VILAS COUNTY
NEWS-REVIEW
and
2013
AMSOIL World Championship
Souvenir Section
The Three Lakes News
50th Derby vcnewsreview.com • 715-479-4421
EAGLE RIVER, WI 54521
JANUARY 2013
Pioneering rally on Dollar Lake becomes world’s top snomo race ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
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Few if any could have imagined that the first snowmobile Derby run on Dollar Lake 50 years ago would evolve into the most premier snowmobile racing spectacle in the world, but visionaries in Eagle River made it happen. What began as a novel Sunday afternoon rally and a casual racing atmosphere at the infancy of recreational snowmobiling soon turned into a highly competitive, professional race for the top drivers from the United States and Canada. Since the first Derby in February of 1964, snowmobile racing has undergone dramatic changes in machinery, race tracks, sponsorship and spectator support. And while the snowmobile industry has had its ups and downs, it has been no wavering fact that the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby is the “granddaddy of them all.” Not only do the top drivers from throughout the United State and Canada set their sights on Eagle River each January, but manufacturers, sponsors, spectators and the media have focused on the Derby as the major snowmobile racing event of the year for the past 50 years. Today, the race is billed as the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby due
The Eagle River Derby has survived 50 years of snowmobile development, weather challenges and a varying economy. Today, thousands of fans attend the AMSOIL
to the sponsorship of the AMSOIL company. However, that hasn’t changed the prestige of winning at Eagle River. But the Derby had a humble beginning on Dollar Lake
This was a scene at the Eagle River Derby in the late 1960s, when dozens of manufacturers were building snowmobiles.
near Chanticleer Inn east of Eagle River. Chanticleer Inn owner John Alward, his wife, Betty, and Walter Goldsworthy of Three Lakes decided the winter economy needed a boost. With the help of the Eagle River Rotary Club, they coordinated a one-day racing schedule that included an obstacle course, cross-country race and 1-mile runs against the clock in heats of five machines. The Eagle River Lions Club ran the concession stand for about 1,000 spectators who showed up to watch the first Derby. The classes were divided into under 9-horsepower and over 9-horsepower. The winner of the over 9-horsepower class was 13-year-old Stan Hayes of Crandon, driving a 16-horsepower Polaris. Hayes is now billed as the first world champion, even though the term World Championship Derby didn’t surface until 1966. John Alward, Goldsworthy
World Championship Snowmobile Derby to watch the best racers from the United States and Canada compete for the title. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
and the Eagle River Lions Club also coordinated the 1965 Derby on Dollar Lake, billed as the National Derby. An estimated 5,000 spectators watched as George Gensler of Three Lakes recorded the fastest time in the cross-country portion of the race and was named the overall champion on an Evinrude. Big changes occurred in 1966, when the race site was moved by the Lions Club from Dollar Lake to the existing site north of Eagle River. Built there were a 4.2-mile crosscountry course near Pleasure Island Road and a quartermile oval in a natural bowl. Drivers qualified for the World Championship race on the cross-country course, with the final consisting of 10 laps around the snow-covered oval. Steve Ave of Hurley captured the first official world champion title aboard a Ski-Doo. It also was in 1966 that the Wisconsin Legislature certiTo PIONEERS, Pg. 3
The Derby got new life after the race and track were purchased by the Decker family in 1985.
Biggest spectacle in snowmobile racing to celebrate 50th anniversary Jan. 17-20 Past champs, queens to return for 2013 Eagle River Derby ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
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The most notable snowmobile racing event in the world will return to Eagle River Jan. 17-20 as the 50th annual AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby will take center stage. About 30,000 spectators are expected to attend, along with hundreds of racers for four days of racing action and festivities tied to the 50th anniversary of the event. AMSOIL Derby Track owner Chuck Decker said officials are gearing up for an exciting four days at the most famous track in snowmobiling. The festivities will include a full race schedule on the ice oval and on the Sno-Cross course, including the popular Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder. There also will be visits by past champions and Derby
royalty. Decker said the 2013 anniversary Derby will have 29 of the 34 past world champions returning to “meet and greet” their fans. “And 25 to 30 of their actual winning sleds or detailed replicas will be here to be seen both on display and on the racetrack that made them famous,” said Decker. Some of the fan favorites committed to returning include Mike Trapp, Jacques Villeneuve, Bobby Donahue, Dave Wahl and Decker, who was himself a world champion in 1987. “Never again in your lifetime will a list of names this famous in snowmobile racing be in one place and at one time,” said Decker. “So make your plans and come out and see these great To SPECTACLE, Pg. 4
The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmoible Derby has evolved into the grandest show in snowmobile racing with the
addition of Sno-Cross racing and Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder under the lights. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTO
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS
50 YEARS OF THE
MOST EXCITING SNOWMOBILE RACE IN THE WORLD THANK YOU TO THE
Eagle River Lions Club AND THE
Decker Family
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
3
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
Pioneers: biggest race in snowmobiling reaches 50th year FROM PAGE 1 fied for Eagle River the trademarked slogan, “Eagle River, Snowmobile Capital of the World.” Following the growth of the first three derbies, the 1967 Derby brought national media coverage, including a visit from ABC’s Peter Jennings. Under the guidance of the Lions Club, the Derby also attracted photographers from a wide cross-section of national magazines such as Life, Newsweek and Saga. The next year, 1968, the Derby was boosted by coverage from ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Promoters added a snowmobile jumping contest to spice up the one-day show for fans. However, jumping snowmobiles from ramps was quickly considered too risky, and was dropped as a Derby event. Steve Ave became the first two-time winner that year. The main focus of the Derby shifted from cross-country and Oval to just Oval in 1970 and Eagle River was now recognized by everyone in the sport as the top race of the season, attracting 50,000 spectators. For the first time, the race was won by a Canadian driver, Yvon Duhamel of Valcourt, Quebec, reaching speeds of well over 70 mph around the oval on a Ski-doo. The next five years saw dramatic changes in snowmobile racing, with changes in race technology, track development and the size of the purses being offered. Factory teams were common and the event attracted celebrities from all walks of life hoping to gain media attention by attending the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby. In January of 1971, in what some call the greatest race ever at the Derby, Mike Trapp of nearby Woodruff passed Duhamel on the last lap to win the world champion title. Trapp became the first to win back-to-back titles with a repeat performance in 1972 in a final race run Sunday instead of Saturday. It was the first time for closed-circuit TV on the Der-
With studded tracks and carbide on the skis, today’s racers can charge hard into the corners.
by grounds for spectators, trackside heaters and bleachers to seat about 7,500 spectators. It also marked the first time that Eagle River suffered tragedy, when a 6year-old boy, Kris Petersen, died of injuries received when a riderless snowmobile crashed through the fence in the north turn and landed on spectators. Four others also were injured and rushed to Eagle River Memorial Hospital. With more than 500 machines and 69 races to run, including new women’s and juniors’ classes, the Derby became a five-day event for drivers and spectators. Derby officials faced their first serious crisis in 1973 — unseasonably warm weather and poor track conditions. Racing was canceled for several days in an effort to save the oval for Sunday’s finals. Officials made the decision to haul in 100 truckloads of sawdust to save the Derby. The Derby took on another new look in 1974 as the Lions Club revamped the one-third mile oval to a onehalf mile oval and installed two large VIP and press trailers on the west bank of the track. The energy crisis put a damper on the sport throughout the 1975 season, but a record number of entries showed up at the Derby. And by 1979, a record-high purse of $11,100 was presented to the top finishers. The 1980 race was the start of an illustrious career for Jacques Villeneuve of Quebec. He used his hardcharging style to run away
Mike Trapp of Woodruff was the first racer to win back-to-back titles in 1971 and 1972, winning on a Yamaha.
with the 1980 title and establish himself as one of the premier drivers in the sport. Mother Nature sent bitter cold and high winds to Eagle River for the 1982 Derby, Temperatures of 40 below zero, with windchill factors approaching 80 below zero, kept the crowd down and made it miserable for drivers and mechanics. Villeneuve won his second title, this time on a new Ski-doo twin-track machine. Derby fans were treated to Sno-Cross racing in 1983, as a course complete with jumps and hairpin turns was carved inside the infield. Villeneuve took time out from his Indy car career to return to the Derby in 1986. Racing for the Vessair Racing team, the confident FrenchCanadian became the first driver to win the Derby title three times. Eagle River moved into yet another new era in 1986, when Richard and Audrey Decker purchased the track from the Lions Club and Coors was brought on as a major sponsor. After several years of declining crowds, numbers were up again in 1986 with an estimated 10,000 fans trackside. While the Deckers owned the track, the Lions Club still managed most aspects of the race. In 1987, Chuck Decker of Eagle River won the first World Championship for Team Decker after many years of trying and plans began for the Silver Anniversary of the Derby in 1988. The flamboyant Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids won the 25th anniversary of the World Championship in his ninth attempt in a race that featured a record $50,000 purse. The crowd on Sunday was estimated at 18,000 people — the largest crowd of the 1980s. Richard and Audrey Decker sold the Derby Track to their son, Chuck, in 1989, and under the direction of the Decker family, big crowds continued to turn out at the Derby Track in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1990, Dave Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won the first of three World Championship titles, the other two coming in 1996 and 1997 on his Wahl Special twin-track. In 1994, the first racing under the lights drew about 4,000 spectators and in 1995 the Deckers introduced Friday Night Thunder to the Derby program, complete with fireworks, rock music, Oval and Sno-Cross racing. Also in 1994, the Derby Track took on a new look with six suites in three buildings on the south end of the track and, in 1996, a three-story suite for sponsors was located on the north end of the oval. A new major sponsor, Valvoline, came on board in 1995 and Dale Loritz of Green Bay won back-to-back titles, the first time that was accomplished at the Derby in 17 years. Sno-Cross racing with bigger jumps and more moguls was added to the regular Derby mix in 1997, bringing more entries and additional races to the schedule. The Derby saw another change in 1998, as the World
Championship class debuted the new Champ 440 class with single-track sleds. The new design was developed to allow more snowmobile race enthusiasts to get involved in professional Oval racing. In addition, two new buildings were constructed at the Derby Track, the Hot Seats building for spectators and the Expo Hall, both on the west side of the track. In 2002, a new racer came on the scene by the name of P.J. Wanderscheid of Sauk Centre, Minn., The 18-yearold won his first race on an Arctic Cat and went on to win a back-to-back title in 2003 and then won championships in 2006 and 2011. He is the only Derby racer to win four World Championships. More tragedy struck the Derby Track in 2002 and 2003, as Pro Stock Oval racer Ed DeVault of Cottage Grove died as a result of a crash in 2002 and Phillip “Flip” Merwin of Wausau was killed in a crash in a Champ 440 lastchance qualifier race. While recreational snowmobile trails were in poor condition due to poor snow conditions in the early 2000s,
the Derby, under the direction of Decker and track general manager Todd Achterberg, provided an economic boost to the Eagle River area. AMSOIL came on board as a new major sponsor. Brian Bewcyk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, won backto-back World Championships in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, longtime Derby flagman Ted Otto officiated over his last race. The economy took a downturn in 2009 through 2011, but the Derby crowds remained constant between 18,000 and 20,000 spectators during the four days of racing. After 17 years, the Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder show still continued to be one of the most popular attractions at the Derby. For race fans, a JumboTron was added to the infield to give fans a first-hand view of action on the ice oval. A midrace champion in the title race was a new twist, added in 2010. In addition, the Outlaw 600 class was introduced in 2012, allowing drivers a chance to race in open cockpit-style snowmobiles.
SCHEDULE
OF
In one of the best races in Derby history in 2012, Nick Van Strydonk of Tomahawk passed Matt Schulz of Wausau in turn four to win the title race. He won $10,000 from AMSOIL and another $10,000 from Jimmy John’s, another new major sponsor. With major sponsorships from AMSOIL and Jimmy John’s, it was announced the prize purse for the 2013 race, the 50th running of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, would be a record $81,600. All the past champions and former queens have been invited back in 2013, adding to the pageantry of the 50th anniversary Eagle River Derby. The 50th AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby is sure to attract all of the top drivers from the United States and Canada, knowing that a special place in the snowmobile racing history books will be theirs if they can capture a World Championship in 2013. And it all started with a novel beginning on Dollar Lake 50 years ago.
EVENTS
2013 AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Jan. 17-20, 2013
Thursday, Jan. 17 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sno Cross/Oval practice 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-11 a.m. Breakfast in the Derby Loft 8:30 a.m. Sponsor Ride meets at Best Western Derby Inn 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 3:30 p.m. World Championship Time Trials 6 p.m. Outlaw 600 Time Trials 6:30 p.m. TLR Champ Heat Races Friday, Jan. 18 7 a.m. 8 a.m 8 a.m. 8-11 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
This is the typical scene prior to the World Championship race, as drivers gather around
the Snow Week Cup for pre-race instructions. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Registration opens “Will Call” opens Admission gates open Breakfast in the Derby Loft Charity Ride meets at Best Western Derby Inn Sno-Cross practice starts Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open
Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder 6 p.m. Pre-race activities begin 6:30 p.m. TLR Cup and Pro Sno-Cross introductions on track 7 p.m. Fireworks, racing follows
Saturday, Jan. 19 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-10 a.m. Breakfast in Derby Loft 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 10 a.m. Racing starts 1:30 p.m. Top 10 Qualifying starts 4-5 p.m. Kitty Cat Junior Novice 6 p.m. Ring Presentation & Hall of Fame Inductees, Derby Loft
Sunday, Jan. 20 7 a.m. Registration opens 8 a.m. “Will Call” opens 8 a.m. Admission gates open 8-11 a.m. Breakfast in the Derby Loft 8:30 a.m. Pro Champ practice starts 9 a.m. Sno-Cross practice starts 9:30 a.m. Hot Seats/Corporate Suites open 10 a.m. Racing starts 11 a.m. Pro Open Sno-Cross Last-Chance Qualifier Noon Outlaw 600 Final 1 p.m. World Championship Last-Chance Qualifier 2 p.m. Pro Open Sno-Cross World Championship 3 p.m. Running of the 50th AMSOIL World Championship 4:30 p.m. Awards Banquet in Expo Hall
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
Anderson and Doyle recall early days of Derby under guidance of Lions Club ___________ BY CAROLYN RITTER SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-REVIEW
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Peter “Tripp” Anderson and Dr. Thomas Doyle, both of Eagle River, have been involved with the World Championship Snowmobile Derby since its early beginnings and both have continued their involvement every year since then in one capacity or another. Anderson began working at the Derby because he liked spending time with his dad and it was exciting to be a part of this winter event. He worked at the first race, a one-day event on Dollar Lake that drew approximately 100 racers. While organized by the Rotary Club, the Lions Club handled concessions. “My dad was a member of the Lions Club and I was 12 years old. The first couple of years I sold soda, dipping my hands into ice cold water to pull the bottles out,” he said. After the Lions Club took over the event, his father, Peter Anderson Jr., was in charge of driver registration. “He handled all the driver entries,” he said. “After a few years, I began working with him and I’ve continued with registration to this day.” During the first few years of the Derby, there was no preregistration. The drivers registered upon arrival that morning. A cross-country race was soon added, running from Rhinelander through Three Lakes to Eagle River. “The event grew fast and we began having the drivers
preregister using paper applications that they mailed in,” he explained. “The night before the races started, we’d get together and type up the lists of drivers entered in each class and each race,” he continued. “This was all done on manual typewriters and we’d be up late into the night. That made for some long days.” It was not unusual for the registration group to work until 3 a.m., finalizing and typing the lists and then be back at the track at 6 a.m. to issue driver packets. As the races took place, results were tabulated, typed on sheets and then sent to the various media representatives attending the event. Following each race, Anderson’s job was to get the results to the press people and also staple copies on plywood display boards located around the track. “As a young kid, someone would take me on a snowmobile so I could deliver press releases and the race results, and that was exciting,” Anderson shared. “By the time I was 14 or 15, I was allowed to drive a snowmobile myself to deliver the results and that was a great experience.” In the beginning, most of the racers were amateurs. But as the event developed, the racers became more experienced and professional. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Anderson noted there were fewer classes, but more racers registering in each class. “Over time that changed as racing has gotten more seri-
Eagle River Lions Club member Dr. Tom Doyle helped promote the Derby for many years.
ous, more professional and more expensive. It’s not an inexpensive hobby anymore,” he said. “Vintage races have brought back some of the amateur drivers — at first mostly older drivers, but now it draws a wide range of drivers including younger racers.” Anderson’s dad was a founder and involved in the U.S. Snowmobile Association. “During the glory years, my dad would travel all over the country attending weekend races,” said Anderson. “There were weekend races in the different divisions and the top racers wanted to have a world series of snowmobile racing.” In 1983, Anderson’s father died and Lions Club member Ole “Bud” Rismon took over his role, working closely with Anderson and other volunteers. Anderson’s work included issuing pit passes, practice passes and time schedules to racers, which brought him in close contact with the drivers. “The most interesting part was meeting the racers. Each year I look forward to seeing the drivers,” he shared. “For many years, it was the same ones and now we are seeing second- and third-generation drivers.” Registration is now completed online which has made the preliminary work much easier. In addition, when the Decker family bought the business they provided fulltime staff to assist with the work. The Deckers recognized Anderson’s long-term volunteerism with a White Eagle award five years ago. Anderson has continued with the Derby throughout the years because it is good for the community and helps local businesses. “I feel it is important to the community, helping businesses particularly in the winter,” he concluded. Doyle, a member of the Eagle River Lions Club, first became involved in the Derby when it was the marathon cross-country race from Rhinelander to Eagle River. His job then was to monitor the racers and check them in as they came through Eagle River. “The funny part was that we got dump trucks to dump snow on the main street so when we expected the racers to show up, they could land on the snow,” Doyle explained. “The trucks were just carrying the snow out when we heard a snowmobile come down the back street. “We weren’t even ready, we were all sitting there talking and drinking coffee and getting ready to spread snow,” he continued. “We didn’t dream they would make it that fast.”
When the racers came to the end of the course, they would run up and put their hands on a counter, with their check-in marked. Doyle assisted with that process. After the race ended, the street was plowed for regular traffic. “In the beginning, preparing the 4.2-mile cross-country race through the woods was important, it was our prime target,” he explained. “We would begin in the fall to clear and develop the trail. “Then someone stuck some fish poles in a small oval and the people could see that track. We saw that we were going in the wrong direction with the cross-country,” he said. As the Derby evolved, Doyle began working with promotion, serving in 1971 as chairman of the promotion committee and he continued his work with publicity during the ensuing years. He stayed involved because he saw the future for the race and thought it was something special for the area. At that time, there were championship races in various parts of the country and, believing Eagle River’s event was the best, there was a desire to make it the prime event. With advice from Mark Zellich of WSAW TV-7 in Wausau, Doyle helped the group apply for a copyright for the name World’s Championship. “I worked most of the summer on publicity, contacting magazines and newspapers throughout the Midwest,” said Doyle. Argosy Magazine donated an Argosy cup for the winner, Bob Satran of Eagle River printed booklets and Helen Radloff designed the snowmobile patch. Doyle and his group promoted the race in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, working with Bill Hoeft of the Milwaukee Journal, John Husar of the Chicago Tribune and Glen Miller of the Wisconsin State Journal. “Glen Miller would stay in the press tent all day and, when he got back, he gave us front-page coverage,” Doyle said. Doyle also contacted the Wild World of Sports for coverage. The publicity caught the attention of television newsman Peter Jennings, who participated as a racer one year. “When Peter came, he was tired of eating in restaurants, so Shirley (Doyle’s wife) made lasagna and we had him in for a home-cooked meal,” Doyle recalled. “It was a challenge each year to make the race bigger
Long-time racer registration volunteer “Tripp” Anderson has been at every Derby. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
and better,” he said. “The track changed from snow to ice which resulted in faster races.” In the early years, there was a press trailer and, as the Derby grew under the direction of the Eagle River Lions, other improvements included a VIP trailer, spectator boxes and safety fencing. “We had the VIP trailer for the queens and special guests,” said Doyle. “Gov. Knowles attended as well as Bart Starr, Ken Bowman and other Green Bay Packers, along with some Chicago Cubs players.” The group also hosted snowmobile and equipment manufacturers, who would
bring guests as well. “We used to keep hotel rooms for guests and the press,” Doyle said. “We held a press party and provided free food and lodging to help get the media up here to cover the event.” The Derby continued to grow with television race coverage by Zellich and WSAW TV-7, all helping to promote the sport to a wider audience. “This event was the greatest publicity for Eagle River, bringing thousands to town in winter when there were no other events running,” Doyle noted. “Many people saw the future and believed in this event, helping to make it great.”
The Eagle River Lions Club mascot and flag was perched high above the race board at the Derby Track for many years.
Spectacle: 50th Derby to feature F-16 flyby, Outlaw 600 class FROM PAGE 1 names.” All the past Derby Queens have been invited and will appear with the former champs to visit and reminisce with race fans. “Opportunities to meet past and current race drivers and queens will be a big part of the weekend with a large heated VIP tent and an expanded Expo Hall Loft for sit-down dining,” said Decker. “The Derby Loft also will be the site of the Saturday night Top 10 ring presentation, open to all fans.” As in past years, two of the biggest events at the 2013 AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby will be the popular Friday Night Thunder and Championship Sunday, which offers finals in the most important and largest classes. Drivers will have their dreams set on coveted trophies, prizes and cash awards valued at more than $150,000 but, most of all, they will compete for the prestige of winning at Eagle River. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, a past Derby sponsor, has put up $50,000 for the winner of the title race. But there’s more for the winner, according to Decker. “The winner will take home another $10,000 from the AMSOIL Derby Track for
a total of $60,000 to the winner,” said Decker. For race fans, the racing action will start Thursday, with World Championship time trials starting at 3:30 p.m., and will conclude with the title race at 3 p.m. Sunday. Decker said the race has continued for five decades, reinforcing the legitimacy of the Derby’s claim as the “world’s greatest snowmobile race.” For the third year running, a midway champion will be declared after 10 laps, the winner of which will be awarded $5,000 by Jimmy John’s. Second place will get $3,000 and $1,000 each will go to the racers in third and fourth place at the pit stop. Racers will then have a short period of time to tune up their sleds before running the final 20 laps of the championship race. “The leader doesn’t necessarily like the mandatory pit stop, but the racer that needs to make a sled adjustment, or the older rest, might like the break,” said Decker. This year’s Sunday show will again include an F-16 jet fly-by, popular with the Derby fans. Decker said Outlaw 600 class, which debuted at the Derby last year, will be returning at this year’s race. “Everybody’s waiting to the return of the Outlaw 600 class featuring cockpit-style
sleds,” said Decker. “We are expecting about 15 sleds competing this year. While the professionals are racing on the famous ice oval, the Kitty Kat oval for the youngsters has been moved to the northwest corner of the Derby grounds to make it easier for people to watch, said Decker. The SnoCross 120 sleds also will be featured at times throughout the weekend. The race schedule Snowmobile race fans flock to Eagle River for more than the World Championship in the Champ 440 class, according to Decker. There will be both Oval and Sno-Cross practice runs Thursday starting at 8 a.m. For the remainder of the weekend, all racing is set to begin at 10 a.m. The World Championship time trials will again be held Thursday starting at 3:30 p.m. to allow more fans the chance to watch the excitement. “We also have Outlaw 600 time trials at 6 p.m. Thursday evening," said Decker. After that, TLR Cup heat races will begin. Heat positions will have been determined by the time trials. Participants in the sixrace TLR Cup Series will compete for a $76,000 championship payout at the season’s end, all while battling to
be crowned 2013 Derby champion. In addition, the series will pay out $4,200 to the top 10 racers in each race. Friday will feature a full day of Sno-Cross and Oval qualifying. Decker said the schedule will include qualifying for Saturday’s finals in many junior, women’s, amateur and semi-pro classes in both Oval and Sno-Cross. The day will conclude with the Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder, with prerace activities beginning at 6 p.m., including the national anthem and fireworks over the Derby Track. Featured events will include the TLR Sweet Sixteen Pole Position events, the Outlaw 600s and the Carlisle Pro Open Sno-Cross race. “We added the Sweet Sixteen qualifying to Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder four years ago and it was very popular,” said Decker. “The winner of the 16-lap TLR Cup race will move directly to the pole position for Sunday’s World Championship race.” Decker said Saturday will be some of the best racing of the week. The day’s action will be highlighted by the World Championship qualifying for the Top 10 starting at 1:30 p.m. “This is what the Derby is all about — the making of a new world champion,” said Decker.
Racing on Championship Sunday will get under way with finals in both Oval and Sno-Cross classes — from the juniors, all the way through to the 50th running of the World Championship race at 3 p.m. Other featured races Sunday will be the Outlaw 600 final at 1 p.m., the World Championship last-chance qualifier for two back row positions at 1 p.m. and the Sno-Cross Pro Open at 2 p.m. Last year’s world champion, Nicholas Van Strydonk of Tomahawk, will be back to defend his title on a Polaris. “The infield JumboTron will return to the oval this year, displaying race information and racing action on the big screen,” said Decker. “This year’s JumboTron will be four times larger than past years. It’s 22 feet tall by 40 feet wide.” Ticket prices for fans are $15 for Thursday, $30 for Friday (including Friday Night Thunder), $25 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday. An advance super ticket for $65 is available at the Derby office and the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center located on Railroad Street. Decker noted that children 10 and younger will be admitted free. He said once fans have been admitted and stamped, they can come and go from the Derby grounds. There is free parking on the
Derby grounds north of the Big Barn. Other festivities Reigning over the festivities this week will be 2013 Derby Queen Michelle Schaets of Phelps. Princesses include Miranda Anderson, Autumn Feith, Coty Feith and Samantha Johnston. They will be seen roaming the Derby grounds, talking to fans and handing out the championship trophies Sunday. Decker said other celebrities will be at the track, including past world champions, noting that the Derby Wall of Fame is now located in the World Snowmobile Headquarters just north of the Derby Track. Military personnel will be at the event, along with more than 50 booths in the Expo Hall and outdoors, with everything from snowmobile accessories to clothing, according to Decker. Other nonracing activities will include a Celebrity Charity Ride Friday for the family of deceased racers Ed DeVault and “Flip” Merwin, the annual Derby hockey game Saturday night at the Eagle River Sports Arena against Mosinee starting at 8 p.m., the Saturday night Top 10 ring presentation at the Expo Hall Loft at 6 p.m. and the awards banquet Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at the Loft.
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
5
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY A life of snowmobiling
Deckers recount purchase of track from Eagle River Lions Club in 1985 ___________ BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR
___________
When Dick and Audrey Decker, originally of Marshfield, decided to purchase the Derby Track in Eagle River from the local Lions Club back in 1985, it wasn’t for the reasons many might imagine. In fact, the couple had no interest in organizing what had become the world’s foremost race in the growing sport of snowmobiling. The Derby facility simply had enough room to operate the Deckers’ burgeoning snowmobile touring business. Decker Sno-Venture Tours had grown too big for its location in Minocqua, so when the Lions Club asked the Deckers to purchase the sizeable Derby Track, the couple seized the opportunity. “We had some background in the industry with that being our hobby, so the fit was good,” said Dick. “Had we known it was going to be that big of a job, we would have probably said no,” he added with a laugh. Looking back on the Deckers’ emergence in the industry, if it hadn’t been for a 6year-old boy by the name of Chuck, the World Championship Snowmobile Derby might not be celebrating its 50th year. It all started at a Schwinn bicycle dealership in Marshfield back in 1964, where a young Chuck Decker, Dick and Audrey’s youngest son, first laid eyes on a snowmobile. “He came walking home and said, ‘Hey, we gotta get one of those new snow things,’” said Dick. “I didn’t even know what he was talking about. We went and looked at it and bought it.” From there, the family’s passion for sledding only grew, according to the Deckers. Dick and Audrey, along with all four of their sons, soon had snowmobiles. Eventually, all six members of the family were racing. “Audrey and I both raced,” said Dick. “Once the kids got
married and had wives, they all raced too.” At one point, there were eight people on Team Decker, known then as the Decker Dusters. “It was Decker Dusters at the time because Richard was working for Chrysler, and there was the Plymouth Duster,” said Audrey. The Deckers were unquestionably a snowmobiling family, so their next move was perhaps unsurprising. “We went into the snowmobile business,” said Dick. “We bought out the Marshfield Ski-Doo dealership, had access to a lot of sleds and could work on them at the shop. Then we really got into racing and building the touring business.” The Deckers organized week-long snowmobiling tours throughout the United States and Europe. The most popular destination was Iceland. By this time the Deckers had moved their operation to Minocqua, where the family had a home. The tours got so popular, they were hosting them every week. “We needed more room for people to park their vehicles and trailers,” said Dick. “We just didn’t have a big enough building in Minocqua to run the tour business. That’s when the Derby Track went up for sale in Eagle River.” The Deckers said they bought the track primarily to accommodate their snowmobiling business, taking on the annual Derby race as a byproduct of the transaction. “We didn’t know it was that big of a deal. We had raced there for years, but my goodness,” said Dick, trailing off. “It’s a year-round thing and then some. People ask us what we do all summer long. We get ready for winter.” They may not have known it at the time, but the Decker family was up for the task. They did what the Eagle River Lions Club didn’t have enough
Audrey and Dick Decker held a press conference when they purchased the Derby Track from the Lions Club in 1985.
Dick and Audrey Decker’s snowmobiling lifestyle came to its pinnacle in 1985, when they purchased the Derby Track in Eagle Riv-
time to do: find sponsorship. “I think their biggest problem was manpower,” said Audrey. “They all had jobs. You needed to maintain a full-time office to keep it going. And what you didn’t get in attendance you had to make up for in sponsorship.” The Derby Track has seen a lot of changes since the Deckers purchased it in 1985. Many of those alterations came after 1989, when the track was sold to Chuck, the son who served as the Derby’s new visionary. Where once there were a few mobile homes and no indoor toilets, there now are 17 suites, a large Expo Hall,
Following small crowds in the early 1980s, the Eagle River Lions Club sold the famous Derby Track to the Decker family in 1985.
Happy 50th Anniversary
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garages and plenty of bars and food service. This year, Derby officials are busy building an indoor, sit-down restaurant overlooking the Expo Hall, which is expected to be finished in time for the 50th running of the Derby. Today, Dick and Audrey still go to work at the track every day. Between promoting the tours and keeping the track going, they say it’s a full-time job. “Even vendors are a big item,” said Audrey. “We fill up that Expo Hall with vendors and displayers. Selling all the ads for the program book is a big, big job. We sell sponsor-
®
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er from the Lions Club. They bought the track to house a thriving snowmobile touring business. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
ships and get letters off to racers. “Every time I go to a stock car race in the summer, I think about how easy they’ve got it,” she said, alluding to the pavement. “It’s a monumental task to prepare the Derby Track every season.” Not to mention Dick and Audrey are still riding sleds on tours at ages 81 and 80, respectively. They even plan to race during the Derby’s Vintage Weekend in the Super Senior class. The Deckers also are organizing their sixth annual Military Appreciation Ride set for Jan. 20-21. Participating veterans are given free tickets to
the Derby and are treated to an all-expenses paid, 100-mile guided ride through the North Woods which includes food and lodging. Although the Eagle River area owes much to the Deckers for their role in the annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby, Dick was fast to credit the community for its vital role in establishing the world-famous race. “It’s really unique for a small town like Eagle River to have such a big event that was started by local people,” he said. “It’s brought a lot of business to the area in 50 years. It’s a big shot in the arm, especially if you get good snow.”
After getting major sponsors such as Coors, the Derby took on new life in the late 1980s. This was the scene on the back straight.
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VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
VICTORY CIRCLE — Showing their excitement in victory circle are some of the past champions, including, clockwise from top left: three-time champ Dave Wahl; 25th anniversary race winner Bobby Donahue; two-time champ Dale Loritz; the first three-time champion Jacques Villeneuve; and the only four-time winner, P.J. Wanderscheid. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
50th Derby to feature greatest payout ever The 50th anniversary AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby, set for Jan. 17-20, will feature the event’s richest prize, according to AMSOIL Derby Track General Manager Todd Achterberg. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, a past Derby sponsor, has put up $50,000 for the winner of the title race. But there’s more for the winner, according to Achterberg. “The winner will take home another $10,000 from the AMSOIL Derby Track for a total of $60,000 to the winner,” he said. The “Indianapolis 500 of snowmobile racing” draws the best ice oval racers from the United States and Canada, and the 50th anniversary event will have additional incentives for racers and fans. “We feel the 50th anniversary of the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby is truly a historic milestone in the sport of snowmobiling,” said Achterberg. For the title-event racers, Jimmy John’s also is putting up another $10,000 for the Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Challenge, which will be split up among the top four drivers in the championship race at the mandatory pit stop caution. The leader at lap 10 of the 30-lap feature will pocket $5,000, with second getting $3,000, while third and fourth will each get $1,000. The big payday at the AMSOIL World Championship will continue to be
The largest trophies and the biggest cash prizes are given to the winners at the World Champi-
spread out across the top 12 finishers when the final checkered flag falls and the ice dust settles. Achterberg said there is an additional $11,600 being paid out by the AMSOIL Derby Track. Achterberg said the total payout of $81,600 for the championship race will make
onship Snowmobile Derby. This year’s payout will top $150,000. —NEWS-REVEIW PHOTO
it the richest payout in the history of modern day snowmobile racing. “We couldn't be happier right now, and are extremely excited to welcome Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches as an official product sponsor of the AMSOIL World Championship,” said Achterberg.
With Jimmy John’s tossing an extra $50,000 into the payout, track officials estimate the total payout for the 50th anniversary Derby will top $150,000, which includes cash payouts, trophies, jackets, rings and checkered flags — all recognizing being a winner at Eagle River.
The Champions 49-YEAR WORLD-TITLE RECORD
’64 STAN HAYES, Crandon, Wis. ................................. ’65 GEORGE GENSLER, Three Lakes, Wis. ............... ’66 STEVE AVE, Duluth, Minn...................................... ’67 DUANE FRANDSEN, Pembine, Wis....................... ’68 STEVE AVE, Duluth, Minn...................................... ’69 ROGER JANSSEN, Crookston, Minn..................... ’70 YVON DUHAMEL, Valcourt, Quebec...................... ’71 MIKE TRAPP, Woodruff, Wis................................... ’72 MIKE TRAPP, Woodruff, Wis................................... ’73 BOB EASTMAN, Roseau, Minn. ............................ ’74 GUILLES VILLENEUVE, Quebec........................... ’75 JIM BERNAT, Roseau, Minn. .................................. ’76 ED SCHUBITZKE, Duluth, Minn. ........................... ’77 STEVE THORSEN, Fergus Falls, Minn. ................. ’78 STEVE THORSEN, Fergus Falls, Minn. ................. ’79 BOB ELSNER, New London, Wis. ......................... ’80 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec ......................... ’81 BRAD HULINGS, Thief River, Minn........................ ’82 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec ......................... ’83 BRAD HULINGS, Grand Rapids, Mich................... ’84 JIM DIMMERMAN, White Bear Lk., Minn.................. ’85 MICHEL GINGRAS, St. Gregoire, Quebec ............... ’86 JACQUES VILLENEUVE, Quebec ......................... ’87 CHUCK DECKER, Eagle River, Wis....................... ’88 BOBBY DONAHUE, Wis. Rapids, Wis.................... ’89 BRUCE VESSAIR, Ontario ..................................... ’90 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn.............................. ’91 GREG GOODWIN, Zion, Ill. ................................... ’92 GARY VESSAIR, Honey Harbour, Ontario................ ’93 AL FENHAUS, Wausau, Wis................................... ’94 DALE LORITZ, Green Bay, Wis. ............................. ’95 DALE LORITZ, Green Bay, Wis. ............................. ’96 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn.............................. ’97 DAVE WAHL, Greenbush, Minn.............................. ’98 TERRY WAHL, Greenbush, Minn. .......................... ’99 MIKE HOULE, Wyoming, Minn............................... ’00 MIKE HOULE, Wyoming, Minn............................... ’01 JEREMY JOHNSTON, Arcola, Sask. ..................... ’02 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn................. ’03 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn. ............... ’04 LARRY DAY, Lyman, Maine .................................... ’05 GARY MOYLE, Houghton, Mich. ............................ ’06 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn. ............... ’07 GARY MOYLE, Houghton, Mich. ............................ ’08 BRIAN BEWCYK, Winnipeg, Manitoba. ................. ’09 BRIAN BEWCYK, Winnipeg, Manitoba. ................. ’10 MATT SCHULZ, Wausau, Wis.. .............................. ’11 P.J. WANDERSCHEID, Sauk Centre, Minn.. ............. ’12 NICK VAN STRYDONK, Tomahawk, Wis................
Polaris Evinrude Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Yamaha Yamaha Polaris Alouette Polaris Yamaha Polaris Polaris Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Scorpion Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Phantom Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Wahl Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Wahl Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Ski-Doo Polaris Arctic Cat Polaris
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Track saw many developments under the guidance of Chuck Decker, includ-
ing indoor spectator seating on the west side of the track known as Hot Seats and the Derby Expo Hall. The Expo Hall gave vendors a
location to display and sell merchandise and spectators a place to warm up between races. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Decker keeps Eagle River Derby at forefront of snowmobile racing ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
___________
If there is one person who knows a little bit about snowmobile racing and the historic AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby, it is Chuck Decker. The former snowmobile racer who won many titles at the Derby Track, including a World Championship in 1987, is now in charge of keeping the Derby at the forefront of snowmobile racing. Other than the first event that started the Derby on Dollar Lake back in 1964, there may not be a more important Derby than the 50th anniversary of the AMSOIL World Championship set for Jan. 1720. “The way I look at it, it’s a community deal,” said Decker, who has owned the Derby Track since 1989. “It’s something that I kind of inherited to watch over and make sure it gets done every year. There are so many people involved. There is no one person that can take care of it. It’s way too big. That’s why I call it a community deal.” The Derby has helped put Eagle River on the map, something that Decker has personally experienced in his motorsports travels. “I have traveled all over the country and the world for racing and so many people have heard about the Derby,” said Decker. “It’s amazing what the Derby has created over the years — that a community could get that kind of recognition for an event like this.” As a former racer, Decker knows the prestige a racer gains for winning the World Championship. “Winning at Eagle River is absolutely the goal of all racers, Oval or Sno-Cross,” said Decker. “Nobody wants anything more than an Eagle River championship.” Decker noted that only 11 racers won the title more than once. “If you look at the history of the Derby and some of the drivers who never won the championship, they are some of the best racers in the world,” said Decker. “They’ve won everywhere else, but they never won at Eagle River.
There are so many good racers who never won it.” Decker said his brother, Allen, is a good example of a racer taking a number of seconds at Eagle River but never winning the championship. “He knows how tough it was,” said Decker about his brother. “He won the biggest races across the country, but he never won at Eagle River. There are factory drivers who never got the big one. They would trade everyone of their other victories for that one World Championship at Eagle River. Racing at 10 Decker first got involved in snowmobile racing at age 10 when his family was living in Minneapolis. “It was a grass drag race,” Decker remembered. “That winter, my (three) brothers started to race a little bit in Ovals. I began racing Ovals at about 12 years old.” He spent three or four years racing in Minneapolis while his father was working for Chrysler Corp. “My father then bought out this local Ski-Doo dealership back in our hometown of Marshfield, so we moved back to Marshfield and the boys kept racing in the winters and he worked,” said Decker. The Decker racing family, led by his father, Richard, and mother, Audrey, soon were traveling the snowmobile racing circuit across the Midwest and Canada. They started racing at the Eagle River Derby Track back in 1967-’68, when the Eagle River Lions Club ran the event. In addition to Chuck, the racing brothers at that time included Allen, Steve and Mike. “We all worked in the dealership during the winters and the off season, and raced all winter,” said Decker. “That’s basically what we did for many, many years.” Recreational snowmobiling and racing was growing at a fast rate in the late 1960s and early ’70s, with dozens of snowmobile manufacturers. “It was nothing to get to a race and have a 1,000 or 1,200 entries,” said Decker. “There were so many models and so many people doing it. Those were probably some of the toughest years in racing competition wise.”
Chuck Decker, the racer, was all smiles after winning a World Championship title in 1987.
Purchase track Snowmobile racing took on a new twist for Chuck in 1985, when his parents purchased the Derby Track from the Eagle River Lions Club. “Maybe the Lions Club was struggling a little bit with it due to a struggling economy,” said Decker. “It was a big event for the Lions Club. Some of those guys were probably working year- round to get it to happen every year. I’m sure it was a struggle for them.” The Deckers retired from the Ski-doo dealership business and moved to Minocqua. They were looking for a home base for their snowmobile tour business and thought the Derby Track would be the perfect venue for the business. “The first few years, the Lions would help run the Derby and my parents would run their snowmobile tour business from the track. That’s how it was operated for several years,” said Decker. “That’s really how it all began for me,” said Decker. “I was helping my mom and dad from the beginning, doing ground maintenance and helping build the track, basically doing whatever I could.” That’s when the Decker family started to bring the Derby to a new level. “They got Coors on as a big sponsor, buried every single wire around the race track, cleaned it all up, enclosed the VIP area and created a trackside motor home parking area,” said Decker. Richard Decker then got involved in building a dog track in Kenosha, so Chuck Decker purchased the track in 1989. Facility changes Under Chuck Decker’s ownership, the Derby Track has seen several significant changes. “The first big thing I did was build the three-story corporate suites on the north end of the track,” said Decker. “That was the first big project I took on. In my motorsports travels, I saw all these other racetracks with corporate suites. I thought, ‘Why can’t we do that in snowmobile racing?’ That was very successful, with Ski-doo, Arctic Cat, Polaris and Yamaha. We quickly added three more on the south end. Now there are five on the south end.” Decker then began another big project, building interior spectator seating known as Hot Seats on the west side of the track. A large Expo Hall was included in that project. The Expo Hall gave fans a place to warm up and indoor heated bathrooms. There was also plenty of room for vendors to have booths, selling snowmobile-related items during the Derby. “We created a big monster now. Back when we owned the track and the Lions Club ran the race, we could have the race and pretty much just shut the track down the rest of the year,” said Decker. “Now it was at a level where it was a major motorsports complex where there’s more involved. It definitely is a year-round job now for five people — just to race two weekends out of the year.”
Chuck Decker purchased the Derby Track from his parents in 1989, and made many changes to
As for the track itself, Decker said it hasn’t changed much since 1974. “We resurfaced it and smoothed out the corners because today’s racers really want a smooth track,” said Decker. Decker said another big step at the Derby Track was adding Sno-Cross racing to the race offerings. “It was started here with my parents back in the mid 1980s,” said Decker. “There were only a couple of tracks doing it at the time. It was quickly picked up by the Eagle River Derby. So that was the forefront of Sno-Cross racing that turned into the moguls and jumps that fans find popular today.” As for the track lighting, Decker said he was racing snowmobiles under the lights at a horse track in Peterborough, Ontario, and tried the same thing in Eagle River with portable lights. “I thought it was kind of neat, so we brought that back to Eagle River,” said Decker. “It was so successful that we added permanent lights and started Friday Night Thunder. Today, Friday Night Thunder is copied by race tracks all over. If they have lights, they try to get a night show in because it’s really successful.” Decker said watching racing at night is completely different for the fans. “It actually shows the true speed of the sleds,” said Decker. “For the racers, it is actually safer. The drivers would actually race at night time. They have better visibility at night; they can see better through the snow dust. It’s something about the lights. It’s dark above and racers can focus on the lighter track.” Meanwhile, Sno-Cross interest continued to grow and the track has changed with the times with larger and more jumps. The entire SnoCross course is held within the oval, compared to the early years when part of the oval was used for the Sno-Cross course. “We make our own snow because Sno-Cross racers hate
the facility, including making snow for the SnoCross course.
racing on parking lot snow because it has a lot of dirt and salt in it,” said Decker. “Their sleds are very expensive and its hard on them. If you want the best teams in Sno-Cross racing, you have to have made snow.” When it comes to making the ice for the oval track, Decker said the goal is a solid 10 to 12 inches in the corners. “If we start with 12, we are down to 4, if we start with 10, we are down to 2,” said Decker. “Usually, we can make it through four days of racing without hitting any dirt. The Vintage Weekend a week prior to the Derby uses a lot of ice because there are so many entries. If the weather is right, we can bring back another 2 to 4 inches before we start the Derby.” Decker said the Derby Track crew creates a brandnew racetrack after Vintage Weekend. “It’s shaved off and rewatered every night throughout the week,” said Decker. Sponsors, volunteers As the 50th running of the Derby nears, Decker admits the event could not continue without major sponsors and community volunteers. Over the years, some of those key sponsors have included Coors, Valvoline, AMSOIL and Parts Unlimited. “Those two things are really, really important now. Just like any other major motorsports complex, they are important for the event. The level we operate on, the cost its takes to produce a race could never be done just on the gate fees. It would be totally impossible,” said Decker. “You need those two ingredients to financially put on a race of this size.” It takes several hundred volunteers, many of them with ties to nonprofit organizations, to help operate the Derby. “You could never hold a race having to pay that many people,” said Decker. “The volunteers know how important the event is to the community and love the sport of snowmobiling. While the volunteers
don’t get paid for their work, their organization gets a donation.” Decker said tens of thousands of dollars have been paid out to service organizations in the areas. “It’s worked really well,” said Decker. Planning for the 2013 Derby started the day after the 2012 race, according to Decker. “That’s when things are fresh in the minds of the workers, from people who work the ticket and food booths to the paddock area gate guards,” said Decker. Within a couple of months of the race, track manager Todd Achterberg is talking to the sponsors and maintenance projects are prioritized. Achterberg has been general manager at the Derby Track for about 10 years, handling the day-to-day operations of the facility. “He’s a snowmobile fanatic and a great people person. I saw the value in him and it didn’t take him long to learn the ropes. Now he is well known throughout the snowmobiling industry,” said Decker. Future of racing Despite a sour economy, Decker said he sees a bright future in snowmobile racing and continued growth at the Derby Track. “I really do see a future. It’s hard numberwise being at the lowest number of racers in years, but we are climbing by two to five to six every year and some of the Vintage guys are crossing over to the more modern stuff,” said Decker. “Racing is never going to go away. Our job is to keep the show the best it is and make it more than just a race.” Decker said the 50th anniversary of the race is helping build momentum for the future of racing. “So many people are coming this year because it’s the 50th. Some said they haven’t been here for 10 years, but they are coming back. I think you are going to see a renewed interest in racing. It could just
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
New technology brought the helmet cam to the Derby.
The AMSOIL Derby Track is the most well-known racetrack in snowmobiling.
World Derby extras make it best in racing While the fans come to watch the best snowmobile racers in the United States and Canada compete for world titles, they also come for the pageantry that goes along with the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Plans for the 50th anniversary include fireworks during Friday Night Thunder and an F-16 flyby Sunday afternoon. All the extras make it the greatest show in snowmobile racing. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson attended the Derby.
Skydivers at the Derby.
A Derby F-16 flyby.
The Klement’s Sausages race for the Derby fans.
Longtime flagman Ted Otto, ready for another race.
Dick Decker displays the spoils of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
The Derby celebrated the millenium with fireworks.
Racing under the lights came to the Derby Track in the 1990s, featuring Friday Night Thunder.
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
Derby fans can view 50 years of racing at the World Snowmobile Headquarters Eight snowmobile-related groups or organizations call the World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River their home. The large facility, which opened in 2006, is located just north of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Track on Highway 45 North. “With the eight different groups and organizations on display, the headquarters gives them all a physical presence they did not have,” said Tom Anderson, president of the World Snowmobile Headquarters. Of course, the World Championship Snowmobile Derby is an important part of the headquarters. The largest photo collection of past Derby racing action is on display at the headquarters with more than 250 photographs of the Derby starting in 1964, up to the present. Opened last year, the Eugene Radloff Gallery showcases the people of the Derby — fans, racers, pit crews and workers. The photo display starts with Sparky Meyer on the hill climb por-
Some of the top prizes in snowmobiling are on display.
tion of the first Derby and works its way through 1992. Group photos of the starting field in the World Championship are numerous. Found stashed in boxes in a storage shed at the Derby Track are priceless photos from many past Derby races. Some are a bit faded, but they still bring back memories of the racers and people who made the Derby possible. More than two dozen sleds that raced at the Derby are on display. Some were class winners and some won the prestigious World Championship race. The display changes every six months to include new racers. From single-track sleds of the 1970s to the sleek twintrackers of the 1980s and ’90s to the low-slung rocket sleds of today’s models, the headquarters is a premier showcase for Derby sled history. Every year since it opened in 2006, the World Snowmobile Headquarters has expanded to showcase a new group, organization or snowmobile-related program. This year is no different. With the cooperation of the Derby Track, the newly developed snowmobile reference library will serve as a facility to authenticate racing snowmobiles that are claimed to have raced or won at the Derby. The headquarters has acquired the entry form records starting from 1964, the very first year of the Derby on Dollar Lake. Entry forms include engine number, chassis number, identification of carbs, dimensions, engine size and more — all the information needed to verify if a sled is authentic and had raced at the Derby. Included are the signatures of the drivers, many of whom have died, so those too can be verified. Also included in the new library will be a collection of
From the single-track sleds of the 1970s to the twin-trackers of the 1990s, the World Snowmobile Headquarters is a premier show-
most of the national snowmobile magazines ever printed, some stage magazines, press kits from the manufacturers and other printed pieces from the past. People can visit the headquarter’s large gift shop to find a dozen or more books tracing the history of snowmobile racing over the years. Also found are cups, mugs, caps, jackets, T-shirts and other clothing items related to snowmobiling. Other goups Another display at the
headquarters is the prestigious International Snowmobile Hall of Fame that recognizes the recreational side of the sport with 92 inductees’ plaques on display, each featuring a photo of the snowmobile enthusiast. Two exceptional snowmobile museums at the headquarters feature the Antique Snowmobile Club of America and the Vintage Snowmobile Club with more than 80 classic and vintage sleds on display. Representing the Iron Dog Brigade’s 130 members is a
case for Derby sled history. There also are hundreds of photos of Derby action. —Contributed Photos
display of their history, their major events and current membership. Founded in Eagle River back in 1986, the Women on Snow have their special display area with information on past and upcoming rides. The Thirsty Dogs has hundreds of members, whose dues have contributed more than $44,000 to charity since 1985. Reflecting the tremendous contributions to the safe and enjoyable trail systems sledders enjoy is the Internation-
al Groomer of the Year program sponsored by Arctic Cat. One special club is honored each year with the International Snowmobile Club of the Year recognition. Located just one door north of the Derby Track in a long red building, the headquarters is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays from mid-December to mid-March and from mid-May through mid-October. Admission is free. For more information, call (715) 479-2186 or visit worldsnowmombilehq.com.
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
A torchlight parade through Eagle River.
In 1966, a big crowd turned out to watch Derby cross-country racers hit the finish line in downtown Eagle River.
Early scenes of the Derby
Wide World of Sports filmed the 1968 Derby.
The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby has experienced many changes over the years, from racing through downtown Eagle River to competing on snow and woodchips. The Eagle River Lions Club guided the Derby for many years, promoting the event’s attractions, including a demanding cross-country race complete with bridges. Once the event grew by the late 1960s, the event attracted media from across the Midwest. Many queens, large trophies and big cash prizes added to the pageantry. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
The Eagle River Derby cross-country course in 1968 featured several bridges.
Queens smiled for the photographer in 1969.
Lions Club member Jim Sergent introduced queens to the Derby media.
Early snowmobiles came in all shapes and styles.
Derby spectators and an official watch a race on the high-banked oval covered with snow.
Mark Zellich of TV-7 interviewed 1973 winner Bob Eastman.
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
First Derby held on Dollar Lake ___________ BY OWNER
JAKE ALWARD OF
CHANTICLEER INN
___________
“Snowmobile? What’s a snowmobile?” Those were the words from John Alward, coowner of Chanticleer Inn with his wife, Betty, to Sparky Meyer, Arctic Cat snowmobile dealer, in November 1963. John had seen these machines on a trailer in Eagle River and asked Sparky to demonstrate them at Chanticleer Inn. Sparky obliged. John bought the Arctic Cat 100 and 450E on the spot! These would groom Chanticleer’s ski hill on Dollar Lake. A short time later, while talking to Betty and Walt Goldsworthy, friend and freelance writer from Three Lakes, John decided to have a derby of snowmobile owners. The thought was to bring people to Eagle River and
ChanAMSOIL ticleer Inn to help the winter tourism season. History was made Feb. 9, 1964, as the “World’s First Snowmobile Derby” was held on Dollar Lake. This inaugural event was sponsored by the Eagle River Rotary Club. The judging committee was U.S. Forest Service personnel. There were 73 entries and the events consisted of elimination races, log roping, women’s races, balloon races, cross country, weight pulling contest, speed races and free rides for children. This was to be an afternoon of family fun. Crowds were estimated well over 1,000 people. John originally thought maybe 100 would show up. The winner was 13-year-
The hill climb was one of three events at the first Eagle River Derby at Dollar Lake in 1964.
Derby re-enactment scheduled Feb. 2 The Antique Snowmobile Club of America will hold its 2013 winter meeting at Chanticleer Inn in Eagle River Feb. 1-3, 2013, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. A re-enactment of the first Derby will take place on Dollar Lake Saturday, Feb. 2. Events will include Oval racing, the obstacle course and a hill climb. These three events will feature one class of snowmobiles built in 1966 and earlier and another class of machines built in 1967 and 1968. There will be trophies awarded for first, second and third place in each
event for each class. Miller Beer of the Northwoods will provide all the trophies, as it did in 1964 and 1965. Additionally, the Derby Track will provide trophies for People’s Choice and Best of Show categories. The Rotary Club will provide the food and run the concession stand. The Rotary was involved in the first and second derbies. Chanticleer Inn will be the host site and the Antique Snowmobile Club of America will again be the official organizer and will run all the events. Admission and parking are free of charge and all are welcome.
Jake Alward, current owner of Chanticleer Inn, has presented championship trophies at the Derby.
old Stan Hayes from Crandon, who had never driven a snowmobile before. Feb. 6 and 7, 1965, was the second annual Snowmobile Derby on Dollar Lake, sponsored by the Eagle River Lions Club. This event was bigger and attended by more people. Estimates were well over 2,000 people. The racing was up and down the ski hill, through the woods and across the parking lot and back to the lake. The winner was George Gensler from Three Lakes. From 1966 to the present, the races have been held at the current location. Many changes have occurred over the years. The Eagle River Lions Club ran the Derby with volunteers until 1985, when the Decker family purchased the facility. The Deckers continue the tradition, along with the help of volunteers. What a fabulous event for Eagle River! Fifty years of racing, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to town. Congratulations Eagle River! And thanks to all the drivers, sponsors and volunteers who have made this event the “granddaddy of all snowmobile races!” Valdi Stefanson, president of the Antique Snowmobile Club of America, announced that the organization’s 2013 winter meeting will be held in Eagle River at Chanticleer Inn to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Derby. The dates are Feb. 1-3, 2013. This will be a full weekend of celebrating the 50 years of Eagle River’s snowmobile history. The public is welcome to enjoy a re-enactment of the first Derby. This will be a chance to see those pioneer race sleds the way they raced 50 years ago. The 2013 version will follow the same path the initial 1964 race used. This, as fans will remember, used the surface of Dollar Lake and also had those early machines hill climbing on the ski hill just off the lake. There will be vintage sled displays and food and beverage concessions. Put it on your calendar for a fun weekend in the Snowmobile Capital of the World.
FIRST DERBY — The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby got its start on Dollar Lake in 1964. The first event featured snowmobilers competing in an Oval race on the lake, an obstacle course and a hill climb (above). The winner of the first event was 13year-old Stan Hayes (right) of Crandon. More than 1,000 people attended the first Derby, including several queens (below) trying out those new machines called snowmobiles. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Eliason snowmobile started sport that evolved into Eagle River Derby While Eagle River is home to the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby and is known as the Snowmobile Capital of the World, nearby Sayner in central Vilas County is the birthplace of the modern snowmobile. The community and county still carries on the snowmobiling spirit that inventor Carl Eliason began in 1924. Eliason met the needs of northern Wisconsin for a machine-powered way to get around in the deep winter snow. He succeeded in the wake of many attempts before him. In 1924, the member of a pioneer Sayner-Star Lake family mounted a small engine on a toboggan equipped with skis under the front part and a continuous tread under the rear. He patented the snow sled in 1927 and manufactured 40 of them. Upon receiving an order for 200 machines from Finland, Eliason sold the patent. The snowmobile industry took off, with the U.S. government buying 300 for military use.
Serving You Since 1951 HOME OF POND HOCKEY FEB. 8, 9, 10, 2013 F TMENT O RE-ENAC BILE DERBY MO 1ST SNOW ke
a Dollar L 2, 2013 b. e F , y a Saturd
1979, at the age of 80, and his funeral procession was fittingly a parade of snowmobiles. Many of the early day snowmobiles, including the Eliason original snowmobile, can be seen at the Vilas County Historical Museum in Sayner. Today, there are some 2 million snowmobiles in North America — a snow machine developed in Sayner just 15 miles from the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Track.
Come out and visit our fireside lounge & restaurant. MOTEL & SUITES VILLAS & CONDOS WITH FIREPLACES
This Eliason production prototype snowmobile is on display at the Vilas County Museum in Sayner. —Contributed Photo
Not surprisingly, the invention of the Eliason snowmobile led to the development of other snowmobile brands in the 1950s and ’60s. The popularity of the machines eventually led to the first Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River in 1964. Forty-nine years later, the 50th anniversary of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby will showcase the colorful history of the snowmobile, both on the trail and on the track. Eliason died in December
Congratulations on 50 Years!
(some with hot tubs)
3 Miles East of Eagle River off Hwy. 70
The Alwards
www.chanticleerinn.com PIT STOP #12 ON SNOWMOBILE TRAIL 10 EAST
Room Reservations
1-800-752-9193 715-479-4486
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VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
THANK YOU! We tip our hats to the Eagle River Lions Club, the Decker Family and the volunteers on
50 years of the best snowmobile racing anywhere! FIND WHAT YOU NEED AT Visa, MasterCard & Discover are considered cash.
Hwy. 45 N., Eagle River
715-479-6408
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1800 Hwy. 45 North • Eagle River, WI 54521 (715) 479-1600 • Fax: (715) 479-1143 Website: www.DerbyInn.com Email: DerbyInn@DerbyInn.com
Toll-Free Reservations:
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Congratulations to founders John Alward, Walter Goldsworthy and Sparky Meyer, the Eagle River Rotary, the Eagle River Lions and the Decker Family
Visit the Hall of Fame’s tribute to 50 years of the Derby, now open daily just down the road in St. Germain. sled, the Phantom. Jim Dimmerman’s 1984 winning
y Victory sled. Bobby Donahue’s 25th Anniversar
Championship flags, trophies in exhibit.
Doug Hayes’ 1976 Merc, Jim Bern at’s winning 1975 WC Polaris and two of Mike Trapp’s winning Derby sleds from 1973 and 1971 .
Hwy. 70 West at Sled World Blvd., St. Germain, WI 715-542-4463 loren@snowmobilehalloffame.com www.snowmobilehalloffame.com
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
Four-time champion Wanderscheid talks about winning at Eagle River ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR
___________
While there have been hundreds of snowmobile racers competing for the Eagle River World Championship in the 49-year history of the event, P.J. Wanderscheid of Sauk Centre, Minn., is the only four-time winner. Wanderscheid won the prestigious race for the first time in 2002 at the age of 18, won his second title in 2003 for back-to-back wins, claimed a third championship in 2006 and drove his way into the record books with a fourth victory in 2011. All of his victories have come on an Arctic Cat machine. The 29-year-old racer is looking forward to the 50th anniversary World Championship in 2013. The following are 10 questions Wanderscheid answered about his storied racing career and winning at the Eagle River Derby. Q: You shocked the snowmobile racing world in 2002 by winning the World Championship as an 18-year-old. How were you able to accomplish such a feat at such a young age?
A: We came to that race with just the expectation of just trying to qualify. We were as shocked as anyone that we won that race. The thing that set me apart from racers at the time was our physical fit aspect in racing. Until I came onto the scene, I was told racers paced themselves for the 25-lap race. I did not know any better and went wide open from lap one. I was able to do that because I trained myself to ride like that. That aspect, along with a great sled, enabled us to win that race. Q: There aren’t many back-to-back winners at the Derby. Mike Trapp did it in 1971 and ’72, Steve Thorsen in 1977 and ’78, Dale Loritz in 1994 and ’95, Dave Wahl in 1996 and ’97, Mike Houle in 1999 and 2000, Brian Bewcyk in 2008 and ’09, and yourself in 2003 and ’04. How difficult is it to repeat at Eagle River? A: It is difficult to win that race one time and to do it back to back is not any easier to accomplish. It is really something special to win that race back to back. It’s really a part of history — that’s the cool part.
Q: In 2006, you won your third title, putting you with the ranks of Jacques Villeneuve and Dave Wahl, two racing greats at Eagle River. How does it feel to be placed among those two as the most successful racers at the Derby? A: It is a goal that I always wanted to accomplish. To grow up watching these guys and now to be put in the same rankings of those two guys was really a special moment that I will not soon forget. Q: You became the first four-time winner of the Derby in 2011. How special was that moment? A: Like the previous question, it was also a goal of mine. When you tie the greats in your sport, you can’t help but want to go one step further and outdo them and go to a league of your own. That is exactly what we accomplished and it really has not totally sunk in what we have accomplished. Eagle River is a hard race to win once and its absolutely amazing we have won the event four times. Q: Each year, 25 to 35 racers from the United States and Canada attempt to win the Eagle River Derby. Why is it so difficult to come out on top? A: Each one of the racers who come to Eagle River is capable of winning that race. Not only do you have to be on your game to win the race, but you also have to have some luck to be the winner on Sunday.
P.J. Wanderscheid displays his hard-charging style in a corner during Friday Night Thunder.
Q: Fans probably picture you racing on a Kitty Cat snowmobile at a young age. How did you get started in snowmobile racing and at what age? What eventually got you to the World Championship Derby in Eagle River? A: I drove Kitty Cats as a
Professional racer P.J. Wanderscheid puts up four fingers for the photographers in Victory Cir-
kid, but did not competitively race until I was 11. At that age, I started racing in radar runs, and from there I went on to ice and grass drags. At 14, I started racing Ovals in Junior classes, from there to the Sport class, Semipro and at 18 to Pro class, and the rest is history. Q: There are so many younger racers who get involved in Sno-Cross racing. What made you get involved in Oval racing? A: At the time when I got into Oval racing, there were sponsored racers at the family dealership who raced Oval sleds, and Sno-Cross was not really around at that time. I got a chance to ride those sleds and just fell in love with it. I think I would also enjoy Sno-Cross since I am involved in ATV motocross in the summer, but Oval racing is what I grew up with.
SPILLS AND THRILLS — Most races at the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby are completed without incident, but like any professional motorsport, there are accidents at the most famous track in snowmobiling racing. Some spills captured by photographers include, clockwise from upper left, dismounting from a sled on the ice oval; crashing into the protective hay bales; helmet meeting ice durling a rollover; up and over on the Sno-Cross course; and trying to prevent a rollover. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
cle after winning his fourth World Championship in 2011. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Q: Parents, the pit crew, sponsors and fans are important to all racers. Who influences and supports you the most when it comes to snowmobile racing? A: For me, it’s all about family. My three older brothers build my race sled from the ground up. They are with me every weekend at the races. My mom and dad were also a part of racing growing up. Actually, my dad raced Arctic Cats in the 1970s, so I guess you could say it’s in my blood. My wife also supports me in my racing, so that makes life easier. I have so much support from people and racing, so I am very fortunate. Q: There have been some great races at the Derby in recent years. When looking back at your four Derby wins,
which stands out as the most special and why? A: I don’t know if one is better than the next. If I had to guess, it would be in 2011 because we made history being the only four-time winner. But definitely none of them were bad! Q: This is the 50th anniversary of the Derby, with a huge prize purse. What are your racing goals for this year and the future? A: Our goal every weekend is to win. We are going into Eagle River with the plan to make history. The money would be great, but in all honesty, we want to be the first five-time winner! It is our goal and we’re not sure if we will accomplish it, but we are going to give it 110%. No matter what happens, no one can ever take away the four wins we have.
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
50 years of Derby history A year-by-year look at the Eagle River World Championship ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH AND
ANTHONY DREW
___________
The AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River has a colorful history, ranging from the race’s beginning on Dollar Lake in 1964 to the renowned event that will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. From the champions and queens to the changes in snowmobiles and the development of the track and race by the Eagle River Lions Club and Decker family, the Eagle River Derby continues to be the “Indianapolis 500 of snowmobile racing.” The following is a year-byyear look at the Derby. 1964 — The Eagle River Lions Club held an event billed as “The World’s First Snowmobile Derby” on Dollar Lake headquartered at Chanticleer Inn. Miss Wisconsin Barbara Bonville and Vilas County Queen Ruth Stewart of Lac du Flambeau were in attendance along with thousands of spectators as nearly 100 registered snowmobilers took the track. The winner of the main event was Stan Hayes of Crandon riding a Polaris. 1965 — The Eagle River Snowmobile Derby soared into prominence across the Midwest in its second year, as Eagle River, Three Lakes and Rhinelander all hosted a portion of a 35-mile cross-country marathon snowmobile race which finished at Chanticleer Inn. Events in all three communities kicked off the Derby celebration. George Gensler won the Argosy Magazine Trophy title race in front of a crowd that topped 5,000. Wisconsin Gov. Warren Knowles attended the event along with Miss Vilas County Lauralee Alward. 1966 — The Lions Club established a new 4.2-mile course on the grounds of Pleasure Island north of Eagle River in the Derby’s third year. Rudy Spiess served as course chairman. Steve Ave of Hurley won the title race and also took second place in the 42-mile marathon race spanning
three communities. Ave’s starting rope detached before the start of the title race, but he was able to get his sled started in the five minutes given to him by officials. There were approximately 10,000 attendees and nearly 200 drivers. The Derby Queen was Sue Merril of St. Germain. 1967 — Eagle River was in the national spotlight during the fourth running of the Snowmobile Derby. Peter Jennings of ABC covered the event and also raced, while camera crews from Life and Newsweek, along with 20 newspapers and 16 television stations, documented the races. Nearly 20,000 spectators attended the redesigned 4.2-mile course over the weekend. Duane Frandsen of Pembine won the championship and $3,000 in cash rewards were presented to drivers. Among celebrity attendees were Derby Queen Carole Fricke, Miss Wisconsin Candy Hinz and Wisconsin Gov. Jack Olson. 1968 — The weekend crowd topped 20,000 for the fifth Snowmobile Derby. Steve Ave of Duluth, Minn., won the championship title after taking first place in the final 16-lap race on Pleasure Island’s quarter-mile oval. There was $5,000 in cash prizes for Derby racers. The Lions Club added three sharp dips to the speed obstacle course, along with a 30-foot Monza Wall with a cloverleaf turn. Green Bay Packers players Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke and Fuzzy Thurston were in attendance. Eagle River Derby Queen Suzanne Mietus reigned over the festivities, while Alice in Dairyland Kristin Williams also was in attendance. 1969 — A frantic snow removal project took place the week prior to the fifth running of the Lions Club’s Eagle River Snowmobile Derby after the North Woods was deluged by a record-breaking snowfall. An estimated 35,000 attendees gathered at Pleasure Island to watch 500 drivers compete for the top prize. Roger Janssen of Crookston, Minn., won the title, Russ Davis of Sayner won first in the Class B stock
The winner of the second Eagle River Derby in 1965 was George Gensler of Three Lakes
Snowmobile race fans were able to get a close view of the action from the snow-covered banks
race and Kent Pitlik of Eagle River won the Class D event. Major improvements were made at the track, including the construction of a 10-mile speed obstacle course, cyclone fences, terracing, course contouring, a new building with an underground communication system installed and a new press mobile unit. Two Ontario reporters made a 600-mile snowmobile trip to attend the Derby. Reigning over the races was Derby Queen Cindy Chart. 1970 — Subzero temperatures broke just in time for the sixth annual Snowmobile Derby, which featured approximately 35,000 attendees the Sunday of the title race. Yvonne Duhamel of Valcourt, Quebec, won the championship on a Ski-Doo, with Duane Eck of Driggs, Idaho, coming in second on a SkiDoo and Jim Bernat of Roseau, Minn., finishing third on a Polaris. Derby Queen Donna Lapp of Phelps reigned over the festivities, which included a torchlight parade through Eagle River with 2,500 luminarias and 125 snowmobile drivers. Celebrities throughout the weekend included Peter Jennings of ABC, Miss Wisconsin Cindi Anne Morgan, and Packers players Bart Starr, Lionel Aldridge, Ken Bowman, Jim Weatherwax and Doug Hart. 1971 — A severe snowstorm of near blizzard proportions shocked the North Woods during the week leading up to the Derby, as snowremoval crews struggled to deal with the aftermath in preparation of the races. The maximum field of 500 drivers competed for cash prizes totaling $20,000, the largest amount to date. Mike Trapp of Woodruff won the title race, with his cousin Wayne Trapp finishing second and Yvonne Duhamel of Valcourt, Quebec, taking third. Celebrity attendees included Miss Wisconsin Linda Johnson and Green Bay Packer Doug Hart. 1972 — A runaway snowmobile with a stuck throttle crashed through the cyclone fence on the north turn, killing 6-year-old Kris Peterson of Minneapolis, Minn., at the ninth running of the Derby. A memorial fund was set up in Peterson’s name the same day and saw an immediate outpouring of donations. The Hodag race became exclusively Rhinelanderbased after growing in popularity. Racers from Japan, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Austria and Canada made appearances at the Derby. Mike Trapp of Woodruff won his second straight title riding a Yamaha, with Gaston Ferland of Ville Varnier, Quebec, finishing second on a Ski-Doo and Ed Schubitzke of Duluth, Minn., taking third on a Ski-Doo. Derby Queen was Susan Satran of Eagle River. Celebrity attendees included Miss Wisconsin Patricia Ann Jacobs, Doug Hart and Jim Carter of the Packers, and race car driver Bobby Unser. 1973 — Thawing weather forced the cancellation of Wednesday and Thursday qualifiers in the 10th anniversary of the Eagle Riv-
of the Eagle River Derby Track in 1968, watching two Ski-Doo racers on the oval.
Snowmobile racing in Eagle River got its start on Dollar Lake in 1964, and by 1966 the Eagle Riv-
er Snowmobile Derby. A caravan of trucks carried 100 loads of sawdust to the track in an effort to prevent further thawing and salvage the onethird mile oval at Pleasure Island. The effort proved worthwhile, as estimates concluded there were more than 50,000 people in town over the weekend for the event, with more than 37,000 present the final day. Bob Eastman of Roseau, Minn., won the title race in his seventh attempt, riding a Polaris. Mike Trapp of Woodruff took second on a Ski-Doo and Jim Adema of Belmont, Mich., took third on a Sno Jet. Miss America Terry Anne Meeuwsen of De Pere was at the Derby, along with Queen Jill Ritzer of Eagle River. The Massey-Ferguson Red Nites snowmobile team demonstrated jumps and maneuvers. A new facility for the handicapped was constructed alongside the racetrack. 1974 — Despite drizzling rain and worries over a potential fuel shortage in Vilas County, more than 20,000 spectators witnessed Gilles Villeneuve of Bethierville, Quebec, win the World’s Championship Snowmobile Derby title race on an Alouette sled streamlined for racing. Taking second was Stan Hayes of Crandon on a
er Lions Club took over the race and moved it to Pleasure Island. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Polaris, while third went to Jim Bernat of Roseau, Minn. There were nearly $30,000 in cash prizes for racers. The oval track was rebuilt and enlarged to one-half mile for the 11th running of the Derby. Meanwhile, new food and concession stands were installed at the track, along with mobile home viewing areas and an improved sound
system. Celebrity attendees included Miss Wisconsin Judy Hieke and Derby Queen Melinda McIntosh, a senior at Eagle River High School. 1975 — A record crowd of nearly 40,000 people attended the World Championship Snowmobile Derby for Sunday’s main event, according To HISTORY, Pg. 15
The winner of the 1969 Derby was Roger Janssen of Crookston, Minn., who was congratulated by a queen.
A 35-mile cross-country race between Rhinelander, Three Lakes and Eagle River was
added to the Derby in 1965, with the finish in downtown Eagle River.
This was an aerial view of the 1968 Eagle River Derby, with hundreds of cars parked north of the
track. An estimated 20,000 people attended the fifth annual event.
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
History: factory-sponsored teams became popular in ’70s, ’80s FROM PAGE 14 to estimates. Cash prizes for racers totaled nearly $27,000 as Jim Bernat of Roseau, Minn., took first on a Polaris, Don Omdahl of Roseau took second on a Polaris and Stan Hayes of Fond du Lac took third riding a Mercury. Allen Decker of Marshfield, whose family would later acquire the Derby Track, took first place in the Mod Stock title race on a Ski-Doo. The Derby Queen was Lana Barclay. 1976 — Touted as the safest World Championship Snowmobile Derby to date, no serious injuries or broken bones were reported in the 13th running of the event, which boasted a full field of racers. Racing for his share of a $30,625 purse, Ed Schubitzke of Duluth, Minn., took first place in the title race riding a Yamaha. Coming in second was Bob Elsner of New London on an Arctic Cat, followed by Dave Thompson of Thief River Falls, Minn., on an Arctic Cat. Also qualifying for the title race was famed race car driver Dick Trickle, whose sled crashed on the 12th lap, sending him into the fence. Arctic Cat snowmobiles swept all but one of the top three finishes in the four fastest classes. Celebrity attendees included Derby Queen Chris Doyle of Eagle River and Miss Wisconsin Marilyn Sembell. 1977 — Factory-sponsored teams were in the spotlight for the 14th annual Derby, with Polaris sleds leading the field. Polaris factory teammates Steve Thorsen and Jerry Bunke of Roseau, Minn., took first and second place in the championship race, respectively. Ed Schubitzke of Duluth, Minn., took third riding a Ski-Doo. Team Decker of Marshfield won two of the three Mod Stock classes in 1977, as Richard and Allen Decker each got wins, riding a Moto-Ski and Ski-Doo. The crowd was in the range of 17,000 people Sunday as racers battled for a grand prize of more than $8,000 for first place in the championship. Two-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutheford was present, along with Derby Queen Jodi Jorgeson of Eagle River. 1978 — Eagle River was graced with moderate temperatures for all three days of racing in the 15th Derby, although there were more crashes than normal. Among those was a riderless sled
launching off an embankment at more than 50 mph and colliding with the Eagle River ambulance during a championship heat race. The Polaris team sled was operated by Brad Hulings of Roseau, Minn. Only three sleds finished the 15-lap title race, as Steve Thorsen of Fergus Falls, Minn., won first place and $6,100 riding a Polaris, Morio Ito of Hokkaido, Japan, took second on a Yamaha, and Todd Elmer of Evansville, Minn., took third on a Polaris. Among the attendees were Wisconsin Gov. Martin Schreiber, Miss Wisconsin Jennifer Woychik and Derby Queen Janlee Numrich. 1979 — Meyer Products and Ski-Doo jointly sponsored a one-half hour Derby program which aired across the state in promotion of the event. Paul Page, NBC’s voice of the Indianapolis automobile races, covered the 16th annual Derby. Also in attendance were Janet Guthrie, the only woman to qualify in the Indy 500 at that point, and Derby Queen Linda Betchey. Subzero weather gave way just in time for the weekend racing action. Bob Elsner of New London averaged 94 mph, setting a new track record to win the title race on an Arctic Cat. He won a 1979 four-wheel drive Jeep with a Meyer plow for a grand prize. Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids won second on a Ski-Doo and Jim Dimmerman of Thief River Falls, Minn., finished third riding an Arctic Cat. 1980 — Snowmobile inventor Carl Eliason of Sayner died at age 80 in the weeks preceeding the 17th Snowmobile Derby. The event itself was graced with mild weather and sunshine, and 687 entries — the most to date — were registered for racing. There were roughly 24,000 attendees Sunday with 40,000 people tallied for the three-day event. Jacques Villeneuve of Quebec won the title race after taking advice from his brother, Gilles, the 1974 winner, who said, “Keep it at full throttle, that’s all.” He registered the first championship win for Ski-Doo since 1970. Coming in second was Brad Hulings of Crosby, Minn., riding a Scorpion, while third place went to Jeff Biddiscombe of Spokane, Wash., on a Scorpion. Chuck Decker of Marshfield, now the owner of the Derby Track, took sixth in the race. The
Decker family racers also swept all three classes of the Super Stock division. Celebrity attendees included International Rose Queen Julie Foran and Derby Queen Margaret Burke. 1981 — A weekend crowd of 30,000 people was treated to 39-degrees and clear-blue skies for the 18th running of the Snowmobile Derby. Attendees shed their winter jackets to watch Brad Hulings of Thief River Falls, Minn., sweep all five heats with first-place finishes on his way to winning the title race Sunday on a Scorpion. Bob Elsner of New London took second on an Arctic Cat and Kevin Kimball of Waterford took third on a Scorpion. Derby Queen Polly Hansen reigned over the event. The 200-lap Pro-Enduro race also made its debut in 1981, netting $25,000 in cash prizes. 1982 — Attendance fell to its lowest point in years as the “Siberian Blizzard” brought in the coldest temperatures in the history of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Only about 10,000 people attended over the weekend. A harsh wind brought the wind chill factor to 80 below zero Saturday, while the mercury fell to 42 below zero Sunday for the championship race. Rick Hasson of Conover, whose truck would not start, braved the cold and rode his sled through woodland trails near the Wisconsin River, arriving to the track just in time to race. Jacques Villeneuve of Quebec won the title race riding a Ski-Doo, followed by Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids on a special sled and Jim Dimmerman of White Bear Lake, Minn., on a Phantom. The Derby Queen was Allison Maurice. 1983 — Ideal weather nearly doubled the amount of attendees from the previous year, as more than 20,000 spectators were at the Derby for its 20th anniversary. SnoCross made its debut, with race organizers modeling the class after motocross races with jumps, hairpin turns and banked curves. Brad Hulings of Crosby, Minn., lapped at least five drivers on his way to the championship win. He rode a Ski-Doo and earned $13,625 for the victory. Jacques Villeneuve of Quebec finished second on a SkiDoo and Jim Dimmerman of Lake Villa, Ill., won third on a Phantom. Jim Wergin of
The Decker family added Sno-Cross racing inside the ice oval to the Derby race schedule in
the late 1980s. The Sno-Cross course included part of the ice oval in the early years.
Queens have always been a big part of the pageantry of the Derby. This was a group shot of
Derby Queens who attended the 25th anniversary of the Derby in 1988.
Before racing on ice became the norm in the mid-1980s, Derby officials would place a combi-
Rhinelander earned his second straight Driver of the Year Cup after placing in six stock events, including four first-place finishes. Amy Kauzlaric reigned as Derby Queen. 1984 — Frigid weather threatened the 21st running of the Derby, but broke in time for the peak races. More than 15,000 fans were in attendance as drivers competed for their share of $50,000 in cash prizes, including $25,500 for the feature race — the largest in the world for any single racing event at that point. Jim Dimmerman of White Bear Lake, Minn., came from behind, passing nine sleds to win the event on a Phantom. Taking second was Gary Vessair of Honey Harbor, Ontario, on a SkiDoo. Peter Vandolder of Annan, Ontario, took third place riding a Ski-Doo. Chuck and Allen Decker of Marshfield took fourth and fifth places, respectively, riding Ski-Doos. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Earl was in attendance, along with Derby Queen Jamy Rickard. 1985 — Eagle River officially became the Snowmobile Capital of the World the day the 22nd World Championship Snowmobile Derby kicked off. The “Alberta Clipper” cold wave brought subzero temperatures to the area, and Derby attendance fell to 10,000 spectators and 200 drivers. Two snowmobilers from Maine embarked on an 11-day journey to the Derby grounds, saying they got lost around 20 times and had to knock on doors, sometimes at midnight, to get directions. Michel Gingras of St. Gregory, Quebec, became the fifth Canadian to win the title race. He rode a Ski-Doo. Gary Vessair of Honey Harbour, Ontario, took second on a SkiDoo and Jeff Ludwig of Kaukauna took third on a Ludwig Special. Reigning over the races was Derby Queen Eileen McNeil. Miss Wisconsin Kathy Watson also was in attingence. 1986 — Dick and Audrey Decker were new owners of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby and the Derby Track, although the Eagle River Lions Club still put on the event. Ski-Doo racers debuted twin-track sleds, sparking debates over which type of snowmobile would perform better in the title race. The racing oval was pure ice for the first time in 10 years, requiring no sawdust as a supplement. The Derby saw the largest crowd in years as 10,000 spectators were on hand Sunday to witness Jacques Villeneuve of St. Cuthbert, Quebec, win the championship riding a SkiDoo twin track. Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids took second riding a Double Vision and Allen Decker of Marshfield won third place on a Ski-Doo. Auto racers Al Unser, Bobby Unser and Al Unser Jr. were named grand marshals of the event, and Shawn Gremban was the Derby Queen. 1987 — Moderate temperatures and a barrage of promotion attracted 20,000 spectators to what was billed as the Coors World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Ski-Doo sleds swept the top eight places in the title race. Chuck Decker of Eagle River won the championship, followed by Bruce Vessair of Honey Harbour, Ontario, and Jeff Ludwig of Freedom. Numerous celebrities were in attendance, including Derby Queen Sarah Siegmeier, Miss Wisconsin Mara Nesemann,
nation of snow and sawdust on the oval in the 1970s. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Overcoming a frigid Derby in 1984, Jim Dimmerman of White Bear Lake, Minn., took the title.
Packers player Ron Hallstrom, Milwaukee Brewers player Pete Yukovich, race car driver Dick Trickle, Gov. Tommy Thompson and grand marshals Al Unser, Bobby Unser and Al Unser Jr. 1988 — The Silver Anniversary of the Coors World Championship Snowmobile Derby attracted an estimated 18,000 people for the championship race and a total of 30,000 spectators for the three-day weekend of racing. The flamboyant Bobby Donahue of Wisconsin Rapids won the title in his ninth attempt on a Ski-Doo twin track. He won a new Chevrolet pick-up truck and plow valued at $25,000 for his victory in the 25-lap race. A total of $50,000 went to the winners in the title race. Allen Decker of Eagle River placed second and Don Lilly of Prospect, N.Y., was third. Queen for the 25th Derby was Jennifer Maurer of Eagle River. Other Derby celebrities included former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Pete Vokovich, Green Bay Packers lineman Ron Hallstrom and stock car racer Dick Trickle. It was a perfect anniversary Derby, with high temperatures near 30 degrees all three days.
1989 — The combination of mild weather, a reviving snowmobile industry and good snowmobile trails brought an estimated 20,000 to the Old Style World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Bruce Vessair of Honey Harbour, Ontario, won the title race and collected $10,000. It was his second attempt at winning the race on a SkiDoo twin track. David Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., was second and three-time winner Jacques Villeneuve of St. Cuthbert, Quebec, was third. Derby Queen for the event was Kathy Egan. 1990 — Despite mild January weather, the Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby attracted an estimated 25,000 fans, with about 12,000 watching the 27th running of the title race. David Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., set a new track record in time trials on a Wahl Special sled and went on to win the championship race. He won $10,000 for the title race and another $5,000 for setting the speed record. Wahl broke his left ankle during a heat race Friday, but still beat second-place finisher Allen Decker and third-place finishTo HISTORY, Pg. 16
Steve Thorsen of Fergus Falls, Minn., won his second straight World Championship title in 1978.
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
History: Sno-Cross, Friday Night Thunder heighten program FROM PAGE 15 er Bruce Vessair in the title race Sunday. Celebrities attending the Derby included Derby Queen Becky Slizewski, Gov. Tommy Thompson, Miss Wisconsin Lynn Marie, Indy 500 announcer Paul Paige and Indy racer Bobby Unser. 1991 — As thousands of race fans attended the 28th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby, many people were preoccupied with the Persian Gulf Crisis events as the U.S.-led allied forces began a massive air attack against Iraq. But the Derby went on, with an estimated 20,000 people attending the event. Greg Goodwin of Zion, Ill., won the race, his first victory in nine attempts, on a Ski-Doo twin track. He won $10,000. Second place went to Dale Loritz of Green Bay and third went to Gary Vessair. Tonya Langley was Derby Queen. Other celebrities included the Unser racing family and Miss WisconsinUSA Kimberly Totdahl. 1992 — Two days of frigid cold followed by a day of snow didn’t stop more than 20,000 spectators from attending the 29th annual Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Wind chills were 30 to
50 below zero Saturday. Though Chuck Decker turned in the fastest time in qualifying, Gary Vessair of Honey Harbour, Ontario, became the sixth Canadian to win the race on his Ski-Doo twin track. He led all 25 laps to win $10,000 and the coveted title of world champion. Decker finished second and Greg Goodwin of Zion, Ill., was third. Hillary Long was Derby Queen. Among the celebrities at the Derby was National Hockey League star Craig Ludwig of Eagle River. 1993 — Three days of nice weather and the pageantry of the 30th anniversary World Championship Snowmobile Derby attracted about 20,000 spectators to Eagle River. While Allen Decker of Eagle River set the fastest time qualifying, Al Fenhaus of Wausau surprised the racing world with a victory in the title race on a Ski-Doo twin track, winning $12,000. Teammate Greg Goodwin of Zion, Ill., was second and Kris Vandolder of Owen Sound, Ontario, was third. Derby Queen was Laura Kaiser. The anniversary race was attended by Gov. Tommy Thompson, along with four-time Indy champ Rick Mears. 1994 — For the first time since the early 1980s, cold
Indy 500 announcer Paul Paige and racer Bobby Unser have attended many Eagle River derbies the past two decades.
weather had a major impact on the Derby as attendance dropped to about 12,000 spectators. The mercury dipped to 20 below zero Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. The cold prompted Derby Track officials to consider moving the race to a February date in the future. Dale Loritz of Green Bay passed Gary Vessair in the final turn in one of the most exciting races ever run at Eagle River. Vessair finished second and Dave Wahl finished third. There were several new Derby highlights. The first Derby racing under the lights drew about 4,000 spectators for additional racing Friday night. In addition, a new scene at the Derby Track were six new suites in three buildings on the south end of the track for sponsors and spectators. Derby Queen was Dana Miller. 1995 — During a winter marred by a lack of snow, the 32nd annual Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby gave an economic boost to the area with 20,000 fans. An expanded Friday Night Thunder show under the lights with fireworks, rock music and racing drew an estimated 8,000 fans. Dale Loritz led all 25 laps and won the title race for the second straight year on a Ski-Doo twin track Sunday afternoon. It was the first time in 17 years that there was a repeat winner. He won $10,000. Second place went to Jeff Ludwig of Freedom and Jacques Villeneuve, a three-time winner, took third. For the first time at the Derby Track, Debra Nancde and Jon Pederson of Michigan exchanged marriage vows at the start/finish line in front of 7,000 fans. Derby Queen was Bobbie Jo Brock. 1996 — Despite a Thursday night snowstorm and temperatures that dipped to 20 below zero Friday night, about 20,000 fans attended the 33rd World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Dave Wahl of Greenbush,
Gary Vessair of Honey Harbour, Ontario, waved to the crowd after winning the 1992 champi-
Minn., won the title race for the second time, winning $15,000 on his sled, a Wahl Special. Dale Loritz placed second and racing rookie Jeremy Johnson of Carlyle, Saskatchewan, placed third. A total of $125,000 in cash and prizes were paid out to the top finishers Derby weekend — proof that it remains a world-class event. Wahl became the sixth racer to win the championship twice. Another three-story suite was added for fans and sponsors on the north end of the track. Derby Queen was Rachel Drayna. 1997 — In what was billed as the best Derby in four years, more than 20,000 people attended the 34th running of the Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Among the highlights
onship on his Ski-Doo twin-track. The queen was Hillary Long. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTO
of the weekend were SnoCross racing inside the ice oval, a fireworks display during Friday Night Thunder and the Northern Lights Air Show. The first Sno-Cross races were billed as “stadium motocross on ice and snow.” Defending champion Dave Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won his third world title in the final year of racing Formula I twin-track sleds on the ice oval. Wahl won $10,000. Dale Loritz finished second and Bruce Vessair third. In a sneak preview of the 1998 title race class, Terry Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won the Champ 440 race. Sherry Jahnz was Derby Queen. 1998 — A new title class and expanded Sno-Cross racing inside the ice oval helped draw an estimated 20,000
people to the 35th anniversary of the Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Terry Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., won his first title race in the new Champ 440 class on a Ski-Doo. He won $10,500. Jacques Villeneuve took second and Mike Houle of Wyoming, Minn., was third. Among the celebrities at the Derby were Gov. Tommy Thompson, 44-year Eagle River Mayor Donald “Pike” Dyer and Derby Queen Emily LaFriske. A new indoor viewing stand on the west side of the Derby track was unveiled, with warm indoor seating for about 500 spectators, bringing the total indoor seating to about 2,000 spectators. In addition, an Expo Hall was added at the track for indoor display areas, To HISTORY, Pg. 17
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
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50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
History: race schedule expands with more than 600 entries FROM PAGE 16 indoor restrooms and concessions. Derby registration volunteer Bud Rismon was presented an Eagle Award for 35 years of volunteer work at the Derby. In addition, the Vilas County News-Review was presented an Eagle Award for outstanding coverage of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. 1999 — Despite a snowstorm that dropped nearly a foot of snow on Eagle River Friday and Saturday, an estimated 20,000 people attended the 36th annual Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Single-track veteran Mike Houle of Wyoming, Minn., won the title race in his second try on a Ski-Doo. He won the 25-lap feature race and $10,000 from the Derby and $5,000 in contingency money from Bombardier, the makers of SkiDoo sleds. Dale Loritz finished second and Jacques Villeneuve third. Meanwhile, in the Stock classes, Chad Ramesh of Land O’ Lakes took five first-place finishes, winning more than $10,000. The Sno-Cross events were expanded to 12 Pro and Semi Pro classes. Derby Queen was Amy Welzien. 2000 — The 37th annual Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby was ranked as among the best for the four-day event, including two full days of Sno-Cross racing as the popular event was expanded to 23 classes. On the ice oval, Mike Houle won his second straight world championship on a Ski-Doo. He was the eighth racer to win two or more titles. His victory won him a Victory motorcycle valued at $16,000. Second place went to Terry Wahl and third to Jacques Villeneuve. Leading up to the Derby, track officials and state leaders discussed the possibility of bringing pari-mutuel betting to the Derby Track. Reigning over the festivities was Derby Queen Janlee Alward. 2001 — An expanded racing schedule, with more than 600 entries in Oval and SnoCross classes, helped attract 20,000 people to the 38th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby. After crashes took out four of the five fastest sleds, Jeremy Johnston of Arcola, Saskatchewan, won the title race on a Ski-Doo. Chris Hortness of Bienffait, Saskatchewan, was second and Jason Looker of Weyauwega was third. Six racers did not finish the race due to accidents or mechani-
cal failure. Johnston won $10,000, along with $3,000 in contingency money from SkiDoo. Derby Queen was Julie Munz. 2002 — A poor season for winter recreation didn’t hurt the grandest event in snowmobile racing as an estimated 25,000 spectators watched four days of racing at the 39th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby. P.J. Wanderscheid, 18, of Sauk Centre, Minn., surprised race officials when he qualified for the Top 10 Saturday and then he shocked the 10,000 race fans Sunday with the most stunning Cinderella victory in the race. He won a Victory motorcycle valued at $15,000. The win gave Arctic Cat its first championship in 23 years. Second place went to Jeremy Johnston of Arcola, Saskatchewan, and third went to Jeff Ludwig of Freedom. With an expanded SnoCross program, total entries for the weekend climbed to more than 1,000. The finals in Oval racing Sunday were marred by a serious crash involving racer Ed DeVault of Cottage Grove. DeVault was driving his Arctic Cat in the Pro Stock 440 F/C class when he crashed into the outside wall coming out of turn four. DeVault was taken by ambulance to Eagle River Memorial Hospital, stabilized and then flown by Spirit of Marshfield helicopter to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. DeVault, who sustained severe head injuries, died Nov. 14, 2002. Celebrities at the Derby included Derby Queen Brittany Krueger and Gov. Scott McCallum. 2003 — The Eagle River economy, hurt by a snow drought, got a boost from the 40th anniversary World Championship Snowmobile Derby as an estimated 30,000 attended four days of racing. P.J. Wanderscheid ducked low in the third turn of lap 23, grabbed the lead and held on to win his second straight title on an Arctic Cat in the 25-lap feature race that included two restarts. Wanderscheid, who won $10,000, became the sixth racer to win back-to-back titles, putting his name with the likes of Mike Trapp, Steve Thorsen, Dale Loritz, Dave Wahl and Mike Houle. Second place went to Philip Moulton of Goshen, N.H., and third went to Jeff Ludwig of Freedom. Tucker Hibbert of Goodridge, Minn., thrilled Sno-Cross fans by sweeping the Pro events. The weekend was marred by an accident on the ice oval that killed racer Phillip “Flip”
Flagman Ted Otto interviewed veteran racer and three-time champ Jacques Villeneuve prior to the title race in 2007.
Hard-charging Sno-Cross racers have their own World Championship at the Eagle River Derby
The Parts Unlimited Friday Night Thunder continues to be one of the most popular activities for fans at the AMSOIL World Champi-
Merwin, 28, of Wausau Saturday during the Champ 440 last-chance qualifying race. Witnesses said Merwin had completed turn four and was heading down the front straight when his sled suddenly veered right, sending him into a wall of wood and posts. Merwin was remembered Sunday afternoon before the world championship event, as a crowd of 10,000 watched his pit crew and sponsors slowly pull his racing trailer on a reverse lap around the oval. Celebrities at the Derby included Derby Queen Jessica Pollack and Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Kevin Shibilski. 2004 — It was a third straight winter without much snow, but an estimated 30,000 people attended the 41st annual Derby. Larry Day of Lyman, Maine, who led for 22 laps, lost the lead to P.J. Wanderscheid. But Day made up five sled lengths in the final turn as Wanderscheid went low and got caught up in lap traffic. Day went high and passed Wanderscheid in turn four for the win on his Arctic Cat and the first-place prize of $10,000. Wanderscheid finished second and Jeff Ludwig of Freedom was third. The high-flying Pro Sno-Cross racers from the World Snowmobile Association put on a hard-charging show for fans, with D.J. Eckstrom of Aurora, Minn., winning the Sno-Cross Pro Open world title. Derby Queen Carmen Williquette reigned over the festivities. 2005 — Subzero temperatures resulted in attendance at the 42nd annual Derby being down about 30%. Wind chills for Friday Night Thunder were down to 40 below zero. Track officials estimated about 20,000 people attended the four days of racing. Gary Moyle of Houghton, Mich, won the championship. In an exciting finish, Moyle ducked low between corners one and two on lap 24 to slip past the favored Terry Wahl to give Arctic Cat its fourth straight victory. Moyle won $10,000. Wahl finished second and Dan Fenhaus of Wausau was third. Josh Zelinski of Bath, Mich., won the SnoCross Open title. Despite the cold weather Friday night, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle was on hand to present Derby Track owner Chuck Decker the Putting Wisconsin on the Map Award, the state’s highest honor given for promoting a single significant tourism
in the Pro Open class, competing for big cash prizes and trophies.
event or travel destination in Wisconsin. Saturday’s raceday festivities were highlighted by an F-16 flyby. Derby Queen was Sarah Besish. 2006 — Boosted by a huge Friday Night Thunder crowd, the 43rd annual Valvoline World Championship Snowmobile Derby attracted about 25,000 fans. P.J. Wanderscheid of Sauk Centre, Minn., became a three-time champion on his Arctic Cat, catching Terry Wahl at the end of lap 23 and going on for the win. He won a HarleyDavidson motorcycle. Second place went to Wahl and third to Mark Mondus of Hudson. Trevor John of Cross Lake, Minn., won the Sno-Cross Pro Open title. For the first time at the Derby, Jimmy Blaze performed a back flip on a snowmobile Friday night in front of 10,000 fans. Celebrities at the Derby included stock car racer Dick Trickle, Indy 500 champion Bobby Unser, NASCAR racer Tim Sauter and Derby Queen Sara Watts. 2007 — Poor trail conditions didn’t stop an estimated 32,000 people from attending the 43rd annual AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Gary Moyle won his second straight title on an Arctic Cat. He passed Canadian Brian Bewcyk on turn four of the eighth lap and in the final 17 laps, nobody could catch him. He won $10,000. Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minn., finished second and Matthew Schulz of Wausau was third. A flyby of two F-16s thrilled fans Sunday afternoon. Jeff Ludwig of Freedom announced his retirement, but won the Top Gun Shootout in Champ 440 Friday night, taking the “fastest man on ice” honors. Chris Kafka of Stratford won the Sno-Cross Pro Open World Championship. Derby Queen was Nicole Musial. Other celebrities included stock car legend Dick Trickle and NASCAR racer Rick Bickle. 2008 — With the wind chill factor hitting 35 below zero, about 30,000 people attended the 45th annual event. Canada’s Brian Bewcyk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, got the hole shot from the pole position and led for 24 of the 25 laps on his Ski-Doo. He only lost the lead for one lap during lap 18. He won $10,000 from the Derby and another $10,000 in tools from Snap-On Tools. Gary Moyle finished second and Dan Fenhaus third. Chris Oatman, the voice of the Derby for more than a decade, called his final World Championship Sunday afternoon and longtime Eagle River Derby flagman Ted Otto announced the Derby would be his last event. The legendary USSA flagman had been flagging Eagle River racers since 1975. Yuji Nakazawa of Minocqua won the Sno-Cross World Championship. Derby fans also paid tribute to Sgt. Tyler Joseph Kritz, an Eagle River native who lost his life June 3, 2007, on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He died 28 days short of his 22nd birthday. Rebecca Jensen reigned over the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. 2009 — Two days of frigid temperatures and a struggling economy affected Derby attendance as an estimated 18,000 people watched four
onship Snowmobile Derby. The night show attracts 8,000 to 10,000 people each year. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
First-time Derby winner Nick Van Strydonk of Tomahawk and Derby Queen Victoria Perkins posed for photographers.
days of racing at the 46th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Brian Bewcyk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, joined an elite list of iceoval racing greats, getting the hole shot from his pole position and never trailing for 25 laps, to win his secondstraight world title on a SkiDoo. Bewcyk received $10,000, a Snap-On tool chest and $2,500 from Jimmy John’s. Second place went to Dan Fenhaus of Wausau and third to Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minn. Chris Kafka of Stratford won the SnoCross Pro Open title. Derby festivities included an F-16 flyby and a salute to the military. Derby Queen was Jennifer Kennedy. 2010 — While the economy was on the downturn, mild winter weather helped draw about 20,000 to the 47th running of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. For the first time in several years, fans didn’t have to endure subzero temperatures for the Derby. Matt Schulz of Wausau led all 25 laps to win the title race on a Polaris. It was the first time a Polaris won the event since 1978. He won $10,000 and another $10,000 from Jimmy John’s. Second place went to P.J. Wanderscheid and third went to Malcolm Chartier of Marine City, Mich. Darrin Mees of St. Cloud, Minn., won the SnoCross Pro Open class. Derby Queen was Courtney Weber. 2011 — Despite a poor economy nationwide, about 20,000 people attended the 48th annual AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. P.J. Wanderscheid became the first four-time winner of the race, passing former champ Gary Moyle in the final lap. It was the first title race under a new split format where racers put in 15 laps, had a mandatory pit for five minutes on the front straight, and then finish with 15 laps. Moyle led at the halfway point. Jacques Villeneuve of St. Cuthbert, Quebec, the senior racer on the circuit, finished third after starting in the second row.
Ross Martin of Kansasville won the Sno-Cross Pro Open title. After 17 years, the Parts Unlimited Friday Night .er program continued to be one of the most popular attractions at the Derby, featuring fireworks, motorcycle races and the Sweet Sixteen Pole Position event where the winner went to the pole in Sunday’s championship race and was able to sit out Saturday’s brutal qualifying races. As part of a military salute Derby weekend, each day, a different branch of the military was recognized and displayed the colors prior to racing. In addition, a KC 135 refueler jet flew over the Derby grounds Sunday. Derby Queen Andrea Sergent reigned over the festivities. 2012 — Thousands of spectators converged on Eagle River for the 49th running of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Cold weather Friday night and poor road conditions Sunday limited the overall attendance to about 18,000 fans. Nicholas Van Strydonk of Tomahawk passed Matt Schulz of Wausau in turn four of the final lap to win the title race on a Polaris. Schulz led for 29 laps in the 30-lap race, including at lap 10 during the mandatory pit stop. For Van Strydonk, it was his first Derby win. He won $10,000 from AMSOIL and $10,000 from Jimmy John’s. Schulz finished second and Dustin Wahl was third. Some of the other highlights of the Derby included the introduction of the Outlaw 600 class sleds, featuring the racer sitting in a cockpitstyle machine, a salute to military personnel Friday night and the marriage of Scott and Jessica Farr on the track. The highlight of Friday Night Thunder was the introduction of the TLR Cup Sweet Sixteen pole position race won by Brandon Johnson of Greenbush, Minn. Inside the ice oval, Tim Tremblay of St. Cloud, Minn., won the SnoCross Pro Open event. Reigning over the festivities was Derby Queen Victoria Perkins.
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VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
50TH ANNIVERSARY DERBY
Snomo Hall of Fame in St. Germain celebrates 30 years since inception ___________ BY ANTHONY DREW NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR
___________
As the World Championship Snowmobile Derby checks off its 50th year in Eagle River, another wellknown snowmobiling establishment will hit a major milestone this season. The Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Germain will observe its 30th year preserving snowmobiling history and paying tribute to the sport’s luminaries. The concept for the Hall of Fame came about in 1982 when Loren Anderson, now of Minocqua, questioned why no one was keeping track of the exciting history of snowmobile racing. While trail riding with Mike Trapp and C.J. Ramstad in 1983, Anderson brought up the subject. Trapp is a two-time Derby world champion, Anderson secured the No. 1 spot in Open and 650 classes and Ramstad said he had an extensive photo library detailing the history of racing. “Before that day’s riding was over, we decided that a museum and a Hall of Fame should be created to honor the race drivers and to display their unique and exciting sleds,” said Anderson. They held their first orga-
nizational meeting that year in Minocqua, and by the following year, they had organized the first Ride With The Champs leaving from Bosacki’s Boathouse, which served to raise funds for the future Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum. Riders from throughout the Midwest spent an entire day Jan. 27, 1984, riding with the first celebrity guests, including Steve Ave, Allen Decker, Mike Decker, Jim Dimmerman, Bobby Donahue, Bob Eastman, Bob Elsner and Mike Trapp. In the mid 1980s, the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum was incorporated and received tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3). The tradition of Ride With The Champs continued in the following years, as famed racer Al Unser Jr. joined the ranks in 1987. Then headquartered in Eagle River, participants again spent the day riding through scenic area trails. The Hall of Fame held its first induction ceremony 25 years ago in Eagle River. By 1989, the Hall had opened its first museum at a rented space, also in Eagle River. The next 11 years saw the
Historic racing snowmobiles are displayed in the museum, including some driven by championship drivers.
Displays at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Germain document the past 50 years of racing at the Snowmobile
establishment relocated three times, as the Hall spent time in Minocqua before finding its way to two different locations in St. Germain. The Hall of Fame and Museum moved one more time in 2008, when organizers held a grand opening for their very own facility on Sled World Boulevard in St. Germain. Today, the museum displays more than 60 historic sleds, while featuring exhibits of photos and memorabilia commemorating the sport of snowmobile racing. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, the hall is located at 8481 Highway 70 W., just one
Being at the Derby is priceless for these fans on top of a motorhome.
mile west of the St. Germain Chamber of Commerce office, at Sled World Boulevard. Museum hours increase after the trails open (call ahead). In the winter, the museum is accessible by snowmobile trails that run along Highway 70 near the facility. “All operations are in one location — on the beautiful 20-acre Hall of Fame campus,” said Anderson. “The new Warning Gallery has added 5,000 feet of exhibit space.” Visitors can look at the exhibits and read the exciting histories of more than 40 inductees into the Hall of Fame. Videos of famous and historic races also play in the mini theater. Sleds of some of the Hall
Derby. First initiated in 1983, the Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary. —Contributed Photos
of Famers are on display. Many makes of snowmobiles have been donated to the Hall, ranging from Polaris, Arctic Cat, Yamaha and SkiDoo to Moto-Ski, Chaparral, Bolens and Ariens. Clothing worn by racers through the years is also on display. “Stop in and see historic race sleds, trophies, clothing and the Ramstad photo collection,” said Anderson. “Championship sleds on display include Oval, enduro, hill climb, cross-country, water cross, Sno-Cross and drag sleds raced by championship drivers such as Karpik, Wicht, Musselman, Coltom, Hayes, Elsner, Solem, Bernat, Fransen, Nelson, Bender, Maki, Hibbert,
Photographing and cheering on a favorite racer.
Derby fans make race Thousands of race fans converge on the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby Track in Eagle River each January to watch the greatest race in snowmobiling. They come to watch the races, meet old friends and take in the pageantry of the Derby. While there is great action on the track, watching the Derby fans is a spectacle in itself. Many make a trip to the Derby an annual event. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS
Tossing Jimmy John’s sandwiches to the fans.
Donning crazy head gear on the AMSOIL Derby Track bank.
Morgan and Vincent.” The Hall will hold its 30th annual Ride With The Champs Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, starting and ending at Whitetail Inn in St. Germain. The 2013 Hall of Fame inductees will be honored that evening. Memberships to the Hall are available as follows: individual annual, $25; individual life, $500; business annual, $100; and business life, $1,000. For information on the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Germain or to make a donation to the new building, contact Anderson at (715) 542-4488 or visit the museum website at snowmobilehalloffame.com.
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
JANUARY 2013
RIDE
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Salute! The Eagle River Rotary Club, the founding organization and coordinator of the first World Championship Snowmobile Derby on Dollar Lake, with the help of the late John Alward, a Rotarian, salutes the Eagle River Lions Club, the Decker Family and the volunteers for carrying the torch forward to reach 50 years.
Hats off to the oldest, grandest snowmobile racing event in history!
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JANUARY 2013
VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS
World Snowmobile “HQ� is Home to Eight Groups Many snowmobile groups or organizations did not have a physical presence until the “HQ� was opened in 2006. Now, eight worthy groups can call the HQ home and showcase their program in this large facility next to the Derby Track on Hwy 45 North. “Our eight different groups call the Headquarters home and showcase their snowmobile related programs in this one facility. They now have a physical presence that they did not have in the past,� said Tom Anderson, president of the World Snowmobile Headquarters. The most impressive display is the prestigious International Snowmobile Hall of Fame that honors and recognizes the recreational side of the sport with 92 inductee’s photo plaques on display. These are the true pioneers, developers, volunteers, journalists, industry, inventors, adventurers, promoters, trail and program developers who built and continue to keep the sport active and viable. Theirs is a great heritage and the HQ is proud to present them to the snowmobile community and to honor them. With the cooperation and sponsorship of the Derby Track, the World Championship Derby Hall of Fame987675493829154390/9.-6625497,93829+25*)9 with their photo plaques on display. At this year’s +25*)9 3829 16('9 &'(449 .-''9 *29 -6%$&32%#9 "'(69 379 (3tend the gala celebration at the 50th Anniversary of this most famous race. Along another wall is the Radloff Derby Gallery featuring a huge display of Derby photos starting ,57!93829154395(&29-69 #9 8-49-! 5244- 29&7''2&tion highlights the faces of racers, and crews as they competed for the title of “World Champion�. Two exceptional snowmobile museums feature the Antique Snowmobile Club of America and the Vintage Snowmobile Club with over 80 classic and vintage sleds on display. They are rotated frequently to keep the display new and interesting. Representing the Iron Dog Brigade’s9 / 9!2!bers is a display of their history, their major events and current membership.
7$6%2%9-69 ( '29 - 259*(& 9-69 93829Women on Snow have their special display area with info on past and upcoming rides. Thirsty Dogs count hundreds of members who’s dues have contributed over $44,000 to charity 4-6&29 #9 759 9)7$9&(69 7-6938-49,$69&'$*938(39 only has one rule: “There ain’t no rules.� Join up at the “HQ�. 2 2&3-6 93829352!26%7$49&7635-*$3-76493793829 safe and enjoyable trail systems we all enjoy is the International Groomer of the Year program sponsored by Arctic Cat. This year’s winner was Jerry Emery of Aitkin, MN. Keeping our trail system funded and intact are the thousands of clubs in the snowbelt. We honor one special club each year with the International Snowmobile Club of the Year recognition. This year’s winner was the Osgoode Carleton club from Ottawa, Ontario. Then there is the large Gift Shop with hundreds of snowmobiler oriented specialty items including books, magazines, DVDs, photos, cups, t-shirts, jackets, clothing and tapes. Just in is a large collection of snowmobile jewelry donated to the HQ with many items selling for under $5. (&89)2(593829 9-49 -4-32%9*)97 259/ 9467.mobile fans who come to see the history of the sport and trace the development of the machines that made it winter’s number one pastime. “We have 7,500 square feet of displays and there is something for everyone who stops in,� said Bob Mendlesky, the HQ’s administrator and former mechanic for Doug Hayes of the famous Mercury SnoTwister race team. “A common remark is, ‘That -4938294'2%9 9'2(562%976#9 5 938(39.(49!)915439467.mobile. Wish I would have kept it,’ “ he added. The HQ is next door to the Derby Track and welcomes you with free admission. Hours at the HQ are Monday through Saturday ,57!9 9(!9379 9 !9,57!9!-% +2&#93857$ 89!-% March and from mid-May through mid-October. 2'2 9 0 #9 82& 9 3829 .2*4-329 (39 www. worldsnowmobilehq.com.
The HQ has 7,500 square feet of pure snowmobile history behind its many doors. The long red building located just north of the +25*)9 5(& 9%5(.497 259/ 9 -4-375492(&89)2(59(49-39487.&(4249 eight different snowmobile related groups, organizations and the rich history of the sport and the Derby Track.
7$6%2%9-69 93829 63256(3-76('9 67.!7*-'29 (''97,9 (!29 honors those pioneers who worked so hard to develop, grow and maintain the sport of recreational snowmobiling. Their photos (6%9-6%$&3-769&5-325-(9(529%-4 '()2%97691 29.(''497,93829 #9
Every September the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame -6%$&34942 25('962.9!2!*254#9 690 9 52%9 7 9&26325 9.(49-6ducted. Shown here with his son, Brian, and grandson, Ben. Fred *$-'39 7 9 5(&94'2%49-6938292(5')9 49(6%9&$55263')982(%49$ 9"(5349 Unlimited Corporation.
The newly formed Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby Hall of Fame showcases the plaques of the winning drivers ,57!9 93793829 524263#9 82916('9&'(449.-''9*29-6%$&32%9(39(9 special ceremony during the celebration of the 50th Derby.
Recalling a bit of their racing history are Bob Eastman and Roger Janssen at the weekend activities during their induction into the 75'%9 8(! -7648- 9+25*)9 (''97,9 (!29-690 #
829!(-69487.9 7759%-4 '()97,97 259 9(63- $29(6%9 -63( 294'2%49 is guarded by the photo plaques of the 92 inductees into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame. These are the people who
worked so hard to develop, promote and maintain the recreational 4-%297,938294 753#9"258( 4976297,9382429-4938294'2%938(39)7$915439 '2(562%9769759)7$5915439467.!7*-'2#
1521 North Railroad Street One door North of Derby Track
(715) 479-2186 www.worldsnowmobilehq.com
The huge gift shop counts over two dozen reference and history books on snowmobiling. Also available are numerous hats, caps, mugs, cups, jewelry and other snowmobile related gift items.