■ COOL NEWS
for himself and a few private racers in
Illinois. Villeneuve waited until 1976 to
unveil his IFS-equipped Skiroule at
Killkenny in New Hampshire, where he
convincingly won the 250, 340 and 440
Pro classes!
The next year, Polaris tested and came
out with its 1977 RXL race sleds. Eastman
saw the racing potential of IFS and pur-
chased parts from Rudolph. The rest is
racing history and IFS would soon spread
among the serious racers. It's standard
issue today.■ NOT THE FIRST PRODUCTION IFS
Although Polaris was quick to jump on the
IFS bandwagon, the INDY wasn’t the first
consumer sled made with independent
front suspension.
That title goes to the 1979 Arctic Cat
Trail Cat.
But the Cat didn’t pan out well, possi-
bly because it was rushed into production
too quickly.■ 1980 POLARIS TX-L INDY
For 1980 though, Polaris nailed IFS with
its new INDY, the Trail Extreme (TX) with
a liquid-cooled engine (L).
The IFS system made the sled a little
heavier than normal and potential cus-
tomers didn’t know what to think of the
look. But test rides at local dealerships
changed minds and turned it into a hit!
Polaris’ combination of clutches,
strong engine, rubber track, and suspen-
sion made for a great ride. The racing
roots carried through from the innovative
RX-L oval racer, whose 340cc liquid-cooledengine also competed in the 440-class in
some cases. INDY quickly became a hit for
sledheads and has remained a staple of
Polaris’ lineup for 40 years.■ MODERN INDYS
Now comes the new INDY XC with two
track lengths, 129 and 137 inches, and a
choice of 600 Cleanfire, 800 H.O.
Cleanfire and horsey 850 Patriot engines.
Prices range from $11,699 to $12,099.
There are other INDY models too. Watch
future issues of AmSnow for a review of
Polaris' iconic INDY.Woodies Racing, based in
Princeton, Minn., is accepting
applications for those wanting
its sponsorship. The new spon-
sorship program is open to anyone
in the snowmobile industry; a team,
an individual racer, or an event.
Interested candidates must apply
through Woodies Racing
Sponsorship application at
www,woodiesracing.com.
Paul and Kym Woodie are no strangers to supporting
the snowmobile industry. Before racing the AMSOIL
Championship Snocross Series, they hosted grassroots
snocross races in western Wyoming and also got involved
with local hill climbers.
Once on the national snocross tour, Woodies Racing
sponsored and developed the Junior Girls Class. This was
influenced by female racer Taven Woodie as the team
wanted to create another place to for young girl racers to
showcase their talent.ArcticFX Graphics signs
backcountry phenom Kesterke
Check us out on YouTube!
American Snowmobiler’s YouTube channel brings you great snowmo-
biling footage! Check out AmSnow TV, tech tips, exclusive AmSnow
shootout coverage,and more. Best of all, subscribing to our YouTube
channel is FREE! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/
AmericanSnowmobilerAN ERA BEGINS Just the name, INDY 500, made
the original Polaris sound like a winner.Sponsorship ▶
WOODIES TAKING APPLICATIONS
A
rcticFX Graphics has
signed backcountry sen-
sation Caleb Kesterke
to a long-term contract. He
joins the ranks of elite ath-
letes that ride for ArcticFX
and represent the company
and its sled wraps.
Kesterke has become an
Instagram and You Tube phe-
nom due to his exciting vid-
eos of backcountry riding and
tricks. Kesterke, 21, lives in
Missoula, Mont.
Some are comparing
Kesterke to backcountry leg-
end Chris Burandt for his
innate abilities to perform
tricks and maneuvers on a
snowmobile.
“This is one of the reasons
why we sought out Caleb”said ArcticFX’s marketing
coordinator Ryan Stiteler.
“His style and attitude both
on and off the snow is top
notch. Watching his footage is
not only cool, it is inspiring; it
makes you want to be a better
rider.”POLARIS’ COMBINATION OF
CLUTCHES, STRONG ENGINE,
RUBBER TRACK, AND
SUSPENSION REALLY MADE
FOR A GREAT RIDE.