The first snocross race of the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour for 2005-2006 got off to a great start in Duluth on Spirit Mountain. It's a winter sports event that's a spectator's dream, with great facilities and some of the best views of the snocross track we've ever seen! Those who got to the snowmobile snocross track at the crack of dawn filled the bleachers on the North end, which had a view of the whole snocross track, especially an up-close spectator seat on the moguls up the backside of the snocross track. Wow is all we can say here at SnowRider!

Winter always has an impact on events though, with Sunday's races all postponed due to rain and fog. While Friday's events were under cloud cover, Saturday was about as gorgeous a day as anybody could ask for, so we got lots of great photos. With Sunday's racing cancelled the key event of the week turned out to be the X Games snocross qualifier that ran to finals. Mind you those veterans and semi-pros provided lots of snocross thrills for spectators too. The weather may have been good luck for Blair Morgan, though, since he broke his throttle thumb in a testing mishap on November 18th, and just started his events to keep in the PowerSports points race for the snocross season.

For the X Games list of invited snocross racers see the WPSA listing. Martin and Morin led the list of qualifiers for the X-Games at Duluth, with the big surprise being Tucker Hibbert, who didn't qualify in the final after finishing first in all three of his heats.

The Duluth National PowerSports snocross season opener race drew hundreds of snocross racers from across the United States and Canada. A walk through the pits was a real eye-opener! Duluth is certainly the place to be for snocross drivers looking to test their new metal as a new snocross race season begins.

Steve Martin (#18) and Kurtis Crapo (#19) are both off to a flying start for the 2005-2006 snocross racing season. Martin (Warnert Racing) is the WPSA defending Pro Open Champion-- he qualified for the X-games on this first round in Duluth.

There was lots of racing on air as drivers shot off the top of the north hill on their way to the checkered flag. The terrain of Spirit Mountain, where the Duluth National is held, makes for an unbeatable track design--unless, that is, you're walking up and down between the switch-backs and the finish line.

#244, Bobby LePage, WPSA semi-pro snocross driver, shoots skyward as he takes a jump.

Pro WPSA snocross driver C.W. Sirjane (#27) is just a ski ahead over this jump along with another Ski-Door driver, with Earl Reimer (#100) in the snow dust behind.

For more information on the PowerSports snowmobile Tour visit www.wpsaracing.com

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