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Snocross 2023...


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13 hours ago, racinfarmer said:

I think a big part of the issue right now is how do you get racers and families not only involved in the sport, but how to keep them staying involved?

I know a lot of people, myself being one of them, who one year just decide to hang it up and go back to riding in general.  I don't see myself going back, at least not full time or even half time.

Factory support in the form of discounted sleds and discounted PG&A is another big one.  I'm not sure what everyone's gig is anymore, but Cat used to be the best all around.  I doubt that is the case anymore.  Judging by the number of sleds and what I've heard from some friends, I'd say Polaris is the best brand to be on right now, from a support perspective.  

I'm going to apply, but I know the discount won't be what it once was, if I even get one.  Haven't even seen a race app out anywhere.

The App isn't out yet. 

15 hours ago, Premium said:

Well Doo is clearly in it to win it...

Doo snocross 2023.jpg

This one proves what we all have known , the factories dictate who goes to what class (ie lebel not moving into pro this year) and what stirs up the sandbagging heartburn from other racers. this is also why the pro class numbers are down , they want to hold racers in classes to talk about championships and market it accordingly vs letting them grow their talents in the premier classes where they may not get the championships 

This isn't Just skidoo that is doing this for the record.. I'm just using them for example due to the picture shared. 

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I found it a bit strange there is no official announcement of season champions anywhere across Snocross socials, YouTube, website, etc. I had to dig to find it in a local paper online. Are they waiting for the CBS broadcast? 

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5 hours ago, fortune46x said:

 

This one proves what we all have known , the factories dictate who goes to what class (ie lebel not moving into pro this year) and what stirs up the sandbagging heartburn from other racers. this is also why the pro class numbers are down , they want to hold racers in classes to talk about championships and market it accordingly vs letting them grow their talents in the premier classes where they may not get the championships 

This isn't Just skidoo that is doing this for the record.. I'm just using them for example due to the picture shared. 

Cat won absolutely zero classes, including the 200 classes. 

Oh, the humanity of it... :roflcrying:

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5 hours ago, hayward said:

Has he calmed down at all in his older age? :lol:

He was plenty helpful trying to help my issues with my sled figured out and gave me some small changes to make to my setup when the tracks got icy in the corners. I think he swept the AXC feature races (600 pro/semi/sport and 850 trail 60 mile races) for the season. He beat one of the maine ski Doo guys in the first one and that guy however was not calm at all.

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59 minutes ago, Palu49 said:

He was plenty helpful trying to help my issues with my sled figured out and gave me some small changes to make to my setup when the tracks got icy in the corners. I think he swept the AXC feature races (600 pro/semi/sport and 850 trail 60 mile races) for the season. He beat one of the maine ski Doo guys in the first one and that guy however was not calm at all.

:lol:I havn't seen him since he was 9 years old and jumping anything and everything he could with a polaris indy 340.  Just happened to run into his dad last weekend and told me how old he was and showed me a picture.  Said he was doing really well racing cross-country.   Sounds pretty talented with a chainsaw too. :bc:  

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9 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

Cat won absolutely zero classes, including the 200 classes. 

Oh, the humanity of it... :roflcrying:

pretty sad actually. And didn’t have a top 5 rider in pro/pro lite classes again 

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On 4/5/2023 at 12:42 PM, Crnr2Crnr said:

Cat won absolutely zero classes, including the 200 classes. 

Oh, the humanity of it... :roflcrying:

When we were looking for 120's and 206's set up for racing, one thing that surprised me was how many Polaris kids sleds were set up and for sale. 

Out numbered Cats probably 3:1 or 4:1, at least.

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  • 2 months later...
3 hours ago, 122 said:

That's crazy, one more team getting out of snocross

In relatively recent history, we have lost what, a half dozen full time teams or more that fielded pro riders.

-Leighton (Pol)
-Christian Brothers (Cat)
-Cat Factory
-All Finish (Cat)
-Henges (Pol)
-Carlson (Pol)

I'm sure I'm missing some too.

 

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Hentges Racing Announces Decision to Move on from National Snocross 
23 Years of Chasing Checkered Flags Comes to a Close for Remarkable Polaris Team

Shakopee, MN (7/2/23) – Hentges Racing announced their decision to move on from national snocross today after 23 years of chasing checkered flags as front-runners in the sport. 
 
Hentges Racing team owner, Nate Hentges said, “This announcement is a tough one for us, but all aspects of the decision have been carefully considered. After twenty-plus years of facilitating a premier-level race operation, it’s time for us to step away.”

Reflecting on the team’s successful longevity in the sport, Hentges added, “Our family has dedicated a huge part of our lives to racing snowmobiles and we have showcased success thanks to the tremendous amount of work and devotion all members have put into this team. One member I can’t thank enough, is Tim Bender, whose title has been Team Manager, but he’s far more than that – Tim is an innovator, mentor and most importantly, a friend. Tim Bender has steadily improved our team for the last 17 years.”

Pro Rider, Oskar Norum, adds his heartfelt appreciation, “I have always dreamed of come race in USA for a professional team since I started race snocross as a kid back in Sweden. So, to be picked up by Hentges Racing for the 2020 season was a dream come true - It was such a big difference from racing back home. It has been an honor for me to work with all the professional people in the team and have the chance to be a part of the Hentges Racing family. I can’t thank Nate and Karen enough for giving me this opportunity, they have been such nice to me and made me feel like home in USA.  It’s been an awesome trip and I have had so much fun racing and trying to reach my goals. I also want to give especially thanks to racing legend Tim Bender for his passion and drive for the sport and believing in me. It has been an honor to work with Tim.”

Kody Kamm, finished the 2023 season in the top three in national Pro points and has spent a lengthy career with Hentges Racing. Kamm remarked, “Grateful that Polaris and Hentges Racing opened their doors at such an early part of my career and welcomed me in as just a "fill in" guy for a short time, which turned into 13 years. With a ton of success through those years, I am saddened we are splitting, but will never forget our team memories made together.” 

“I wish Kody Kamm and Oskar Norum the best for the future. These guys are truly talented, hard workers, and I couldn’t have asked any more from them.” - Nate Hentges, Hentges Racing Owner

Hentges Racing leaves the sport with a long list of accolades including four Pro championships: Kamm (2017), Gulla (2009 and 2007) and LaVallee (2009), one 2012 Pro Lite Championship (Kamm), eleven Winter X Games medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze), the 2021 Eagle River World Championship (Norum), 36 Pro National Wins and 149 Pro National podiums. Hentges is also the only Polaris team to win a gold medal in X games snocross (Narsa). Their rider list over the years is equally impressive, including the top talents: Todd Wolff, Curt Peterson, Justin Tate, Brad Pitlik, TJ Gulla, Levi LaVallee, Brett Bender, Kody Kamm, Justin Broberg, Petter Narsa, Oskar Norum, Emil Harr, Bobby LePage, Jonny Hentges, Chris Kafka, Don Leddy Tyler Olson and Nate Hentges. 

Nate Hentges continues, “Our team success story is a direct result of the support given by our many sponsors. I’m truly thankful for every single one of their partnerships. We’ve worked out of the factory Polaris race shop in Wausau, Wisconsin for 17 years. The learning and experiences gained there were nothing short of amazing. It makes me proud to think many of the race components and technology the Hentges team tested on the track, made their way to a production Polaris snowmobile.” 

Hentges departure from National Snocross racing is effective now, and Nate added, “While we are moving on from Snocross, we are going to keep our competition options in other arenas open for the future.” 

See the Hentges Racing Through the Years Album for some great memories! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=HentgesRacing&set=a.818959946490159

Special thanks to ISOC National Snocross, all the Hentges Racing fans and incredible sponsors: Monster Energy, Polaris, FXR, Pirtek, Polaris Engineered Lubricants, Woody’s Traction Products, S.M. Hentges & Sons Inc., Rinker Materials, IAMACOMEBACK, Walker Evans Racing Shocks, C&A Pro Skis, Camso, Apple Autos, Ergodyne, 139 Designs, Rox Speed FX, Heel Clicker, Starting Line Products and Uncharted Supply

Kody KammOskar Norum SnocrossPolaris SnowmobilesMonster EnergyFXR RacingPirtek PlymouthS M Hentges & Sons Inc.IAMACOMEBACKWalker Evans RacingC&A Pro Skis139designsRox Speed FX, Inc.Uncharted Supply CompanyWoody's Traction#PolarisEngineeredLubricants

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4 hours ago, racinfarmer said:

In relatively recent history, we have lost what, a half dozen full time teams or more that fielded pro riders.

-Leighton (Pol)
-Christian Brothers (Cat)
-Cat Factory
-All Finish (Cat)
-Henges (Pol)
-Carlson (Pol)

I'm sure I'm missing some too.

 

BOSS Racing (Doo)

Zandstra (Cat)

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As I posted months ago, sno-x is a dying soon to be dead sport. I could not care less if it goes away. The sleds they currently run have nothing to do with what consumers ride. The OEM’s should use the money saved from racing to lower the price of new sleds.

 

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The idea that snocross should just die because the sleds aren't what a consumer can buy is ridiculous.  Why would anyone watch NASCAR, Formula 1, Moto GP, etc?  Snocross has a unique advantage of being extremely package-able for televised consumption, hence Fortune's insight that since the move to Flo racing, viewership is through the roof.

So while USXC sleds give a much better indicator of a sled's capability in the hands of an average consumer, sled racing is sled racing.

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1 hour ago, AK440 said:

As I posted months ago, sno-x is a dying soon to be dead sport. I could not care less if it goes away. The sleds they currently run have nothing to do with what consumers ride. The OEM’s should use the money saved from racing to lower the price of new sleds.

This may force them to use stock sleds if they want it to make it. 

 

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6 hours ago, AK440 said:

As I posted months ago, sno-x is a dying soon to be dead sport. I could not care less if it goes away. The sleds they currently run have nothing to do with what consumers ride. The OEM’s should use the money saved from racing to lower the price of new sleds.

 

I do not think sno-x is dying, but a correction of sorts is possibly what it is going through right now.

What exactly that correction is or what it'll look like in 3-5 years, I do not know.

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18 minutes ago, racinfarmer said:

I do not think sno-x is dying, but a correction of sorts is possibly what it is going through right now.

What exactly that correction is or what it'll look like in 3-5 years, I do not know.

I’m not sure how much clearer things can be to show it’s demise? Does Cat even have a presence in sno-x anymore? The beginning of the end is it’s no longer featured at the X-games. It never recovered from that. More and more large, long time teams have quit the sport since COVID. The number of racer entries keeps declining. Sno-x can’t even attract a big enough audience that anyone wants to sponsor it so it can to be televised. They now require people to pay a fee to stream races. Yeah, that’s the way you build an audience and attract new sponsors. Sled development has slowed to the point that Polaris is still racing the same revised and improved sled that was introduced in the fall of ‘04. That’s 20 fricking years ago! 
 

Very, very few everyday sledders care about racing much less sno-x racing. Things go in phases and sno-x is phasing out more and more every year.

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