GTX Limited Three Seater

A three-seater snowmobile? It’s here! The 2006 Ski-Doo GTX Limited features an industry-exclusive 2+1 modular seat. It can change from a single seat with massive cargo capacity, to a two-up configuration, to the one and only three-up position. The three-up set-up is an ideal method of bringing a youngster along for the ride with mom and dad.
An Auto-Air self-leveling rear track shock delivers proper ride height and controlled weight transfer and flatter cornering in the capable SC-4 rear suspension.
This 136” luxury touring sled also features semi-rigid lockable saddlebags, a fixed high windshield, added wind deflectors, push-button electric start and reverse, electric fuel and temp gauges, and a 12V accessory outlet. The passenger enjoys a soft, padded seat with an adjustable backrest, electric handwarmers and wind deflectors.
The 2006 GTX Limited is offered in Deep Black or Seashore/Earth Grey, fitted with a Rotax 600 H.O. SDI mill ($9,749) or a 800 H.O. PowerTEK engine ($10,449), both EPA-2006 compliant for exceptional fuel economy and reduced emissions.

Darcy Ewing

The Snowmobile Hall of Fame (SHOF) in St. Germain, Wisconsin will celebrate its 18th annual induction on January 12th, 2006, in Eagle River, Wisconsin, inducting four individuals from the sport who made contributions to snowmobiling truly worthy of recognition.

Darcy Ewing –
One of snowmobile oval racing’s most recognizable names and faces, Darcy Ewing of Big Lake, Minnesota, was a fixture on the USSA racing circuit for many years, competing in the many Pro classes that came and went during his long and successful career. Remembered as a friendly and humble driver who was always there for his fellow competitors while still being a fierce competitor on the racetrack with his Gemini Racing machines, Ewing made racing a family endeavor. At the time of his accidental death in 2002, Ewing was recognized as one of the winningest drivers of all time in snowmobile oval racing.

Frans Rosenquist

Frans Rosenquist -
Known as one of the most durable and successful racers of the 70s and 80s, Frans Rosenquist came out of Atwater, Minnesota, to race Ski-Doo, Merc, Sno*Jet, Polaris, Yamaha and Kawasaki during a long 15 year career. Rosenquist was a member of the famous Team Frustration in the late 1970s, a Yamaha factory driver at the dawn of the IFS era and the final winner of the Kawasaki Tournament of Champions in 1981. He was a High-Point Overall Champion in ASA in 1976 and #1 bib in USSA as well as the winner of the famous Adema Cup in 1977.

E.B. Earlan Campbell -
A natural mechanic and a devoted outdoorsman, Campbell was attracted to the art and science of winter travel as a youth, constructing wind-driven machines beginning in the 1930s. Very likely the first dealer to begin selling Polaris Sno-Travelers, his dealership in Millinocket, Maine, was instrumental in the introduction of snowmobiling in Maine and all across the East. Campbell was a key part of the informal early development team that worked the bugs out of the early designs and he was founder of one of Maine’s earliest snowmobile clubs.

Coley Findley -
Snowmobiling has attracted many genuine aficionados in its first half century but none attached themselves to the sport like Findley. Understanding that snowmobiling is first of all an experience, Findley set out to ride his snowmobile for an accumulated half-million miles, mostly near his home in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, and his documented record on the trails places him at the very top in terms of time in the saddle. An avid collector of milestone snowmobiles and a tireless promoter of the sport, Findley has records certifying his travels – mostly in the company of his wife, Katy – on the snow to a grand total of 450,000 miles.

For information on previous Hall of Fame inductees, other SHOF events, building fund information and museum web site tours go to:
www.snowmobilehalloffame.com

Polaris Racing legend Bob Eastman has been inducted into the prestigious Polaris Hall of Fame. Eastman was one of five individuals and business partners who played a significant role in the growth and operation of Polaris Industries that were inducted into the Polaris Hall of Fame. The induction took place during the 2006 Polaris ATV, RANGER and Victory Motorcycles dealer meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
Eastman put his heart and soul into Polaris for 45 years. Bob is best known as a legendary snowmobile racer and race team manager. He helped Polaris earn its reputation for performance as he won races across North America. He won the Eagle River World Championship in 1973 and is a member of the Snowmobile Racing Hall of Fame. He joined Polaris in 1960 as a welder, building farm equipment and Sno-Traveler snowmobiles. Bob also was involved in testing and became instrumental in new product development, helping Polaris lead the way in snowmobile and ATV innovation. Even at the height of his racing success, Bob has always remained humble, always been just another good guy from Roseau, where he now enjoys retirement and does some farming.
Other inductees included Ken Larson, former Polaris President and COO, and Tri-City Polaris of Centerville, Utah.
In the 1990s, Larson helped the company triple in size from $300 million to more than $1 billion annually. The spectacular results during Ken’s term as president speak for themselves.
Polaris dealer Tri-City Polaris in Centerville, Utah started in a small post office building but has grown significantly in the past 20 years. Tri-City has become a mecca for performance-minded deep snow riders and a prime source for performance solutions and for lightweight, incredibly effective parts and setups.

Ski-Doo Racing and Smith Optics have announced a partnership for the upcoming 2005/2006 Snowmobile Race Season, with Smith Optics being the “Official Eyewear of the Ski-Doo X-Team”.
Smith has long been recognized as a leader in the Motorsports eyewear industry. Their innovative eyewear can be seen everywhere – from hardcore motocross riders, to icy snowcross tracks, to surf competitions worldwide – even the prestigious Tour de France.
“It’s a perfect fit with Ski-Doo Racing – they help winners win – and we like to win!” said Paul Prudhomme, Sales and Marketing Manager – Parts, Accessories, and Riding Gear for Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.
The partnership includes a Racer Contingency Program. Pro and Semi-Pro racers will have the opportunity to earn cash for each and every victory on the WPSA National, CSRA National and Regional, and RMR Central and Western Region race circuits.
Further, a special contingency reward of up to an additional $500 USD can be earned for a victory by a Ski-Doo racer at the Winter-X Games.

Snowmobilers in Saskatchewan will now pay $40 per year to license their snowmobile, compared to the previous $9 per year. Why such an increase? The new fee also includes a trail permit, which used to be purchased separately for an additional $65-$90 per year.
The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association is in favor of the new system, because it solves the problem of people using the trails without buying a permit, and it will generate about $500,000 a year in additional revenue for the 75 snowmobile clubs to maintain the 10,000 kilometers of trails in the province.

Yamaha drag racers recently set a pair of new records, both aboard 4-stroke powerplants. John Wheelock set a new grass drag record of 4.073 seconds in 500 feet at the COSDRA Top Gun Shootout. Team Simon’s CPR modified RX-1 became the first snowmobile ever to break into the seven-second club with an incredible 1/4-mile asphalt record of 7.97 seconds at 170 mph.

FOX Racing Shox has announced the establishment of a new Service Center in Canada – Factory Connection Canada (FCC).
The two companies have entered into an agreement that will have FCC as the exclusive FOX Authorized Global Service Center for PowerSports products in Canada. Factory Connection Canada is well known as a leader in the off-road motorcycle suspension industry.
“Our objective is to provide FOX Racing Shox customers in Canada with the highest quality products, service, set-up information and quick turn around time on all FOX PowerSports suspension products, and FCC is the perfect partner to help us achieve our goals,” stated Michael Daws, VP of FOX’s PowerSports Division.
Factory Connection Canada will offer Oil Change and complete Rebuild services in addition to handling warranty related issues on any FOX PowerSports products (past / present). The FCC staff has been trained directly by the FOX Racing Shox staff in California. FCC is authorized to purchase parts directly from FOX and will have parts in stock for in house service work and Retail or Dealer sales.
For more details or dealer inquiries contact Factory Connection Canada at 819-398-7722; fax: 819-398-1157; e-mail to: sales@factoryconnectioncanada.com