?

Post by **SKNOWCAT** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:31 pm

Yep little buddy, this will probably be the last hurrah for little O on the racing scene. We're staying in Roseau Saturday night for the Sunday race, why don't ya come on down. It sound like the race out east won't happen so this will probably be it. He's second in points and can't overtake first in one more race. We skipped that first race of the season and have been in catchup mode all year. Very proud to say he's finished every race mile of the past 2 seasons except for the 500 last year when our exhaust ruptured and almost burned the sled to the ground. Hope you can make it, give me a call.
Steve T.

Post by **JRC ETD** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:26 pm

My apologies in not mentioning Dougs addition to the team in 1977 and his terrific career from that point forward.....I remember him sneaking in to breakfast from his weekly Wednesday nights rituals with the local beauties, Al Anderson believing he had just risen from a restful evening's sleep and ready for work. I can still see the laughter in his eyes!.....these new race sleds have been clocked in rough ditches at over 105MPH, pretty snappy for 57 year old ETD driver wouldn't you say? JRC

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:35 pm

Brian can I get a little info on the CC kits you did for Cat in 78?

Post by **#269liquidater** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:17 pm

Todd
Send me your e mail address to nelsontours@charter.net.
Brian

Post by **#269liquidater** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:29 pm

We did not work on the Thunder cats, they were happy to get our brake though. We were on test trips to Alaska with the Tcat crew. Roger Skime was trying to get a track that would hold up to the speed the T cat generated. We were at Summit Lake lodge for 2 weeks in Oct. of 92. Roger would blow up 2 to 3 tracks a day on the lake, he would go out on the coarse and run flat out till the track blew, the back of the seat, tail light etc were gone. The tracks all had about 180 studs in them. Every day the truck driver made a trip to Fairbanks to get more tracks, they were shipped in from TRF all studed up. He finnally got one design to take the speed, it was only a few weeks before production. Joey Hallstrom, Kirk Hibbert, Kevin Thompson & myself did the testing on the pre production ZRs.
Brian

Danzig · Post by **Danzig** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:39 pm

Very interesting info Brian...I gotta share this with the Arctic Cat guys....if you have any more info on the cats please post it up, already knowing this is a Deere forum, its nice to see that a Deere guy had some input on the Arctic Cat engineering. Great info!!

Paul

Post by **#269liquidater** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:50 pm

Paul
I could go on for hours on Arctic. I worked with them from 1977 to 1997 and still do there Cats pride tours to Togwotee. Paul you can e mail cat questions to my regular e mail, nelsontours@charter.net.
Thanks, Brian

Danzig · Post by **Danzig** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:49 pm

Brian-

I will be sending you some e-mail...thanks!!

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:15 am

Brain thank you for the email.