FEB/MAR 2013
Vol. 4 Issue 2
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Page 10 Front Cover Photo by WholeShotMX.com
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OWNER PRESIDENT – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719
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Special Features
Jordon Lokken ..............................................6
Photographers/Writers BILLY BOYLE DAN JACOBSON SR CEAJA PHILP TOM EDWARDS BRAD COPLAN JENNA OSTERLUND MATT PETERSON MYLIE LAVOLD KIM NILES JOHN LENTZKOW
Jack Sisemore – Tribute Bike ........................16
Next Generation – Sterry Family Racing ......20 Ricekiller – Turbocharged Hayabusa............24
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Legends – Jerry Hauck ...............................30
First Drag Race ...........................................36
ADVERTISING STAFF SALES – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719 Ceaja (CJ) Philp ceaja@wheelsofthunder.net 763-458-5019 WISCONSIN - Brad Coplan bradc@wheelsofthunder.net 715-497-8090 IOWA - John Lentzkow John.lentzkow@mchsi.com 319-239-1375
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Round 4 Grassroots Racing Series................28
ISOC Racing...............................................50
Departments
Garage Built ...............................................10
Boiling Point................................................12 On The Calendar - Curtis Wise Jr .................33
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Caleb Moore..............................................54
Rally’s & Shows
SUBSCRIPTIONS All content published herein is owned exclusively by Midwest Wheels of Thunder Magazine. Reproduction or further dissemination of the content herein is strictly prohibited without the express written authorization of Midwest Wheels of Thunder Magazine.
Youth Movement – Frattalone Racing ...........44
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Off The Beaten Path ....................................40
ABATE of MN.............................................42
Game On!..................................................56
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JORDAN LOKKEN #13
M
otorsports athletes take a beating in their respected fields, no matter if they are on two wheels, four, tracks, or water, so taking a breather or doing conditioning training in their 'off-season' would make sense. Jordan Lokken, of Lake Vermillon, Minnesota says he took his 'breather' from racing after his first two title year championships when he moved to South Dakota. During the three years he was gone the itch to compete never left. Page 6
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Written by Ceaja Philp
Shaving Ice and Throwing Dirt
How did he get to that point? Well, at age 19 he made a decision he was going to race quads, that simple! He had messed with the idea of sleds and motocross, but quads appealed to him more. So during the fall of his first year of college he found a 2005 Yamaha YFZ 450, and he been to enough races and done enough research to know what he needed to do to it in order to have it ready for its first ice race. He only had three months but Jordan had no worries, just dove right in and had it ready by race day.
Having never raced before, he was still able to take 3rd place his first go at it. From there it was game on! Jordan won that season's Class C overall points championship on his 450, which meant the next season he would automatically be bumped up to Class B. Again Lokken was able to come out on top, winning the Class B overall championship. This would again have moved him up the ranks, but this was when he made his move to South Dakota, so that next season Class A would be without Jordan. When the time came for him to move back to Minnesota, he couldn't help but think about getting back to racing. It happened to be going into summer about the time they came home, so he figured why not let his four year old son, Zane take a shot at dirt track. With getting that going he held off until mid season to get started himself. Jordan still had his 2005 and with a few modifications was able to start all over learning a new track under his tires in the AMA ProAm D23 series. He made the decision quickly to change things up however and found the seat of a 2009 Yamaha YFZ, which created the perfect match. He pulled out a 2nd place win the summer of 2011. Turning around the winter of 2012 he found himself in 4th overall in the Pro class on ice. His success has come back quickly, grab-
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trophies already. As little sister Ayla patiently waited until she could get out on the track at age four, she was her dad and brother's biggest fan. Finally she would get her chance, taking 2nd in overall her very first summer out in the 50/70cc stock class. This is her first winter racing, but is holding her own being young and the only girl in the class. Jordan
bing the overall championship points in 2012 for the D23 Flat Track Pro and ProAm. Jordan's goal is to help his kids make Pro at the National level, and keep the family experiences with his two children, 7 year old son Zane, and 5 year old daughter, Ayla going for years to come. Zane has already made quite the name for himself, starting at only 4 years old, winning overall his first year out. In 2011 he moved up to running two classes, the 50/70 and 90cc. Again he won overall on
his APEX 70cc. 2012 was another repeat for Zane, taking the points championship in the 90cc class. He is also following in his dad's footsteps racing year around and take home the hardware, having over 150
chuckled as he told me about how proud she was to get a win like her brother had one weekend and on the ride home turned around to see her asleep in the back seat still holding tightly onto her trophy. Jordan says the trailer and Lokken Team Racing are always ready to go racing, ice or dirt! He says it's like a Christmas countdown in their home, only it's counting the days until they get to race again, and even though he has set goals for himself, it's the kids and their happiness that keep his drive going. Jordan would like to give special thanks to those who help him and the kids continue doing what they enjoy so much; MotoExperts, Hettrick Racing, Glendale Sales & Service, Maximum RPM, Elka Shocks, Rath Racing, Motowoz, and Zups Foods of Cook , Minnesota.
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1970 Chevelle 2008 Polaris IQ SS 800“CLONE”
Owner: Jon Lechner Written By. Tanner Wolfe Photography by: Tanner Wolfe
“I wanted a street/strip car that I could also drive to work and take to the track, and it has exceeded my expectations and I'm not done!” ~Jon Lechner
Stock Original This is where it all started!
Sound Familiar? Do you have a story of your custom ride? E-mail editor@wheelsofthunder.net and you could be featured with your ride in the next issue!
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This car has undergone quite an extensive face lift. Being from Texas everything from the doors, rockers and roof were replaced leaving the floor as one of the salvageable parts on the car. In his garage that has been converted into a body shop/paint booth Jon installed the rear quarters, did all the body work, installed the racing cage and painted. Buying the car off of his brother Joe in Breckenridge, Tx who originally intended to restore the but at the time Jon had a 71’ Chevelle SS that was also black but only packing a 402 and decided it was time to part with the 71’ and move onto a new project with “Power” as the theme. Now finished the car runs 11-70’s at 115mph. And in time will make its way back to the brother because a new project is around the corner. Possibly moving on to an A-Body wagon or who knows Chevelle’s are just in his blood. CAR INFORMATION: Engine: Stock Crate 502c.i/502 HP with roller rockers added Hooker headers & Mufflers 3” with x-
February 2013
pipe Eeromotive Fuel System w/ sump in stock tank Transmission: 700R Transmission 3500 stall Jegs line-lock Quick Performance 9” Ford rear end & spool w/ Mosier 35 spline axles. Used 3.80 to 1 gears from Nascar. Aluminum Center. 3” Drive shaft from fastshaft and a safety loop 4 wheel disk brakes Aluminum Radiator with twin electric fans Auto meter gauges with simpson belts Rear Supspension-South Side Machine Lift bars: Summit adjustable drag shocks 442 rear springs Front Suspension: Hotchkis upper control arms. Camaro spindles, AQ-1 aluminum coil Billet Specialties “Street Light” 15x6 front & 15x10 rear BF Goodrich Radial TA 225-70 Front, 275-60 Rear
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Written by Billy Boyle
“YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE HEART” February is the month for lovers and romance and that is symbolized by the Valentine heart, but February is also Heart awareness month. Why you ask? Well my friends’ Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Bad diets, lack of physical fitness, no health insurance, and stress are key factors in shutting the heart down. For the readers that can remember how life once was, let me take you down memory lane and for the young energetic generation here’s what you missed. Do you recall how simple life was before all the technology hit the market place. I remember this in the 1960’s, my dad working an 8 hour shift and sitting at the dinner table 20 minutes after leaving work. You see in those days we didn’t have the congested roadways we have today in 2013 and my dad didn’t have to deal with the stress of commuting. That was the course for the week day, every week. We sat down as a family, we actually talked at the dinner table about what was going on in each other’s day, work, school, sports, events, planning summer vacations. Life was simple; we didn’t have cell phones at the dinner table texting, Googling, or Facebooking. We didn’t have Xbox, IPads, and IPods. We had good old fashioned conversation and face to face arguments. If someone had an issue with you, we put it right there on the table. There was no chicken shit postings on websites, maybe an occasionally scribbling on the men’s room walls, but usually you found out quickly and handled it. We sat and watched the usual weekly TV programs, Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke, Mr. Ed, Bonanza, Beverly Hillbillies to name a few. We watched them in the comfort of our small livingroom, we laughed, winced, we got quiet, but the bottom-line we sat as family. On Sundays, at least in Boston, Massachusetts we had what they called the Blue Laws Page 12
that literally dated back to the Pilgrims. Basically everything was closed, Sunday was considered the Lord’s day, what we called a day of rest. The only establishments open were Taverns that had to serve bar type food on the bar only, (another law dating back to the Patriots, Tavern owner Sam Adams in 1776), and a few restaurants. On Sundays, my Grandfather dressed in a suit and tie and would pick up our family and take us on a drive to a park or beach and treat us to an ice cream. Crammed in the back of the 1954 Pontiac, my mother and father along with my 3 sisters and my brother, we sat on laps, without seatbelts. ‘Without seatbelts you say?!?’, the good reason they weren’t available in cars then and we still lived. Another good point to living a longer life, the drivers of yesteryear actually obeyed the speed limits and respected the rules of the road. Sunday always ended with a big dinner followed by the Ed Sullivan show and then bed….school tomorrow. And it started all over again on Monday. I don’t ever recall my mother or father stressing out over lots of bills, some bills yes, but not what we are
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geared too in 2013. Snap shot ahead to our current situation, the family structure in a lot of cases is long gone. We are moving so fast as a family there isn’t any quality time to wind down. Here’s an observation to pay attention to the next time you are out for dinner, scan the restaurant and focus on any family. Watch what happens, almost immediately everyone at the table is on an IPhone, Android, or a tablet, heads down and not bit of eye contact, no conversation, and no interaction. The meal is usally consumed in a short time and then the “can we leave” starts in rapid succession. That’s family time in 2013, we are moving so fast we can’t even slow down to appreciate the moment. Let’s take the financial side of the stress, bill’s piling up, monthly mortgage continues to grow, phone bills, internet service, cable, direct TV, keeping up with the Jones, and medical bills. How about the job side of stress working longer hours, no days off, working your well-deserved vacation to supplement your income. Maybe you are one that has a young family, February 2013
maybe those kids are in sports,...sports haha, let the games begin. Let’s run the kids to hockey, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, or activities, Church groups, scouts, music or riding lessons, etc. As a parent when do you get to shut down? My gosh can you see why stress is the leading cause of heart attack. Coupled with all these examples comes the fast food bad diet, lack of making it to the gym and shutting your body down at midnight….if you can. Long gone my friends is the traditional 8 hours of sleep. How many of you have those sleepless nights? You know lying with eyes closed but thinking about all the crap that goes in your life. Or the up and down method in the middle of what we consider our sleep time. Let’s do that day and day out, let’s string 5 or 10 years of that lifestyle together and now we have the recipe for heart disease. How did we ever get to this point in our lifetime? I would give anything to have to those days of old back. I could see the structured family starting to destruct shortly after September 11, 2001. We all remember that day, but what I was seeing as I coached youth sports was the kids I coached had parents that had split, divorced, remarried, or a significant other. One parent on side of the bench, the other in the stands and I am talking lots of kids in this situation. As a kid I remember the one family that was split, the mom was known as the neighborhood divorcee. That was life then, divorce was not the first, second or third option, fixing the problems was. I mentioned September 11, 2001 as the
starting of the tipping of the iceberg for the structured family, the financial impact, and the level of our health in the United States. Here’s a comment I got from a Federal Agent on the afternoon of September 11, 2001 as we worked behind the scenes of that horrible day. My comment to him was this “we (airline employees) always talked about an event lke this, hijacking, but we talked one, and we talked about it being crashed into the ground, We never thought that multiple planes would be flown into buildings”. The agent comment was this “We have talked about events of this nature, but our concern is what it will do to our economy, wait until you see what it will do to your airline industry”. Was he ever so right, in 3 weeks the United States
airlines lost over 200000 employees. Take a look at the areas where those airlines were headquartered, Northwest Minneapolis, United Chicago, American Dallas, US Air Pittsburgh, Delta Atlanta to name a few. Those areas were hit hard, the financial impact changed the look of the neighborhoods, foreclosure, job loss, divorce, suicide, and health issues. I am confident that if you look at areas of the United States where stress is the leading cause of heart disease, some of these areas might be on the high end of the list. The federal agent made this comment, “that’s what terrorism is all about, kill some, scare people into doing business, crush the economy, and destroy the American family”. If that was the intent on September 11, 2001, they have succeeded. So how does this all relate to heart disease? Figure it out, we are a screwed up society, we move too fast, and we don’t focus on the moment. The entire population has ADD or ADHD or it’s a good excuse to say it’s not our fault that we are in the situation we are today. My Wheels of Thunder readers, take to this to “Heart” take a break once in a while, take the family to one our Wheels of Thunder covered events, put the cell phones a way for a day, eat a real dinner, and slow down to smell the moment. You will be glad you did, and so will your family. The views expressed in The Boiling Point are solely the opinions and research of Billy Boyle and are not necessarily the view point of the magazine or its’ creators.
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“W
hen I saw the great work that Bill Hofmeister did on replicating the Grand National dirt-track bikes, I thought about all the wonderful times we enjoyed at the races around the country each weekend, all the great friendships we have had through the years with all the riders; I thought there was no better way to remember those fun times than to design a tribute bike as a gift for my dad, who had given so freely to the sport of motorcycle racing,” said Trent Sisemore, rolling out the ultimate Jack Sisemore Tribute Street Tracker from the Bloomington, Minnesota headquarters of Grand National Replica’s SHR Enterprises for the long haul delivery to AMA Pro Flat Track legend Jack Sisemore of Amarillo, Texas. Page 16
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Written and Photography by Dan Jacobson Sr.
Checking over the last minute details we stopped by Faribault Harley-Davidson for a run on the dyno, hitting some comfortable numbers in the eighties we reloaded aiming the van for Amarillo. Duplicating the features on the GNC rides with a single shock racing frame design with a slight degree change on the steering head for road riding control. The body work (seat and fender) and tank is the same as the XR-750 Harley-Davidson. Equipped with powerful front and rear hydraulic disc brakes makes
this a fun and comfortable handling performance motorcycle. Owning a custom Grand National Replica one of a kind motorcycle completes the statement for Jack Sisemore with his 134 AMA Pro Grand National Championship (GNC) wins to his credit; the list of tracks adorn the tail section of the bike. Jack’s racing history with flat track was achieved through ten riders over decades chasing the GNC number one plates with his friendship and support. #18-Terry Poovey fellow Texan ended racing after a life changing racing accident, talking though his brother Teddy Poovey he said, “Dan, I talked to Terry, it’s hard for him to remember things sometimes... He said (Terry) Jack is a good guy and a great sponsor”. Timing was everything, to unveil the SHR - Street Tracker at Jack’s annual Amarillo Christmas Party. Hosting over 400 of the who’s who of business, law, doctors, and his friends, filled the warm home of Jack Sisemore to all view the Grand National replica purchased by Trent Sisemore, Jack’s son. Everyone received a warm welcome by Jack and Deb as they entered for the festive occasion of foods and Christmas sprite and love. Former AMA National number 42 and current AMA Pro Race Director Steve More-
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Hank Scott says, “ I think my best times with Jack was our trail ridding to chicken creek & back on the Red River. I had so much fun cutting up with Jack. He used to get a kick out of riding that route down to and back at the river with the National guys who stopped by Jack’s Amarillo home. He liked to joke about how fast he was.” Bill Brown left us in 2006, he was killed in a car when a drunken motorcycle rider hit him in the drivers door. His daughter Stephanie said, “Jack was a great friend to my dad and dad was to him too. They had been life long friends and there is nothing that either of them would not do for the other. We can all hope to have a friendship like they did.” Goes to say the flat track family is a very special group.
with Jack, he treated me like I was a rockstar! When I was out with a broken arm we flew to the Indy mile in his private plane, it was great. Those are times in my career that put the icing on the cake.”
head recalled, “When we traveled west we would stop by Jack’s, He would fill our vans with gas and take us to the stockyard restaurant for the biggest steak on the menu... Then he introduced us to a Texas specialty, Calf Fries... Little did we know they were the sliced up balls. He would get the biggest kick and laugh from our surprise”.
The motorcycle tail section listed the many tracks across the country where the 134 victories were achieved. The message of Jack’s decades of AMA Pro Racing and Formula USA support is clearly conveyed. Ricky Graham, Hank and Gary Scott, Terry Poovey, Steve Morehead, Bubba Shobert, Mike Hale, Billy Herndon, Scott Drake and Bill Brown all had the hand of Jack Sisemore helping them forward.
As in racing, Grand National Replica bikes are a steady work in progress to find performance perfection. With the help from the XB-1200 Buell / Harley Davidson engine for power the light weight chrome molly tube single Penske shock frames look like the XR’s at the track. The electric start and lighting package open the magical excitement of a light weight big motor Vee Twin on the road. Part of the fun is building your personality into your Grand National ride. A perfect custom for corporate or personal use from another national number 67 - Billy Hofmeister, owner of SHR Enterprises. Jack Sisemore told us, “There isn’t any amount of money that would get me to sell this bike”.
The response from the guests was over the top as they admired the one of kind motorcycle. The 10 grand national numbers proudly placed on the tank were supported by decades of signed photos of ‘racing’s best’ that covered the wall of Jack’s six car garage. Like the new bike, Jack is truly a special one of a kind person and his generations of family didn’t fall far from the tree. Bubba Shobert recalls, “I had a great time Page 18
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Sterry Family Racing A Family Tradition of Snocross
Written by Mylie LaVold
Photos provided by Wayne Davis & Lissa Marsolek
I
magine finding a snowmobile under your Christmas tree. That’s exactly what happened at the Sterry house a couple of Christmases ago. Lawson Sterry must have been a REALLY good boy that year! Big brother Afton already had a sled so it was only right that Santa help carry on the family tradition of Snocross. With the Sterry family Snocross is truly a family tradition. Dad (Jason) and his brothers grew up racing Snocross and Motocross. Both boys were riding by the age of 3. They started out driving their little 120’s around the family’s land in Pepin, Wisconsin. Mom (AJ) says they would drive non-stop until they ran out of gas. Only when they needed more gas would they come inside. Afton’s first race was in Pepin. The town isn’t exactly big. With a population of about 800, there were only two kids at the race, 3 year old Afton and a 12-year-old boy. “Afton was so tiny on his snowmobile,” recalls AJ. In his excitement to race, Afton lined up on a drag race between two 700’s thinking it was his turn, remembers
Jason. “He didn’t care, he just wanted to race.” Now at ages 8 ½ and 6 ½ (the boys made sure I didn’t miss the ½ ) each boy has a stock Polaris 120 and a champ Polaris 120. Lawson #222 races in the 6-7 year old class and Afton #111 in the 8-12 year class. Both race in the 6-12 year old combined class and 120 Champ 6-12. A little sibling rivalry can sometimes get brewing in the combined classes. Little brother has beaten big brother a couple of times. At one race, a bit of bruised ego resulted in a drag race back to the pits where dad arrived just in time to see the helmets off, fingers pointing and words being exchanged. The fact that Lawson was grinning from ear to ear didn’t make matters any better, said Jason. Where there are boys and sleds, there are bound to be crashes and mishaps. Afton told me about several including running into a huge wipeout, getting so much air that the landing broke the handlebars off the sled, flying over the hood and bending a ski backwards in practice and doing a near back flip. Believe it or not, there have been no broken bones for either brother but Lawson did get run over at one of his first races. Of course AJ remembers it clearly. “With one lap to go, Lawson came up to the table top
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Along with practice, a little coaching helps boys improve. Jason tries to guide and coach but knows his limits. “I know they probably get sick of hearing their dad preach about taking the inside, going high, going low, doing this or that,” says Jason. The boys also get advice from their uncles and other race dads. Jason realizes the value in that. “Having someone else coach them gives them a different perspective and sometimes they listen better to someone other than mom and dad.”
at the finish line and fell off his sled. As he was getting up another kid came along and ran completely over him.” Lawson says remembers the track being on his leg and not being able to get up. The only marks were on his clothes and the only one who experienced any trauma was mom. Both parents agree, the one area you can’t spare any expense is safety. You have to have all the gear. “With the gear they have, their riding style, they’re smooth enough, cautious enough,” says Jason. “I think they do a good job of keeping out of harms way.” All the front yard practicing (dad built a mini-track for the boys) and traveling from race to race has paid off big this year. The
boys captured three world championships at Eagle River in January; two for Afton and one for Lawson. On the ISOC circuit, the boys are leading in points in three classes and at ERX they are leading in two classes.
The boys like learning from other people, especially the older kids that race. “Both boys really look up to Cole Cottew of Cottew motorsports as both a friend and mentor,” says AJ. “If the kids are not in our trailer, you can find them in Cole’s.” Lawson speaks fondly about his good friend Isaac and all the advice he has given him, including how to “lean back.”
The boys have already gained a pretty impressive fan base, including Pro-Snocross racer Bobby LePage (team Cottew) who told Jason and AJ that he doesn’t miss watching a race the boys are in. Some of the biggest fans are the kids’ school. “When we pull up to get the kids from school on Thursdays to head to races, the Principal and teachers come out, the high school kids are giving the boys high fives…it’s such a great feeling,” says AJ. “It’s really the whole town of Pepin.” But when it comes right down to it, there’s nothing like father and son working together. I asked Afton who the best coach is. His reply, “My dad ‘cuz he’s number 1.” The family credits their strong Christian faith to making it all happen. Their race team motto is, “Faith, Focus, Finish.” And the boys know who their co-pilot is. Before every race the family says a prayer and AJ tell the boys, “God is riding on the back of the sled with you, give him a good ride!” The family also credits all the friends they have met on the race circuit. The boys listed so many names I couldn’t keep up. Jason and AJ talk about the other moms and dads and how everyone helps each
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joining his brothers on the SnoCross track wearing #333….making it a Sterry Brother Racing triple threat! Racers beware! Sterry Brothers Racing Sponsors: River City Welding, Deppe Tranport, McIntosh Motorsports, Oium Well Drilling & Blacktop, Huse Racing, JK Trucking, Julies Fin &Feather, FXR, SPY, Amsoil. Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles and Friends galore!
other out, like one big extended family.
that relationship so important.”
I asked the family if they had any advice for other kids or parents of race kids.
Afton’s advice to other kids, “Keep practicing, keep thinking, never give up and remember the race isn’t over until you see a checkered flag.”
“Getting sponsors has helped tremendously,” says AJ. “And having a good relationship with the teachers is invaluable. We are on the road a lot, so it’s almost like part-time home schooling, which makes
February 2013
The future of Sterry Brothers Racing? Littlest brother Sawyer “The Destroyer” has hit the magic age of 3 and will soon be
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Written and photographed by John Krueger
Speed Freak AJ Mehta is back for feature number two, this time with a turbocharged Hayabusa! n the world of sport bikes, none come close to the power and performance of Suzuki's Hayabusa. Dubbed the king of sport bikes by some, the Hayabusa in stock form is hard to tame. However, for Minnesota resident and sport bike connoiseur AJ Mehta, a stock Hayabusa just wasn't going to cut it. After having a string of modified liter bikes, AJ decided to step up to a Hayabusa, and this is what he came up with.
I
This 2005 Hayabusa has been worked over in every area that you can imagine. Nothing was left untouched, and no expense has been spared. You want figures and numbers? There's over $35,000 in receipts and is capable of producing more than 400hp to the tire on race-gas or e85. Currently, the bike is tuned on 92-octane pump-gas and runs 8psi of boost making 310rwhp which is still impressive considering the bike only displaces 1.4 liters. The bike was built by Orient Express out of New York, who is one of the premier turbo bike builders in the country, so you know this bike has been finished to the highest of standards. Internally, the motor has been worked over and fitted with over-sized pistons and rods to bring the displacement up to 1.4 liters from 1.3. The head has also been gone through receiving a host of go-fast goodies to help with the assisted-breathing duties. The big power-adder comes in the form of a Hahn Race Craft turbo-kit. Centered around a MHI S16g turbocharger and an Orient Express exhaust manifold the engine is fed copious amounts of compressed air. A custom exhaust, intercooler kit, Tial blow-off valve, and upgraded fuel system were all added as well to handle the extra power. February 2013
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down to the desired level. The swing-arm was also extended eight-inches via extension links to help keep the front tire down when AJ decides to grab the throttle. An extended swing-arm means a new chain so an RK 540 Gold chain was deemed worthy as well as a pair of Vortex steel sprockets on both ends.
Of course all the power in the world doesn't mean anything if you can't put it to the ground. The stock Hayabusa transmission is mated to the block with a heavy-duty lock out clutch to cope with the huge
power increase. The bike also features a Pingle air-shifter with an on-board compressor with reserve tank and digital pressure display. Now this is one trick bit of kit. AJ gave me a working demonstration of this kit and it definitely had me impressed. For those not playing the home
game, an air-shifter does just what it sounds like. Conventionally shifting a motorcycle involves depressing the clutch handle and then moving the selector with your foot. However, with the air-shifter activated all you have to do is press a button and the bike shifts gears lightning fast. This is obviously extremely helpful when it comes to drag-racing. Another trick piece that was installed to help aid with launching is a Pingle 2-step launch control. A 2-step will help build boost while waiting for the start by pulling timing and adding fuel to simulate load on the engine. It also doubles as a cool, pyrotechnic show by turning the exhaust into a flame thrower, haha. Like the rest of the bike, the suspension was also gone through to insure optimum performance given the bike's setup. The bike was lowered two inches both front and rear. Up front, custom forks and re-valved shocks were utilized while out back lowering links brought the bike
The rest of the bike is all business just like the engine and drive-train. Everything has a purpose. Of course there are a few trick touches here and there. The stock fairings and plastics were all treated to a fresh silver and black paint job (my favorite color scheme for these bikes) to bring the looks bang up to date. There are also your obligatory boost and fuel pressure gauges which aren't really that obligatory on a bike, but
they're there! There's also a Pingle auxiliary fan switch and shift light, and stored in the cubby under the rear seat is the Power Commander 3 that controls everything. So what's next for AJ and his Hayabusa? Well, if you know AJ like I do, you'll know he gets bored really quickly. The last time AJ was featured here he had a stunning C6 Z06 that he had heavily modified. Well that car has since been sold, and like the Corvette, this bike is for sale. What's next is anybodies guess when it comes to AJ and his toys. It could be hard to top the blistering, straight line performance of this turbocharged Hayabusa though. Regardless, we'll be waiting for AJ's text saying, “hey, come check out the new toy and bring the camera gear.” Page 26
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February 2013
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round 4 - Grassroots racing series
Photography by Keith McKenna 612-718-6910
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February 2013
snocross races at ERX Motor Park
February 2013
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J e rr y H au c k # 23
I
t's no secret that most pro athletes start on down the path of weekend events in their early years. For a farm kid being raised in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, you would think Jerry Hauck would have been no exception. Not the case, he didn't start riding a snowmobile until he was about fifteen years old. His brother, Pat was actually on sleds and racing before Jerry took on the same interest. Page 30
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Written by Ceaja Philp
1987 - Getting SRX Yamaha ready to race at the 19th annual Hay Day Race in Lino Lakes. Jerry and Pat Hauck are driver and mechanic for this machine. It was Pat who had the idea in the early 80s to 'test' Jerry's abilities and nerves as a racer. He was at an event in Chisago City, Minnesota and told Jerry he wanted him to try straight line racing on 750 feet from start to finish on the ice. He had a 1979 SRX that was set up and ready to go. Jerry had already become a huge fan of the Yamaha sleds, but after that first launch with the front end high in the air, almost flipping it over and throwing him....he fell in love with their power. Jerry said Pat had a good laugh watching him almost go over once he knew he was safe. He admitted going from trail riding to full throttle off the line was a completely different world, but also knew he was hooked from then on. That day he may have went back to the pit a little humbled, but adjusted his way of thinking and went right back the very next weekend to try again.
was going to be around a very long time. From 1986-89 he won High Points in the Stock Class. He won the World Series title points overall in 1989 and 1990. It was also the first and only time brothers had won the same title back to back in different classes, Jerry in Stock and Pat in Improved Stock. Jerry would go on to take the title again in 1991.
It didn't take long for Jerry to find his groove and let people know Hauck Racing
It was also during 1991 that he was winning races against riders on the new Yamaha V-Max 4s while still setting the bar with his '77 SRX, and the year Yamaha's Gordy Muetz approached Jerry making him an offer that was too good to pass up. From that point on the Hauck's and Yamaha would be bound in the race world. Jerry admitted it took a couple of years to adjust and get used to the new sleds, but by 1994 he was able to take the 500 V-Max to the top of the points at Haydays. February 2013
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Champion, Matt Thies. Jerry is also helping get his grandchildren, Joey, Jesse, Rayna, and Madison along their way through the race ranks. As we spoke you could tell his race days will never 'really' be over, and he didn't bat an eye when he mentioned he would have no fear bringing his '77 down off the loft and put it on the line against today's sleds. It was the sled that tied him to Yamaha for his race career and still today. Jerry still makes sure his entire collection is maintained and ready to go at any time! These days he also keeps busy helping others with their sleds at his shop, Jerry Hauck's Small Engine & Performance Shop, in Ham Lake, Minnesota. Jerry says the days fly by working in the shop, and In 1997 Hauck would win the coveted Eagle River title on his '97 Yamaha SX. With many titles along the way between ice, dirt, and blacktop, he finally decided in 2010 he would pass the reigns to the younger generation and continue Hauck Racing from behind the scenes. As I looked through the many photo albums neatly organized and in chronological order, along with the shelves of trophies and medals he proudly mentioned that it was thanks to his wonderful wife, Jan that so many of the memories he shared with me were made possible. He said it didn't matter how cold it was, she was out there making sure everyone was fed, coffee was on, and the video camera was rolling. It was just as much about family as it was about racing. Their son, Paul took part in making sure the sleds were at the start line on time and ready to go, and their daughter Shannon was at every race weekend.
The Hauck name sponsors some great athletes today, such as Haydays High Points
laughed when he said he gets little help from his garage sidekick, a German Sheppard named Max. For now Jerry may say he is 'retired', but there is no doubt in my mind that you may just see #23 take the line one more time, and maybe even on the '77 that made history! Page 32
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Curtis Wise Jr. (CJ) Written By Mylie Lavold A first name isn’t all Curtis Wise and his son Curtis Jr. (CJ) share. Like father, like son, CJ Wise has a love for ice racing. “It’s a blast! It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” says Wise. “It’s something I can do with my Dad and we have a great time doing it.” And Dad fully agrees. After racing for 10 years himself, Curtis says “its nice to have something to pass down and share with your kids.” At 18, Wise is already a seasoned rider. Starting out at about the age of 8, Wise caught the ice racing bug early. It didn’t take long before he was challenging himself and others. “I was about 12 years old but I was running in a “big bike” class (250S or bigger) on my “little bike,” recalls Wise. “The white flag was out and I was trying to get around another bike and I just couldn’t do it. With only one more lap to go, I kept on it and didn’t let up. We were almost at the finish line and went out in the snow and passed him. It was pretty cool. Everyone was cheering because I was just a little kid on a little bike. It’s a memory I will never forget.”
power. He was recently clocked coming into a curve at 75 mph! At those speeds good tires are also crucial. Ice racing tires have approximately 1,500 spikes/screws in the rear tire and 1,100 in the front tire. “Even with really good tires you can lay it down and scrape foot pegs and you don’t even know it,” says Wise.
Currently, Wise is racing either his ’07 or ’08 Yamaha in open or pro classes. The 2008 YZ450F is mostly stock and still has a carburetor, however over the years Wise has tried several things such as big bore kit pipes, head work, etc. to get more speed. “They’re good bikes with a lot of power,” says Wise. “If your going to win races, power is crucial.”
Winning races also takes practice, or as Wise put it, “lots of seat time.” Wise spends his weekdays attending Mankato State University majoring in automotive engineer technology, but heads home to St. Paul on the weekends to log that seat time. “We are out there all time,” he says. “Testing and trying new things to make the bike faster.”
Wise isn’t kidding around about
“We have made do over the years but now we are switching to a new bike
February 2013
with electronic fuel injection for more horsepower,” says Curtis Sr. “The new fuel injection bikes really fly!” Ice racing requires 12 inches of ice so father and son often travel to Northern Minnesota where weather conditions are more conducive to producing the needed thickness. If your looking for Wise at race, keep your eye out for the ‘80s model ambulance they use to haul the bikes. “Its got all the bells and whistles still on it,” jokes Wise. “The oxygen lines are still in the back. It’s kind of funny but it works out great.” In the off season Wise runs some flattrack and a little Motocross but home is on the ice. It looks like Wise will have plenty of that this season.
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April 2013
Written by Tom Edwards
I
n 1966 my brother-in law Harry Baker and I drove to Colchester, Connecticut early one crisp, colorful Fall in New England Sunday morning. Our destination was Connecticut Dragway. If I remember the day correctly, two of the featured professional categories were Top Fuel Stagecoach and Pro Stock Covered Wagon. Parachutes were not at all necessary. You guessed it, Harry and I have followed the world’s fastest motor sport for years. Every race either of us had seen had always been with other longtime fans. Back in the day, the Top Fuel runs that amazed us with their elapsed times and speeds wouldn’t qualify for Pro Stock now. It didn’t matter; we saw a lot of good old side by side drag races. I remember pestering “Big Daddy” Don Garlits when he was in Connecticut for a match race with the Bounty Hunter, Connie Kalitta. At one point Big must have had enough and he finally gave me an autographed card that is still a part of my collection. Thanks Don! Page 36
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Harry explaining the ‘Tree’ to Gary February 2013
I recently had the opportunity to share some time with Gary and was interested to hear what his thoughts are on attending his first drag race. Going in, I knew he had a great time. After the last run of the day, we headed for the parking lot and a ride back to the other Strip. No surprise here; Gary had another question. He wanted to know when Harry and I were going to our next drag race. Zero to 300 in less than 4 seconds. Apparently, that’s about the same amount of time it takes to become a fan of drag racing and the NHRA; the world’s largest sports sanctioning body. For those of you with friends that have never been to a drag race, allow me to encourage you to take them with you to your next race. Harry and I did that with fellow Vietnam veteran Gary Norton, my wife Cathy’s Brother-In Law, the last time we went to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gary piloted Huey helicopters in Vietnam, so he knows all about getting up and moving right along as quickly as possible. The Christmas Tree green light is the signal a drag racer has to get going. In Gary’s case, he was frequently being shot at. Trust me, adrenaline is interesting. It kicks in much faster than nitro methane and is significantly more powerful. I’ve never had the pleasure of piloting a nitro powered car down a track for a 300 MPH cruise, but when bullets are flying, you absolutely want to get to the finish line.
Cook gasser, the twin engine Fright Train, The John Force Superman fuel coupe and Melanie’s Welcome Home Veterans Top
As a pilot and builder, Gary is very mechanically inclined. That said, Las Vegas was his first drag race so it was all new to him. Walking through the pits and past the souvenir trailers with a first timer was a lot of fun. I didn’t count but I’m reasonably certain Gary had approximately one million questions. Harry and I enjoyed answering all of them. We could tell every pit we visited was a new experience for Gary. In the Funny Car neighborhood we all had our photos taken with Melanie Troxel. Cathy and I have followed her career since she drove the Darrien and Meadows A Fuel dragster. If it has four wheels, an engine and a steering wheel, Melanie can not only drive it; she can find the winners circle in a variety of race cars. As always, she was very approachable, posed for photos, answered questions, had a few for Gary about his first race and autographed our memorabilia. Among my all-time favorite cars are the blue ’41 Willy’s Stone, Woods and
Fuel dragster. Having her sign a pit hand out for that car was nice. It is on the wall in the drag racing section of the sports room Cathy and I enjoy in our home.
February 2013
Melanie Troxel and Gary
During our conversation, Gary mentioned he had watched a few races on ESPN to get an idea of how drag racing works. He said the activity on the starting lines as the cars are getting set to run “was much more complex in person than what I had seen on TV”. “Watching the crews at the starting line, it struck me how well orchestrated it was”. I know what he means but I’m guessing the words “orchestrated” and “drag racing” aren’t used together too frequently. As a long time fan of the sport, I thought that was an interesting observation. There is a lot of activity pre and post burn out that isn’t always covered by the TV crews. As a fan, I think that actually speaks well as to how much is going on a drag race. There’s something for everyone. As a Top Fuel fan, I wanted to get Gary’s thoughts on seeing his first nitro powered run. He remembers “a chest pounding sensation” and quickly came to see it as “The best racing in the world”. Given the attendance at NHRA national events around the country, a lot of fans agree. Just go straight to the finish line
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knowing they’re ready for their next race clearly has added to the enjoyment of the sport for Harry and me.
at more than 300 MPH in about 4 seconds is fun to see. Of the professional classes, Gary is also a Top Fuel fan after his first race. He told me he found “the rocket like speeds amazing”. They are. Zero to 100 MPH in less than a second has to be seen (and felt) to be believed. At the burnout for 2 nitro cars, Gary was at the spectator fence a little behind the starting line. It was his first experience with Akron Fallout; the small bits of rubber that can land on those in that part of a drag strip. The Goodyear slicks used by many teams trace their earlier days to Akron, Ohio. As a retired engineer, I’m impressed with the design and construction of a tire capable of 300+ MPH speed in the blink of an eye. From the burn out area and his seat, Gary also noticed the unmistakable aroma of well spent nitro methane. As Cathy and I have done since The Strip opened, Gary, Harry and I sat about 800 feet from the starting line, row 5. As a first time fan, I wanted to know what Gary thought of the track, access to the cars and drivers; in short, his whole experience. For Harry and me, we were having a lot of fun. As mentioned, Gary was a mil-
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itary pilot. The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway isn’t far from Nellis Air Force Base. Given that, Gary noticed that F16’s were landing at about 120 MPH, far slower than the cars we were watching and was impressed at the wide variety of aircraft stationed at Nellis. Cathy and I were at The Strip the week end it opened and we remember a few planes buzzing it at what appeared to be about 99,000 MPH; it was great. Gary enjoyed the access to the drivers and getting them to autograph their pit handouts. Of the drivers we interacted with that day, Gary found John Force to be “bouncy”. It has been my experience that’s usually the way it goes in the John Force Racing pit area. Having been to his first race and had conversations with Harry and me, Gary considers himself to be “a more knowledgeable fan”; we agree. Being with someone at their first drag race is a lot of fun. Gary now understands how the qualifying process works, why the #1 qualifier runs the #16 in the opening round on race day and how points are earned. Helping someone understand those aspects of drag racing and
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After the editor gave me the green light for this article, I spoke with Harry to get his thoughts on taking someone to their first drag race. What he remembered was that Gary was particularly interested in the burn-out and staging areas. A detailed explanation of the Christmas Tree and what each light was for was a part of their starting line visit. As I took the photo of Harry explaining the Tree to Gary, it occurred to me how much I was enjoying having a new fan along for the ride. Harry also recalls the look “of absolute amazement” the first time 2 Top Fuel cars went by side by side past our seats. Harry and I both remember that at that point, Gary decided that having ear plugs would be a good idea, after all. At each NHRA race I go to, one nitro pass without earplugs is usually my quota for the day.
It was so nice to hear on the way back to the other Strip that Gary had “enjoyed everything about the day”. All 3 of us did. As a collector of a range of sports memorabilia, it was interesting to see Gary’s interest in the rows of driver/souvenir trailers and the array of goodies available. A lot of sports collectable cards now have small “game used” pieces of a bat, jersey, etc. in them. Seeing race used spark plugs for sale with the money going to charity in drivers pits is a great way to raise money for a variety of worthwhile causes. Small things like that are among the many aspects of drag racing that has me convinced it is not only the world’s fastest motor sport but, also, the best. I suppose you could say Harry, Gary and I are fast friends. February 2013
February 2013
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Written by Brad Coplan
When do we get to snowmobile? That my friends is the big question for those of us living in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I look out my front window and I see about 2 inches of snow and alot of grass. I know for those of you living in the twin cities and surrounding areas, it’s the same thing. We sit with the snowmobiles in the garage, on the trailer or in the yard and we patiently wait. Yes, we have recieved snow, and yes we could ride for a few days and then the warm weather and rain came and now all the trails are closed again. The only way to go riding at this point is to load up the sleds, pack the warm clothes and head north. For those of you that can afford the big thrills then head west to Wyoming, Colorado, Montana and the Big Country States. There you will find excellant snowmobiling, but it’s gonna cost you a few
more dollars and time. I personally, have been checking the snow conditions of Northern Wisconsin and Northern Minnesota. In Minnesota, they have recieved some snow and more was expected as I was writing this story, but at this point the trails were listed as in good condition and that covers Grand Rapids, International Falls, and Ely. The only consistant thing is the cold, cold weather. Along the North Shore you can also find snowmobiling however, the best location is around the Tofte area. If your going in that direction, then either pick up the trail in Tofte or preferably Lutsen. There are about 60 miles of trails here and maybe if you get lucky, we will get new, fresh snow and the trails will get even better. I am looking at heading to Northern Wisconsin, towards the Hurley area. As of this time there is approximately 10 inches of
snow, trails are groomed and when I called up there, I was advised only one trial was closed. So this is our destination, out of 35 Northern Wisconsin Counties that report trail conditions, only five are advising that the trails are good. The others are either in fair condition or are closed. Not a heck of alot to choose from for snowmobiling. I have snowmobiled the Hurley area before so, the good thing is we know the trails and the places to stop. From Hurley we will take a short ride out of town on Corridor Trail #17 and head south to Trail #8. Once on Trail #8 we will head north west toward Hwy 77 and pick up Trail #77. Once on Trail #77 this allows us to again head back to Hurley for the night. If you have never been to Hurley, you will definately find this a very interesting town. The food is great and the drinks are better. For the groups of guys traveling without the wifes and girlfriends, you will be an adult entertainment establishment and yes, you know what I mean. Now depending on the number of days we head up to Hurley the second day is always an all day ride. Normally we will take Corridor Trail #2 and head toward Saxon and then south to Upson, but they are reporting that Trail #7 is closed, so this will take that part of the trip away from us. Instead we
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February 2013
Off the Beaten Path Affordable Winter Fun!
will take Corridor Trail #17 south out of Hurley again and just keep going south toward Mercer WI. All I can say at this point is everything depends on the amount of snow we get in the next two weeks for me. But, it beats leaving the sleds on the trailers or in the garages. Thats my snowmobiling plan for Febuary, and I hope everybody else with sleds, can also get out and use theirs. I really hope that we get snow around here, so I can just leave on the sleds from my house, but that's not looking too good yet. And remember when riding the trails watch out for the trail groomers, give them extra room and give them the right away. Drive safe, use plenty of caution. Remember there is alot of ice under the fresh snow, and this could cause your sled to break free going around a corner too fast, or just trying to stop. Otherwise have fun and hopefully enjoy the remainder of the snowmobile riding season.
February 2013
For those of us with the motorcycles in the garage, that time of season is also coming up quickly. The Donnie Smith Motorcycle Show is March 23-24, and Bike Week in Daytona starts March 8th. So lets also start
thinking about an early motorcycle riding season. Its never too early to start planning your summer trip or at least start saving the money for it.
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AMERICAN BIKERS FOR AWARENESS, TRAINING & EDUCATION Did you catch the Vikings playoff game against the Packers? I sure did. It was tough for me and all Minnesota fans to watch. I played school sports from elementary through high school with limited success (hey, I still have the championship picture on the wall from my 6th grade football league!), but could never imagine the complexities of guiding an offense or defense at the NFL level. After the game many people criticized our quarterback for bad plays and poor decisions. While some may have a better understanding of the game than me, I couldn’t help but wonder how they would respond to a football maniac like Clay Mathews running full speed at them, knowing he was going to break you in two if the ball was held for just one second longer. But that’s the way football is: folks with little to no knowledge of the game are always the ones offering the most expert advice on how things “should be done”. There are less than 2,000 players on NFL rosters and they are watched by millions of Americans.
And so it is with motorcycling. Only a very tiny percentage of Minnesotans own a motorcycle, a slightly larger number have a motorcycle endorsement and only a small minority of the population has actually ridden one. Yet almost every person in the state has an opinion about how we should behave, dress and ride. Now let’s zoom out to the federal level. There are many agencies of the US government, with tens of thousands of employees, discussing, advising, crunching numbers and creating “official” policy on motorcycling. Do they ride? Have they ever operated a motorcycle? Do they know the bond that we all share? Again, the percentages would be slight. But the slanted statistics they come up with are often times used by policy makers in our state. Most of the data is the result of limited priorities. Junior staffers are relegated to using inadequate information to come to a quick result for the boss. There are always “bigger fish to fry”. Now let’s zoom back into Minnesota. There are many similar well-intentioned but uninformed groups, who claim to be experts, advising state policy makers on what they think is best for others. Do they ride? Have they ever ridden a motorcycle? Notice a trend? I have always contended that we are the experts when it comes to riding. Only we have a vested interest in the outcome. The rest are passive observers. They offer opinion but have never “played the game”. OK, let’s zoom in closer - The motorcycling
February 2013
community within Minnesota, a very diverse group with wide ranging opinions. Their level of involvement in protecting motorcycling in Minnesota varies as well. For some it is a way of life and others only an occasional ride. But all who have thrown a leg over the seat know and understand something very special that few will ever try. True American freedom! Now let’s zoom in once again, and then hit zoom another time. To those dedicated A.B.A.T.E. of Minnesota members who work tirelessly to preserve your right to ride by being legislatively active and improving the awareness of all Minnesota motorists through our motorist awareness education (Share the Road) and support of rider training. It takes a lot of work, time and money for these “players on the field”. And we could use more support from the “fans in the stands”. Please urge all of your riding friends and family to join and support A.B.A.T.E. of Minnesota. There is always space in the locker room for more team members! Yours in freedom, Mack www.WheelsofThunder.net
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Riley Frattalone #308 at a Regional Snocross race.
T
wo giant FXR banners reach toward the sky from the top of Tony Frattalone’s race trailer. They’re beacons that say, “We’re over here, snocrossers.” The big rig is a hotspot for many at regional snocross races – easily recognizable. On any given race weekend it swarms with activity. People ask for parts and advice, and dads who double as mechanics tear into engines. Kids gather around the pits, and moms attempt to keep things in order.
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Written by Matt Peterson Photography by Trent Maurer
“There are not too many trailers that have doors wide open as many times as ours every single day,” said Tony Frattalone of Stillwater, Minn., who hauls the 48-foot rig with a half-dozen sleds, fuel, gear, tools, parts and snacks every weekend. It can be a hell of a mess. Tony and his three sons, Logan, Riley and Taylor, along with Jeremy Bester of Prior Lake, Minn., and his son, Ryley, form a big, happy, snocross family. But they’re only part of it.
JOINING FORCES After watching Tony’s semi-pro cousin race, Taylor, at age 5, wanted to ride. He started racing 120 cc machines at 7, and as one can tell, he liked it. At this point in the season, the 16-year-old sits third in points in the 600 junior novice class while working his way into the sport class. His younger brothers are following the same path.
“When I started doing this racing, I was looking for something to do with my kids, my family and my wife,” Tony said. That’s exactly what he found. Wives Laura Frattalone and Kerrie Bester are much needed on scene, too. After all, they have to keep people in line. Their dedication to the sport, Tony said, rivals the kids.’ Juice boxes and candy wrappers lie scattered around the trailer while Tony and Jeremy prepare sleds for races. Somewhere, Jeremy’s Dad, Bill, is badgering people for hugs. People not even on the team flood their work space and mingle. “We have 10 kids that don’t even belong to our team that are grabbing beef jerky and Gatorade,” Jeremy said. He means that in a good way.
Taylor Frattalone #803, the oldest of the Frattalone boys who is pushing the amateur ranks, talks to his dad, Tony Jeremy’s son is following, too. Ryley, 11, was just like Taylor. Racing was cool, he thought. Like a good dad, Jeremy made it happen, with a brand-new 120, fresh gear and a simple plan: Throw everything in the back of the truck and just do it. Thanks to a little misfortune at that time, years ago, the two families merged into a team. It was almost a fluke. With engine problems and hope for advice, Jeremy set out to get parts for his son’s sled. Tony, as always, lent the helping hand.
Ryley Bester #151 with John Daniels, owner of ISOC Racing February 2013
Not long after that, the Besters found a home away from home. People tend to find the best things when they are not really looking. www.WheelsofThunder.net
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were interested in having me on the team and that Tony and them were interested in me,” Piche said. “It just blew up from there.” Piche, coming off of a shattered tibia, wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. Doctors said he would struggle walking again. He’s back on the sled, though, working his way back to top speed in Amsoil Championship Snocross. It may seem a little atypical for Piche to join Frattalone Racing. But Arctic Cat, Piche and Tony made the right decision.
Jeremy didn’t know just how hospitable the Frattalone Racing team was. He found what he was looking for, and more.
table, too. By chance, they stumbled upon a symbiotic endeavor, a team in the making. “At the time, I didn’t even know he was with FXR,” Tony said about Jeremy. Jeremy brought FXR snocross gear to the region when he convinced a regional wholesaler to carry it in the 1990s. Then he moved up: He has been a FXR representative for nearly 17 years, putting gear on the backs of the Frattalone team, and by default, doing his own marketing. The orange-and-black Frattalone rig can haul plenty of gear and parts, but it showcases the matching FXR banners pretty well, too. The whole Arctic Cat/FXR tradeoff – combined with the backing of the Frattalones’ excavating company, Speedwerx clutches and several other sponsors – has built a strong team with an even stronger family tie.
Logan Frattalone #318 “Before you know it, my little one and his little ones are running around playing, and they became friends,” Jeremy said. Neither family looked back. The knowledge and resources brought by each side couldn’t be more fitting. Frattalone Racing receives major support from Arctic Cat and sells Arctic Cat parts to other racers. But Tony didn’t know Jeremy brought some serious backing to the Page 46
A RACER’S MENTALITY If anyone on the team wanted to hang it up today, he could. However, Frattalones and Besters are serious about racing. So is “the bull rider” and current pro snocrosser Matt Piche, from Brainerd, Minn. There may not be much room in the hauler, but the team welcomed Piche, his wife, Jess, and son, Evan, with open arms last summer. “Arctic Cat just called me and said they
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Matt Piche #51 “I think we’re going to start turning heads again, and people are going to realize why we did what we did,” Piche said.
PICHE FEELS AT HOME “It’s really, really tight-knit,” he added. “It’s almost like they’re a part of my family, or I’m a part of their family. It’s like I’m hanging around people that I’ve hung around with for years.” At 27, Piche isn’t an old dog in the sport, but he’s not young and spry anymore, either. The husband, father and longtime, top-10 pro is in an era when it’s time to pass his skills and knowledge to others. That’s why he is an asset to the team. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell your own kid, February 2013
Ryley Bester #151 February 2013
Age 14 – 14-15 Junior Novice
TAYLOR FRATTALONE
Age 16 – 16-17 Junior Novice
RYLEY BESTER
Age 11 – 10-13 Junior Novice
“Hopefully, we will continue to keep winning races and stay in the top points and
“I think that if any one of them has the drive and really wants to do it and put in the time and effort at the young age, I think any one of them can make it all the way to the top,” Piche said. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”
Age 10 – 10-13 Junior Novice
“Last year, a switch just went off in him,” Tony said, who added the rigors of high school football improved Taylor’s endurance and discipline. Taylor pays attention, which Piche can’t say about some racers he mentored in the past. Taylor understands the importance of being recognized, too.
Snocross, like any motorsport, comes with its share of letdowns, tears, broken parts and weekends cut short, though. And it’s impossible to know what any kid will do or if he’ll change his mind. The Frattalone racers are young and promising, but Tony and Jeremy don’t force snocross upon them. They can quit snocross altogether. If they stick with it, though, they may have a chance to be great – even better than Piche.
RILEY FRATTALONE
The Frattalones are soaking up Piche’s advice, especially Taylor, who now works for Speedwerx and is learning about the machines he rides, too.
keep our name known,” he said.
LOGAN FRATTALONE
‘You need to do this better,’” Jeremy said. “That’s what’s nice about Matt.”
FRATTALONE RACE TEAM
Age 27 – Pro Open
MATT PICHE Pro Snocrosser Matt Piche #51 has become a mentor for the team
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February 2013
SledHead 24/7 TV Show airing on FSN-MN & FSN-WI Sledhead 24-7 can be seen Sunday nights at 10pm on FSN
http://www.sledhead24-7.com/Airtimes/ Welcome to the wintery world of “Sledhead 24-7”
It’s about tech and trail...... and spending time with people who embrace the snowmobile lifestyle. Each week host Meisha Johnson, former racer Paul Mack and tech expert Jeff Fisher steer you to some of the world’s greatest places to ride.....with some of the world’s greatest riders.
ance in Forest Lake Minnesota, has been crafting the “ how to “ for speed. Today StraightLine is a worldwide performance shop, but had humble beginnings in founder Jason Houle's garage.
"Sledhead 24-7" will check out cutting edge gear and gadgets and ride the latest model sleds from the major manufactures.
We’ll test the limits of snowmobile performance through a series of ambitious builds at Speedwerx.
StraightLine creates upgrades for just about all power sports machines. Today Jason shares 3 ways to quickly improve your Ski-Doo, starting with StraightLine’s exclusive exhaust kit, fuel programmer and clutch kit, which are easy, quick ways to upgrade your Ski-Doo.
But "Sledhead 24-7 " will always be about folks like you, the riders, the clubs, and families who can’t wait to get out on the trail. From the Firecat, to the Pro Cross chassis, Arctic Cat has made big changes in the past decade and the test riders at " Sledhead 24-7" ride, rate and review.
Snocross super star Robbie Malinowski, races the pro circuit on a StraightLine enhanced SkiDoo, Robbie's proud to race w/ StraightLine. "If you haven't been to Jackson Hole, you're missing out. " Sledhead 24-7 " hangs out and has some fun at the World Championship Hillclimbs.
If you own a Ski-Doo, learn about Straightline Performance and find out about the Heart Breaker, a dyno room that hides no secrets. For more than 2 decades, Straightline Perform-
"The Jackson Hole Hillclimbs are a favorite of every snowmobiler." "Jeff Fischer shows us the quickest way down the mountain." This is just a little of what we have going on, you can catch Sledhead 24-7 Sunday nights on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin. Tune in each week www.Sledhead24-7.com.
ISOC BRRP Regional Jan 26-27 2012
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ISOC CANterbury NATIONAL Jan 4-6 2013
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CALEB MOORE 1987-2013
Ride in Peace Written by Ceaja Philp
During Haydays 2011, it was an honor to have met Caleb and Colten Moore. It was an intense day as we waited to see if the wind would drop enough for the duo to do their famous tamed back flip on their sled. As they tested and did some freestyle individually on their quad, sled and dirt bike we all watched as they made the stunts seem effortless. The close-knit duo pushed each other to become better athletes. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Every athlete trains for strength, endurance, technique, and safety. What we see is all the hard work they dedicate to making it look 'easy' as we watch in awe and excitement.
a backflip on an ATV and motorcycle 6th for Best Trick. In just two short wanted to do the same on a snowmo- years they all knew he was on the bile. hunt for the gold and not holding back. He made the transition in a short period of time and quickly rose to the The Winter X Games have always top of the sport. Odd for someone liv- been a huge event for the brothers, ing in Texas and rarely sees snow, so and this year Caleb was ready and demost of his tricks were practiced in a termined to capture the gold in Aspen, foam pit. In just over a month and a Colorado. He had won four other very small about of time on actual Winter X Games medals in the past, snow in MI, he was ready for the just not the one he wanted the most. sport's biggest stage, the 2010 Winter The 25 year old would never have X Games attempting his backflip. He thought it would be his last show. The managed a bronze in Freestyle and crash happened during the freestyle fi-
That day they took on the wind and landed the tandem backflip that they had done in Aspen at the X Games 2011 during Best Trick on Colten's round, which gained him 0 points, but set the bar higher than any other athletes had done. The Moore brothers have been known for their innovation and dedication to work their way to the top. Caleb, a former ATV racer, and the first to land Page 54
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nals, while Caleb was performing a flip on his sled when his skis happen to clip the top of the landing ramp. He ended up going over the handlebars and the 450lb sled landed on top of him. The initial crash on Jan 24th seemed as though we would be seeing him the next event as he was assisted off the landing, with first reports being a concussion. It wasn't until later we heard the crash had led to bleeding around Caleb's heart and he would need to be taken to Grand Junction for surgery. The next complication involving his brain was announced on a later day. The family had also been attending to Colten who had also crashed within 30 minutes after Caleb, and was taken to the hospital with a separated pelvis. There is no doubt Caleb Moore was an inspiration to riders and fans of all ages, and lived his life to the fullest. Beyond all the amazing skill as an athlete, Caleb had a gentle soul. He had a passion for his family, friends, and fans that was unprecedented. You will be greatly missed, but never forgotten Caleb! February 2013
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G
reetings Wheels fans! GameON! TV is excited to be back with you again! This issue of Wheels of Thunder continues to excite race fans with its great pictures, interesting stories and inside information that you can only get here. GameON! TV continues to grow & reach so many of you with our sports programming and we have expanded to the Dakota’s and western Minnesota via MidCo Sports Network. As you know, GameON! loves sports, from the variety of professional, college & high school sports to all the outdoor events that dot our regional landscape. GameON’s partnership with Wheels of Thunder is strong and just like you, we also enjoy the most comprehensive race magazine and website to be found! Wheels of Thunder magazine gets it and gets you the latest information, amazing pictures and all those terrific stories to the most passionate motorsports fans in the country! Looking ahead, there’s more special events and moments ahead for GameON! Each and every week GameON! comes to you in crystal clear full High Definition and we have just launched our first APP (it’s free to for Apple & Android phones). GameON! TV is now offering a weekly PODCAST available @ our show website www.GameOnTvMN.com. It’s full of bits and pieces of sports from the region and what’s ahead on our weekly TV show. GameON! still serves as the lead-in to the award winning FOX NFL pre game show on FOX’s MY29 here in the Twin Cities during the NFL Season.
GameON! does what no other TV sports interview show (in the region) does. We offer a diverse and entertaining half hour of TV as we bring you the most visible and popular Minnesota sports figures. From the Vikings, the NBA Timberwolves, the NHL Wild, the Twins and we visit with the Lacrosse Swarm. There’s NASCAR and we’re all over your favorite drivers now that snow racing is in full swing. GameON! has featured your favorites including up and coming Kody Kamm and X-Games stud racer Levi LaVallee.
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This show is interactive so we’d love to hear from you! Please visit our Facebook site (friend us @ GameON on facebook), our website @ www.gameontvmn.com and 24/7on twitter #gameontvmn. And we’re always planning bigger and better shows at the best Irish Pubs in the world, Kierans, The Liffey, The Local and Cooper! You are always welcome to visit our live tapings and each week we list guests and updates on the GameON! website as well as our Facebook site. Get upclose and personal with us!! We also partner with the one of the largest Vikings fan sites in the world, www.PurplePride.org. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again! Get off the couch and get your GameON! Be a part of the exciting effort we're putting on! Here’s to the winter sports season and spring fast approaching! Hope to see you at an upcoming GameON! taping!!
February 2013
BEST OF THE MIDWEST! Opportunities for business who qualify for ‘The Best of the Midwest’ are now available!
Call Scott Robinson 612-730-3719 Page 58
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