Levi LaVallee got the mass e-mail just like everybody else (see press release, yesterday's post). Then he shrugged, went outside and hopped on his dirtbike. So, no, Levi is not worried about the future of the SnoCross tour.
"I just got on my dirtbike yesterday for the first time, so I'm a happy camper. Did some moto-ing and hit some ramps. I'm a little rusty, but it's coming back," he told EXPN.com today.
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There will come a time when Levi LaVallee gets serious. But now is not that time.
LaVallee is finally back home in Longville, Minn., for the summer. He hasn't hit a ramp on his snowmobile since his double-gold peformance at Winter X Games. But soon enough he willl begin work on his wood-chip track for summertime sled practice. In the meantime, he briefed us on the latest goings on.
EXPN: So what's up with the SnoCross tour?LaVallee: "I got the e-mail saying that John Daniels from ISOC"—pronounced I-Sock—"is taking over, so I was excited to hear that. From what I gather, it sounds like they'll have another national series and they're working on television stuff. It's pretty much going to be the same thing, and trying to improve upon what we've had already."
You competed in March at the Jackson Hill Climb for the first time. How'd that go? "I've never seen a hill that crazy. But the top riders, they were just wheelie-ing up it like it was nothing. I'd seen video, but it doesn't do it justice. It's just so steep. And not only is it steep, once the guys start going up it, it gets destroyed, like a mine field, like a bomb went off, ruts down to the rocks."
"Well, I'm from Minnesota, so I'm not used to that! Holy Cow. I was in two classes, so I had two qualifying runs. The first one, I got three-quarters of the way up to the first catwalk and there were these two deep, massive, ridiculous ruts. I wheelied across 'em, but got too high on the next gate, so I almost had to go downhill toward the next gate. I ended up going into the trees. I didn't hit any, but I parked it in there. On my second qualifying run, I missed it by a half-second, but I made it to the catwalk and I was excited just to make it that far. I was screaming and yelling like I won the thing. Of course, I didn't even qualify."
No freestyle riding since the X Games—seriously? "I got ran over at my last SnoCross race and I had to get stitches in my wrist. Originally, I was going to ride freestyle in Jackson, but I wasn't able to hit ramps to get ready."
hentgesracing.com
Known for his impeccable timing, LaVallee, right, points out some mustard on the jersey of his Hentges Racing teammate Brett Bender.
How's the wrist? "I took a stud and it ripped it open. Nothing internal, but it was a big, pinky-sized gash that needed stitches. But then my hand started swelling up, like a big bubble. And after I couldn't see my knuckles anymore, I was like 'holy moly,' something's not right. So I went to the hospital and they gave me antibiotics to get that under control."
You travelled overseas for Sweden X recently. Do tell? "I went over as a guest—because of the wrist, I wasn't planning on riding—but I brought my gear just in case we were going freeriding. Then I got over there and they asked me to do the SnoCross race. So they got me fixed up with a stock sled, but it was a mod class and I was getting my butt handed to me at the starts. I couldn't put it together. The freestyle event there was impressive though. I wish I had been doing it. Daniel Bodin helped with the layout of the course in advance and they did a really good job."
What's next? "Just working on getting my wood chip stuff set so I can ride. But right now I'm amped up about the dirtbike. That'll wear off after a while though, and then I'll be antsy to ride the sled some more."
Last week, the WPSA announced it was suspending operations. It's not clear whether "folding" is actually a better word for things, but nevermind now. This week, a new, old group—ISOC Racing, or International Series of Champions—announced it will be running the new "snowmobile national race circuit."
A press release names the ISOC as heir apparent to the SnoCross tour, saying, "After many meetings and careful review of the ISOC Racing's business plan, we have made an unanimous decision as Team Owners, supported by Manufacturers to work with ISOC Racing Circuit at a Regional and National level." The statement names John Daniels, who is also the CEO/executive producer of Sled Head 24/7, as head of the ISOC crew.
How the new circuit will take shape remains to be seen—as few details about the In-and-Outs of SnoCross tour organizers have emerged. Last Saturday, after the WPSA announcement and before the ISOC one, Nate Hentges, co-owner of the prominent Hentges Racing SnoCross team, hadn't heard anything one way or the other. He said he hadn't talked with anyone at WPSA since the last race of the 2008 season at Lake Geneva, Wis.
"I really don't know a lot, to be honest with you," said Hentges, whose six-rider team includes top guns like T.J. Gulla and Levi LaVallee. "But this is not good. But I can't foresee the manufacturers not letting [SnoCross] continue because that's what they use for their marketing."
Hentges added, "We've gotta know what's going on here because we're all moving forward as planned, getting ready for next season. We start our engine program here in a month, but we've gotta have a place to race..."
THE PRESS RELEASE:
ISOC Racing - Named The New Snowmobile National & Regional Race Circuit
May 6, 2007 - We are excited to announce ISOC Racing as the New Snowmobile National Race Circuit .
After many meetings and careful review of the ISOC Racing's business plan, we have made
an unanimous decision as Team Owners, supported by Manufacturers to work with ISOC Racing Circuit at a Regional and National level. John Daniels and the ISOC bring us as Team Owners, Manufacturers, Sponors and Racers a pumped-up experienced crew ready to take snowmobile racing to the next level . We will have an excellent television schedule, increased payouts, a full National and Regional Race Schedule.
WPSA has ended its tenure building a venue for snowmobile racing and we thank them for all they have done over the years for racing and the snowmobile industry. John Daniels and his crew at ISOC will take over from here and the future of snowmobile racing couldn't be brighter! There is so much excitement preparing for the new year and all we can acheive working together.
Let's give John and his crew our complete support and we will all win!!!!
Look for a press release soon from the ISOC Crew with more details and let's go racing!!
"These guys thrive on first ascents," says filmmaker Brent Veideman. "But down in Monster Bowl"—on Boulder Mt., near Revelstoke, British Columbia—"pretty much all the chutes have been taken. They've been named or done first by someone else."
Dusty Veideman
Monster Bowl's latest up track. The elevation gain from lake to ridgetop is about 1,400 feet.
"This one that Neil [McLaren] was eyeing was pretty gnarly. A huge, huge pull. So when he said he was ready to do it, I got set up to film. He did it first try—it was awesome," says Veideman, of Far West Films and "Boost."
Rising about 1,400-vertical feet and featuring exposed corners at the top, the chute's first track was put up by McLaren, of Panoka, Alberta, last weekend. Then his buddy Paul Gibbs, of Delta, B.C., put up the second ascent. Gibbs also made a first ascent of steep and narrow coulior nearby. "Because this has been an exceptional snow year, it was basically now or never. Paul went for it and pulled it off," says Veideman.
Brent Veideman
Neil McLaren's new line up Revelstoke's Monster Bowl.
Both McLaren and Gibbs ride heavily-modified Yamaha Apex four strokes, complete with methyl alcohol injectors. "Cools the combustion charge down," says Veideman of the meth or methanol, "because a hot engine robs you of horsepower."
"Neil's got well over 400 horsepower under the lid there, and he went up it like a rocket. But it wasn't a point-and-shoot run. It was technical at the top, and if he made a mistake, it was a 700-foot fall to the bottom. My jaw was open as I was filming it," says Veideman.
Brent Veideman
Paul Gibbs' handiwork: The Angry Pirate.
Veideman, a Revelstoke native, says his next film "Boost 3" will feature these ascents as well as a few others he's keeping quiet for the moment. "These will be clinchers for the movie," he says.
Moral of the story: That's how "McLaren's Mile" and "The Angry Pirate" got their names.
The company behind the SnoCross Tour in North America—the World PowerSports Association, or WPSA—announced today that it is suspending operations indefinitely.
The WPSA had recently negotiated with Jac Sperling, a former Minnesota Wild hockey team executive, as a prospective majority shareholder, but the deal reportedly fell through. At this time, WPSA's website has also ceased operations. Mandi Johnson, wife and manager of SnoCross racer Tucker Hibbert, told EXPN.com: "We knew that the investor they lined up had pulled out, but we don't know much more than that. Obviously, it's not good for the sport." The future of the SnoCross Tour remains unclear.
THE PRESS RELEASE:
Powersports Entertainment, Inc. Suspends Operations And Cancels 2008 WPSA ATV Racing Schedule
Minneapolis, MN (May 1, 2008) - PowerSports Entertainment, Inc. announced today that it is has suspended corporate operations and as a result the WPSA 2008 PowerSports ATV Tour race schedule is now canceled.
"All of us here at the WPSA regret that we have no choice but to suspend operations and cancel the ATV tour at this time," said Rick Murphy, CEO of PowerSports Entertainment Inc. "We have been working diligently for many months to fundamentally improve our business model and acquire financing that would allow us to move forward, but we were not able to consummate the contemplated transactions and we foresee no significant increases in sponsorship or event revenue that would gap the projected deficits."
"While the company is considering a variety of options, none of these options would happen quickly enough to justify running the WPSA Championship ATV Tour according to our established standards and we believe that it is best to cancel the 2008 ATV season rather than attempt a watered down version," said Scott O'Malley, President of PEI. "We are attempting to find remedies that would allow us to resume operations, but at this time we have no firm solutions. Hopefully we will be successful in our endeavors."
"On behalf of Rick, Scott, Tes, myself, the WPSA staff, our volunteers and everyone else who worked their tails off to make the last two seasons happen, we offer our heartfelt thank you to the sponsors, our TV production company, the track owners & their local crews, the team owners, and all of our racers, parents and families who supported us so strongly," said Kent Lungstrom, EVP of PEI. "It deeply saddens all of us that we are not in a position to continue at this time and we regret that we have to shutter such a great series after much too short a run."
PEI may issue public announcements from time to time in the future as conditions warrant.
Heath Frisby has broken his left leg three times. The first time it was the fibula—the non-weight bearing bone—and the second time it was both bones, fibula and tibia (or shin bone). On Feb. 9, about a week after the 2008 Winter X Games, Frisby broke the leg a third time—fibula fracture. He was riding in Steamboat Springs, Colo., at an exhibition event.
"The take-off was a little screwed up and it was snowing hard so we didn't notice it. I hit it and it didn't work. I came up a little short. So it was a bad deal, but it happens," says Frisby.
heathfrisby.com
Heath Frisby fractured his left fibula—the non-weight bearing bone of the lower leg—during an event in Steamboat Springs in early February. But he's pretty much back to normal now.
But Frisby has since resumed riding—at his normal, full-blast, break-leg pace. He just returned from three weeks in Alaska, filming with Giles and Sebastian Landry from Turnagain Hardcore, and before that he was riding with his buddy Joe Parsons in Washington state.
EXPN: How was Alaska? Frisby: "I haven't really filmed much in a while because you don't really make any money doing it and it can be stressful if the film guys are d---- bags. But these guys, Giles and Sebastian, are good guys and I like doing stuff with them, so it worked out well."
Was this your first time filming with Turnagain Hardcore? "Yes. I'd been up to Alaska four or five times with [Jay] Quinlan, but this was the best trip up there for sure. It was a just a really cool experience—riding at a bunch of the famous spots near Anchorage, and up in Valdez—and no one got hurt. Joe [Parsons] and I had a lot of fun together, but everyday we didn't ride with the same crew. Whoever was there, whoever wanted to go, we'd just go, and that's kind of how it all worked."
We heard you were riding terrain parks in Washington state. Dish.
"I was with Joe at a little ski resort called White Pass, and the guys there are super rad. They let us set up our ramps right in the terrain park—when it was open for skiers and snowboarders."
That sounds... interesting.
"Yep. Usually resorts will make you sign waivers and you're not allowed to leave such-and-such a zone. But these guys were like, 'Be safe and have fun.' So we rode whatever the hell we wanted and they just didn't care. In fact, they were stoked. So it works out great for us and I guess it works out for them too, because people talk and come up to check it all out."
How's the leg coming along?
"It broke right below the plate that they put in last season. But it's really strong now and I'm much better—no surgery required this time. I wore a cast for a week and then took it off; annoying. So this last one [broken leg] was chill. But, this specialist I'm seeing, thinks it might be the knee braces that I'm wearing that's causing it—the knee brace would bind and then it'd push into my leg and break it. So we're working on solving that..."
What's next?
"Heading to Cooke City [Mont.] for a Red Bull photo shoot, and then we're heading back to White Pass to film some more with Turnagain Hardcore. Those guys liked the sound of the set-up down there."
