Yamaha Supports 2015 USXC I-500 Winnipeg to Willmar Race

Story by Lucas Cooney Apr. 08, 2014

Next winter the USXC is bringing back one of the most storied races in snowmobile history – the I-500 from Winnipeg, Man. to Willmar, Minn. – and Yamaha has stepped up to support the race and it is participants.

“We love cross country because it’s the most relatable type of racing for fans,” says Yamaha Snowmobile Marketing Manager, Wade West. “It is also the most achievable for a snowmobiler to try with their own trail sled.

“The USXC’s plan for the 2015 International 500-mile race brings back one of the heritage events of our sport and we want to support the revival of that tradition. So we are proud to offer a contingency prize to any Yamaha snowmobiler – we will pay back the entry fee for any officially registered rider in the USXC I-500 who starts in Winnipeg and finishes in Willmar on a Yamaha snowmobile!”

The support program is open to any entrant to the race, regardless of class or level.

“We sincerely hope to see a large field of citizen racers challenging themselves and their snowmobiles at this event,” says West. “Cross country snowmobile racing is growing in popularity, and we are happy to encourage our customers to give it a try by offering this contingency program.”

The 2015 Seven Clans Casinos I-500 will be a four-day passage from Winnipeg to Willmar and will feature over 500 miles of racing, following a good portion of the original I-500 route.

For 2015, the green flag will drop at the Winnipeg Speedway just south of Winnipeg, Canada and will cross the border and head to Thief River Falls and the Seven Clans Casino on day one. Racers will then be off to Bemidji, Minn. on day two. Day three will take riders 180 miles to the Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minn. The 2015 I-500 closes out on day four with a 125-mile dash to the finish line in Willmar, Minn. There will be five total fuel stops throughout the race and will handled by a fuel truck and manifold system, saving riders the hassle of hauling their own fuel.

Visit USXCRacing.com for more information.