Thanks a million for this video, I thought it was lost forever!! At 3:12 the yellow and woodgrain 1974 International Travelall with a 392CID V8 & Front Bucket Seats, has my crew chief and my mechanic in it, waiting to see me at a fuel stop, I guess, maybe near a road crossing. They couldn't believe I was still going, so many had broken or got too cold. My Winnipeg to St. Paul race number was also 312. The premix fuel used was Union Carbide synthetic: "Run with the Bunny". A good lubricant, but it had almost no anti-corrosion properties. The engine size limit that year was 340cc, twin carbs were allowed, engines were either free air or fan cooled. I had a John Deere 340/S built for Enduro Racing, minimum of 500 produced. 340 CCW fan cooled with CDI ignition. It had dual Mikuni round slides with enricheners, we had manual enrichener control pull knobs on the carbs, so we didn't have to worry about the cable freezing up. Comet clutches. Sealed beam headlights & a BIG windshield. Woodys made special runners for JD that were 120 degree carbide, full length of the wear bar. Dark Metallic Green was the factory color. John Deere issued dozens of upgrade and reinforcing bulletins on that sled before the Winnipeg race. They used a Kelsey Hayes hydraulic brake, had cartridge style Polly heaters in the handlebars, and we had very thick Naugahyde handlebar gauntlets made by Vetter in Milwaukee. My sled was equipped with a Magura twist style throttle, which allowed me to hold on better, and cause less strain on my thumb. It was so windy that many of the sleds had their entire engine compartment packed full of snow from sitting outside the night before. We had a cover on our sled. Some of the competitors had trouble getting their sleds started. Once your flight was flagged off (officially started on the clock), you could not get any help getting the machine started. Or, help, parts, tools or anything else, other than fueling at the official fuel stops. I carried a spare primary clutch and the tools to change it, on my sled. Many racers were disqualified that first night in Grand Forks, due to frostbite, some had frozen corneas and were temporarily blind. I had second and third degree frostbite to my entire face, due to taking off my goggles so I could see.
That sled at the 7:50 mark (not starting) was put together here in Owatonna. I used hang out at Steele county marine when they were putting it together. They used to run a lot of race sleds out of that shop. Great memories.
I was in 11 th , there was a couple of times they went throulgh Wannaska , they shut down school so we could watch . Sorry Struwelpeter62 but POLARIS rules .
No that was just oil they were adding to the gas to make it a ready to use premix. You see, if the tank was already full of premix, then adding more oil would throw off the mix ratio. This would inherently cause fouled plugs, excessive smoke, and poor throttle response. I can’t imagine they would be adding more oil to an already premixed fuel. So yeah..
No, Winnipeg to St. Paul hasn't run since the late 70s. There is still a Winnipeg to Willmar race. There is also a 500-mile race in Michigan but that is run on an oval track in a single-day.
@@1982Nels I know for a fact the Winnipeg to St. Paul was ran in 1992/1994... #1 I have a Friend that raced both...in 1993 they ran from St. Paul to Winnipeg... here is an article talking about the 1994 Race and a "NEW Grand 500" www.amsnow.com/news/racing-shootouts/1994/12/i-500-vs-grand-500
Sorry guys but POLARIS won more . On the other hand when you conciter the fact that Polaris and Artic Cat were started by many of the SAME people and also the factories are only about 60 miles apart , can there be any thing but a friendly rivalry
Well they didnt win more grass drags in the early 80s. Lol. But yea they did good in cross country. It’s yin and yang. Arctic did good in 1973/74 then 1977 for xc. It’s covered in Warriors of Winter book.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks a million for this video, I thought it was lost forever!!
At 3:12 the yellow and woodgrain 1974 International Travelall with a 392CID V8 & Front Bucket Seats, has my crew chief and my mechanic in it, waiting to see me at a fuel stop, I guess, maybe near a road crossing. They couldn't believe I was still going, so many had broken or got too cold. My Winnipeg to St. Paul race number was also 312.
The premix fuel used was Union Carbide synthetic: "Run with the Bunny". A good lubricant, but it had almost no anti-corrosion properties.
The engine size limit that year was 340cc, twin carbs were allowed, engines were either free air or fan cooled. I had a John Deere 340/S built for Enduro Racing, minimum of 500 produced. 340 CCW fan cooled with CDI ignition. It had dual Mikuni round slides with enricheners, we had manual enrichener control pull knobs on the carbs, so we didn't have to worry about the cable freezing up. Comet clutches. Sealed beam headlights & a BIG windshield. Woodys made special runners for JD that were 120 degree carbide, full length of the wear bar. Dark Metallic Green was the factory color. John Deere issued dozens of upgrade and reinforcing bulletins on that sled before the Winnipeg race. They used a Kelsey Hayes hydraulic brake, had cartridge style Polly heaters in the handlebars, and we had very thick Naugahyde handlebar gauntlets made by Vetter in Milwaukee. My sled was equipped with a Magura twist style throttle, which allowed me to hold on better, and cause less strain on my thumb.
It was so windy that many of the sleds had their entire engine compartment packed full of snow from sitting outside the night before. We had a cover on our sled. Some of the competitors had trouble getting their sleds started. Once your flight was flagged off (officially started on the clock), you could not get any help getting the machine started. Or, help, parts, tools or anything else, other than fueling at the official fuel stops. I carried a spare primary clutch and the tools to change it, on my sled.
Many racers were disqualified that first night in Grand Forks, due to frostbite, some had frozen corneas and were temporarily blind. I had second and third degree frostbite to my entire face, due to taking off my goggles so I could see.
Thanks for sharing that I felt like I was in.race ..
Thanx for sharing the story David
Deere Power, A n unrecicnized Classic
That sled at the 7:50 mark (not starting) was put together here in Owatonna. I used hang out at Steele county marine when they were putting it together. They used to run a lot of race sleds out of that shop. Great memories.
I was in 7th grade when this race happened. I remember listening in school on the radio for updates. Thief River Falls, MN Home of the Arctic Cat.
I was in 11 th , there was a couple of times they went throulgh Wannaska , they shut down school so we could watch . Sorry Struwelpeter62 but POLARIS rules .
I know it as Tough Rubber Balls.
I lived in white bear lake mn this was a BIG DEAL THANKS FOR THE VIDEO
back then when it was that cold it was just called cold , these days the world is ending ...
Most media can no longer be trusted.
Awesome
Was that tanker full of pre- mix?
You saw it
No that was just oil they were adding to the gas to make it a ready to use premix. You see, if the tank was already full of premix, then adding more oil would throw off the mix ratio. This would inherently cause fouled plugs, excessive smoke, and poor throttle response. I can’t imagine they would be adding more oil to an already premixed fuel. So yeah..
@@Unctahdew I asked if it was full you wanker!
I wonder if the gas is premixed since most sleds didn't have oil injection at that time.
Around the 3 minuite 3:20 or so you see them dumping a 5 gallon oil can into a fuel truck
yes, all gas was premixed
Anyone see what brand of oil?
It was 62 below the year i ran the midnight sun 600 in alaska
they didnt sound stock to me there at the end...
What kind of speeds could these machines hit back then ?
85 + or -
Bout 90 mph most of the ~470 miles
a 320 ski-doo olympic 18 horse would do 70 on the lake .
Does this race still exist?
mistermodified1 very cool. Thx.
No...haven’t run it for many years
No, Winnipeg to St. Paul hasn't run since the late 70s. There is still a Winnipeg to Willmar race. There is also a 500-mile race in Michigan but that is run on an oval track in a single-day.
@@1982Nels I know for a fact the Winnipeg to St. Paul was ran in 1992/1994... #1 I have a Friend that raced both...in 1993 they ran from St. Paul to Winnipeg... here is an article talking about the 1994 Race and a "NEW Grand 500" www.amsnow.com/news/racing-shootouts/1994/12/i-500-vs-grand-500
Mister S I ran it in 1976, St. Paul to Winnipeg
Sorry guys but POLARIS won more . On the other hand when you conciter the fact that Polaris and Artic Cat were started by many of the SAME people and also the factories are only about 60 miles apart , can there be any thing but a friendly rivalry
Well they didnt win more grass drags in the early 80s. Lol. But yea they did good in cross country. It’s yin and yang. Arctic did good in 1973/74 then 1977 for xc. It’s covered in Warriors of Winter book.
@@henrycarlson7514 Brian Nelson won on a 1977 Cross Country Cat. They hired him after he won the year before on a 1976 John Deere 340 Liquidator.
Way better quality--you should delete the other one. Would have saved me 8 minutes!