*Black Magic Duluth National November 26, 27, 28 - 1999 Duluth, Minnesota

*Castle Sales/HJC Michigan Challange December 18, 19 - 1999 Gaylord, Michigan

Deadwood Shootout January 8, 9 - 2000 Deadwood, South Dakota

Polaris Canterbury Snocross January 15, 16 - 2000 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Potawatomi Bingo Northern Lights Snocross January 22, 23 - 2000 Crandon, Wisconsin

ESPN Winter X Games February 3, 4, 5, 6 - 2000 Mt. Snow, Vermont

Yamaha Big East National February 12, 13 - 2000 Syracuse, New York

Grand Prix de Valcourt February 19, 20 - 2000 Valcourt, Quebec, Canada

Nielsen Enterprises, GRAND Finale March 11, 12 - 2000 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Attend Local Races

Before you go out racing you may want to find out what youre getting yourself into. At first, attend a few races as a spectator. While at the track make sure you watch and see how the racers handle their machines in the corners, on the jumps and throughout the day as the track gets rougher. Make sure you invest in a pit pass so you can go talk to the racers and ask them for inside information, tips on how they set up their sleds for a race, and what they do to get into shape for a race season. When choosing racers to talk to, you may want to lean toward the ones who are riding the same brand of machine you intend to race. Most racers are friendly and will help you out any way they can. It is at this time I recommend you start a regular training program that will help out your racing efforts. Snowcross is a very physically demanding sport and there are a lot of racers who cant hang on to the handlebars after a few laps, which leads to crashes.

Your Race Sled

Attention to your sled is very important. Check over the machine to make sure it is absolutely safe. Invest in a good set of wrenches and go over EVERY bolt on your sled before and after every race. This will help you figure out what bolts are prone to loosening. Before you take your sled out for a race, you should always look over the whole sled for bent, broken, cracked or stressed-out parts. Be sure to change any parts that look ready to break. If you neglect to fix a part that should have been fixed, it can put a quick end to a day of fun. Breaking down on the racetrack is a big no-no. Also, you should get your shocks charged after every race. This will ensure that they can last a whole day of racing without fading. There is no need for mods at this time

Necessary Equipment

First of all youll need a helmet. Your helmet must be Snell 95 approved and at least 75% bright Orange. If it does not meet this criteria, then you will not be able to race. You will also need an approved chest protector like the Tekvest (motocross chest protection is not approved). You also must have boots, eye protection, gloves, elbow and shin guards, and your jacket or bib must be bright orange on your back (most circuits include a race bib that meets the criteria). I recommend that you invest in a kidney belt because snowmobile suspensions are still pretty harsh. You should also invest in a good quality snowmobile suit that is meant for your type of racing. FXR, Tekrider, Reima and Moose all make good quality suits that look good and offer great movement in snowcross applications. Dont wear a suit that you would wear out on a trail ride because youll get very hot and they are pretty heavy. For your sled youll need a thumb-activated kill switch along with a tether kill switch. I recommend disconnecting the stock kill switch and invest in a motocross bike switch. The motocross ones will not shut down your sled if you accidentally bump into it. You might also want to invest in some studs and good quality snowcross carbide runners. Remember, when studding your track you are only permitted to have 96 studs, and they must all be allocated in the center belt and cant have less than a 60-degree angle (that means you cant use 45-degree ice picks). Your carbide runners must be on an oval host bar and can have no more than 10 inches of carbide. Oval racerunners are not legal. You will also have to tape up your lights so when they break they dont shatter all over track. Also, you'll want to buy some clutch components such as spring and helixes. Ask other racers what they use and start with that. Dropping the stock gearing will also help you get out of the corner faster than the other guy. Again, ask around and see what other people have been using and experiment from there.

Race Time

When you are in your first few races dont try to win and make sure you start in the beginners class. Get used to getting passed and passing riders. Learn what you and your sled are capable of doing in the corners, and off of jumps. Also, try to work some lines and see what ones work best for you. Doing this will ensure that you learn what your and your sleds capabilities and limits are. After you have run a couple of races and the other racers sleds are all trash from big get-offs (usually because they didnt take step 4 seriously), turn it up a notch and then start looking for that win.

Aftermarket

After you are sure you want to keep racing, it will be time to invest in a few valuable parts. First of all, suspension is one of the most important things on your sled. Investing in good quality shocks is one of the best things a racer can do to improve on lap times. Skis are also very important. I recommend a set of C&A Pro snowmobile skis. They are by far one of the best skis at the track with their awesome turning characteristics. A good 1.25-inch track is ideal for snowcross and can help you in your holeshot hunt. Make sure you check into the legal replacement track for your snowmobile before buying one. For those of you who want to have a top open sled, I suggest you do the following. First of all, buy a set of pipes or a pipe. Pipes can boost power in a big way and can lend a hand to future motor work. Carbs and reeds may be the best thing to get second and third for your motor and can bring up power numbers in big ways if you have pipes. If you have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket, you should check out a specialty shop and put down your money on a full-blown race motor. Remember that you won't notice any power improvements in your sled unless your clutches are tuned correctly.

Final Few Words