ETD & ICCSF's Bad Influence

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:50 pm

Many of us Deere collectors are "I-500", ICCSF (International Cross Country Snowmobile Federation) and ETD (Enduro Team Deere) enthusiasts. The impact by the Deere greats was felt accross the industry for years after Cross Country racing fell out of favor, and we keep the history alive on these pages.

But sometimes the influence gets out of hand! Try not to get exited about CC racing listening to Don Amber, Kenny Hiens, Bob Enns, Brian Nelson, JRC, Doug Oster, Tom Otte, Steve Tabor, Craig Kunudson, Terry Norgard, Jerome Krentzman or Stan Hays tell stories from back in the day's of racing. Well, this year it got too be too much for to poor Tim Kudla. He had to try it for himself.

He called me while I was on a short trip to Maine this fall, and told me he was looking to buy a new 500cc Cat Sno Pro and try a few Cross Country races with USCC (http://www.usccracing.com). This is not a good year for me to buy a new sled, but that got me thinking of how much I really liked Doug Osters 09 Cat 600 Sno Pro that he and Tabor had up for sale at Princeton...

Danzig · Post by **Danzig** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:54 pm

Is it a good year for buying JD leathers....

Man...

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:06 pm

Paul: I am taking the 5th, LOL!

...so I call the worst influence I can think of to talk me out of buying Oster's sled, the very same sled Doug took 2nd in overall points in USCC's +50 class last year, and the same sled Doug raced in the I-500 at 58 years old. (Hell, I just hope to live that long, much as less be a competitive racer!) So Tabor, the owner of Doug's sled, and I have a talk about Cross Country racing with USCC, and how Kudla bought a 500 Sno Pro. We make a deal to purchase his sled. Needless to say he wasn't much help in talking me out of it ...

To make matters worse, a buddie of mine here in NY need to go to Winnipeg to pick a sled he purchased from the former Blair Morgan Racing Team right after Christmas. While there we have lunch with Bob Enns and Jamie Anseeuw and get to here more great racing stories. Bob also shows us around the Enns Bros. Empire including the awsome powersports dealership where he has a Dator on display.

On the way down from Winnipeg, I stop to see my good budddy, and fellow vintage challenge rider, Tom Rowland. Tom was nice enough to store the sled at his Arctic Cat dealership, Thomas's SnoSports in Ogalvie, MN. He was buzy with lots of customers, so his son Mitch gave Adam and I a hand getting Doug's race sled fired up. After a few rips around the property, it got loaded into the trailer of doom. We then meet up with Doug for the spare parts bin and I had him sign the hood too.

Doug is such as nice guy, it almost makes up for Tabor, being...well Tabor!

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:16 pm

USCC has started an eastern circuit this year with points racing in MI, NH, NY and Maine. Tim and I decide to try the Tug Hill race and see how we like it. But as luck would have it, the race ends up being rescheduled to the same weekend as the Vintage Challenge. Rats, I am going to miss it, but Tim goes to race, taking along Sidekick Nick to play the part of a notorious Team Arctic Mechanic:

Tim does the Tug Hill race, and decides he likes it. As he and I talk more, we agree that we should go to another one. The Greenville, Maine race is selected for Tim's second race and my first CC race. We loaded up and head out Friday AM for the 12 hr drive to Maine. Along the way we drop a few sleds off for hauling customers and sell a few parts to Tom White, and visit with Jay Carsley for a few minutes.

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:28 pm

It turns out we are in for a surprise in Maine. The recient warm weather melted part of the race track on the moutain. But, USCC is prepared with a back up plan: a Lemans style course on the lake! So Tim and I get down to the lake early (no, really, I was early for something!) and start checking out how our sleds are going to handle on the ice.

Tim's sled isn't getting enough traction and my sled is darty and wants to overstear. We end up stiffening up my front and rear suspenion and letting Tim's limiter straps down. We then trade sleds back and forth to make sure we like the set ups and such. During our parade lap, I was struggling getting my sled smoothly around corners. It's going to be a handfull to keep this beast under control. This is only the 3rd time I've rode it, and the first time racing her. Tim and I get ready after the parade lap, as we are both in race # 2 where I run +40 Masters and he runs Trail.

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:40 pm

Tim and I go out with the other racers in race #2, in 15 second intervals, to do 5 laps on the 4 mile course. I slid through a few corners, but recovered well. Tim could see where a few corners were missed, wondering if I was the culprit. Bingo. This was a very fast track in parts, with lots of tight corners. While I ended up only 56 seconds behind the winner of the masters class, that actually put me in 7th place out of 9 racers. Tim did better grabbing 2nd in his class. He had a back to back race, so helped gas up his sled and get him a Gatoraid.

Tim was thirsty after racing 20 miles:

I took a few pic's of Tim racing since I wasn't up until the next race:

liquidatorkid89 · Post by **liquidatorkid89** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:44 pm

very cool joe, looks like a heck of a fun time

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:54 pm

I was up in Race 4 for the Sport 600 Class. We had 15 guys entered, so I was going to have to really haul tail to place. We were let out in 10 second intervals. The track was getting slushy and wet, so I expected lap times to be a down a bit from race 2. There was still going to lots of wide open throttle running, and that ment 90 to 100 mph stints. Average speed was about 55 mph for the first race.

Tim snapped pic of me just about the cross the lap counting gate:

I caught up to and passed two guys in lap one, and then spent the next laps chasing down the guys farther ahead of me. I finally caught them on the last lap coming onto a set of 90 deg corners. I slid into the corner fast trying to pass, and tipped the sled and pulled the teather. Luckily she stayed upright and I got it refired ASAP and got back on track. I figured that cost me anything that resembled a good finish out of the 15 racers....

Well, I was wrong. I ended up taking 2nd place with an overall time just 8 seconds off my first 20 mile race. Over all Tim and I took three 2nds and a 7th in four races. We had a blast, and plan to be racing USCC next year. I would like to thank my sponsors for this year: Cari Deerest, Steve Tabor...

-Rainville

Post by **ICCSF 108** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:30 am

Well Rainville welcome to CC racing glad you had fun, I know it used to be a blast..
Great job also, you've sure done better than I ever did..
Kenny

Sprailfire340 · Post by **Sprailfire340** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:07 pm

Nice work Joe! Can I assume you're hooked and we may see you out midwest way next winter for a little more cc racing? Maybe in the Red Lake area? The better question may be what will you be driving. I don't think you can detune that monster to make the cut. Keep the recaps coming!

Post by **dator** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:41 pm

Good job Joe,I'm glad your 1st cross country race was a good experience,now I know you will be hooked.So I hope that we will get to see you race in Minnesota and North Dakota.

How did you like the ice style racing? Was there any mogals or rough sections,what was your top speed?

Thanks for posting pics,you guys looked good.

Bob from the not so white north!!!

69camaro · Post by **69camaro** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:21 am

Very cool Joe!!!!!

Duane

Tom Rowland · Post by **Tom Rowland** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:53 pm

That is a great story Joe. Glad you guys had some fun, and, scored well to boot. Is nice to read this as I look out over my snowless brown lawn currently being sprinkled with rain drops...next winter seems so far away on a day like this. By-the-way...shouldn't you put the original Oster/Tabor hood up in your rafters while you are out racing? I mean...I know you are a skilled driver and all...but...umm...it seems like that hood could be in grave danger when you are in fierce competition. Not only that, you may want to put that legendary sled back to original when we are out riding it on Vintage Challenge 2039.

JoeRainville · Post by **JoeRainville** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:31 am

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the kind and supportive thoughts. Tim and I had a great time out there in Maine racing just over two weeks ago.

Tom: Yes, I totally plan to swap out the original hood and windshield so I don't trash the orginals. They will eventually end up wall art in my "John Deere / Cat Racing Room" in the basement. Funny, but I would be 70 years old for the VC of 2039! Not so sure I will still draw air by then, but darn it, if so, I will be riding!

Bob: I really liked the "Lake Enduro" or Lemans style race. It was generally smooth until slush berms were built up. It was very fast paced with lots of tight corners. Tim saw about 85 mph on the speedo of his Sno Pro 500, but my 600 doesn't have a gauge. Since it was set up by "mechanic extrodinair" Tabor, and I was WFO for long periods, I have no doubt I was in the high 90's or low tripple digits on the straights. What a rush! Especially since it was my first time racing that beast, and first time racing anything larger than a 440.

Mitch and Kenny, Tim and I are planning to do more CC races with USCC next year. Might even see us at Red Lake...

-Rainville