AMSOIL Duluth National 2008 – Day 1
We didn’t take the curvy bridge from Superior, WI into Duluth, MN until around 4pm local time and after being behind the wheel for 620 miles, I wanted to get out of the truck for more than to just enjoy the beautiful views and countryside. After checking in we wanted to get straight to the mountain to attempt to see some of the racing for the day, meet up with our contacts and of course catch some action from the Slednecks Invasion Tour.
At this time in the day, there’s no way you’ll get a parking spot on top of the mountain. Other options…walk from the hotel or park at the fairgrounds and take a shuttle. Do I have to tell you which one we picked? The “shuttle” was actually a school bus in disguise; and traveling up a twisty road to a ski lodge in a bumpy bus loaded with kids in beanies and snow pants gave me a eerie feeling I was back in middle school ski club. It was fun. Did I mention it was my first time to Duluth?
After stepping off the bus we had to snag our pit passes and meet with Gary Querrel from Ski-Doo BOSS Racing, but not before taking a quick peek at the track and soaking in some of the “live” energy.
After getting acquainted with Gary and the BOSS trailer we headed to the stands to get a decent spot for the freestyle action.
After about a good half hour of “We’re ready to get this going in about 5 minutes. Make some noise. Just 5 more minutes. I wanna hear some noise. Just a few more minutes…” the sleds finally hit some air. Sam Rogers, Paul Thacker and X-Games gold medalist Chris Burandt pulled some sick moves off the double ramps and got the crowd pumped after nailing some side by side supermans and back flips. Near the end of the show Sam Rogers took a spill and dislocated his shoulder. Though they were confident he would be solid by their next event.
The night was wrapped up with some decent fireworks that marveled most 4th of July displays. There wasn’t quite as much snow as I was expecting being this far North, but they produced enough snow to get the track where it needed to be and the hills where steadily blowing snow all evening for the shredders. But this weekend was about the sleds. The atmosphere and evening events definitely got my blood pumped for a full weekend of racing and I was ready to get started for the next day. (BB)
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