With the 2012-13 snowmobile racing season quickly approaching, Polaris has unveiled its 2013 600 IQ Race Sled. According to Polaris, the sled features a new engine package that delivers improved performance across the power range.

The 2013 version of the 600 IQ Race Sled also features a redesigned track, enhanced shock adjustability, improved brakes and other changes designed to increase Polaris racers’ competitive advantage.

New Engine Package

The new Polaris Liberty 600 engine package in the 600 IQ Race Sled features a re-engineered cylinder head and cylinders that result in significantly increased horsepower. Polaris did not provide specific numbers.

“Our new engine package was developed with a focus on improving both snocross and cross-country performance,” says Matt Prusak, race program leader in the Polaris Snowmobile Division. “We’re seeing this engine produce increased horsepower across the entire RPM range. Polaris racers will experience crisper throttle response, improved holeshots, and stronger performance all the way across the powerband. There’s a significant increase in power over the 2012 race sled.”

The Polaris snowmobile racing paddock is going to look a lot different after this season as Polaris Racing Manager Tom Rager Sr. is preparing to retire at season’s end.

Rager, who joined Polaris in August 2000 and has directed the racing program ever since, will be succeeded by his son, Tom Rager, Jr., who currently serves as Polaris Race Coordinator.

“It’s been a great career,” says the elder Rager. “I’ve watched my son grow and develop and he’s ready to take this thing on. He has worked hard.”

Rager Sr. joined Polaris after spending over 15 years with the Ski-Doo snowmobile racing program, including the final seven years as race manager.

Punishing – in a word it sums up the massive ski-hill snocross track that confronted Carlson Motorsports racers Johan Lidman and Andrew Carlson for rounds three and four of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series (ACSS) in Bessemer, Mich. It was a weekend filled with tough luck, unfortunate offs, and in the end a hint of redemption as Lidman finished sixth in Sunday’s Pro-Open main event.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is often referred to as big snow country for its massive lake effect snowfalls that accumulate there every winter. While the snowfall has yet to inundate the region this season, the snowmaking equipment on the slopes of the Blackjack Ski Resort near Bessemer more than made up for the void. The deep snow was then transformed into a challenging snocross track that featured a pair of downhill bombs that proved to be an obstacle for virtually every rider on the tour.

Racing rolled into the Blackjack National on Friday evening with all riders ready to go!

Day 1 started off great, with all the riders putting in fantastic qualifying efforts. Locking them all into positions for the final. The Pro Lite final kicked off the evening’s excitement. With an aggressive left to right starting line that was eating up riders all day. Travis Muller got a great jump off the ling, but then was pushed far outside where he caught someone’s ski. This caused him to flip over, ending his chase for the night.

In Pro Open all three Warnert Racing Ski-Doo’s where able to get great starts and finish in the top ten. Justin Broberg charged hard to ride his way to eighth, while Emil Ohman was just a couple spots off the box finishing sixth. Tim Tremblay was running second when an ice ridge almost swallowed him up, causing his sled to catapult on its side. Tremblay was able to muscle his machine back over and finish off the night with a well-deserved third.

Photo by John Hanson

Monster Energy’s Tucker Hibbert put on an impressive show at the second stop of the ISOC National Snocross Series in Bessemer, Mich., putting to rest the questions surrounding Arctic Cat’s all-new Sno Pro 600. Hibbert won all of his qualifying rounds and ran away with the Pro Open final Sunday afternoon by taking the holeshot, riding flawlessly and crossing the finish line over 15 seconds ahead of second place.

“This was a big weekend for me. We (the team) made huge improvements on our overall race package and it showed,” says Hibbert. The track was long and rough. ISOC did an awesome job building a challenging track. I felt night and day better than I did at Duluth. With a weekend off, I was able to put more time on new ProCross chassis to get more comfortable. I was able to charge hard and ride to my potential. I felt strong, just like I have in the past.”