Craig Daily Press / Here’s to snow in your face

Snow-Cross races hit Hayden this weekend

January 1, 2008

Past Event

Saturday, January 5, 2008, 9:45 a.m.
Hayden Speedway, 2 miles south of Hayden on Lincoln (1.5 miles past the fairgrounds), Hayden, CO
Not available

Hayden — Twelve laps in less than two minutes.

This is the objective of the nearly 50 snowmobile racers who will compete this weekend in the X-treme Mountain Racing competition, in Hayden.

Hayden Speedway — a quarter-mile track — will attempt to contain the snowmobile riders, as they battle the snow, the cold and the inevitable jumps along the way to an XMR title.

Racers will compete in 10 categories, ranging in age from 5 and older, which should amount to two days of some fast fun in the snow.

“It’s a fun event for families and people of all ages,” XMR Assistant Director Teresa Stoffle said. “Come out and check out the action.”

The snow-cross racing circuit changed hands after its fifth year, with XMR now holding the reigns of the extreme winter sport.

Stoffle said it’s not a sport for the timid: the machines have a lot of horsepower and the track is full of moguls and jumps around every tight turn.

“These guys go really fast,” Stoffle said. “They catch a lot of air on the jumps. It’s as extreme as you can get in winter sports.”

As a 5-year-old, A.J. Stoffle dominated the circuit. The now 10-year-old has been crowned champion five consecutive years, earning him a spot in the X-games. He will return this weekend to defend his crown.

Steve Martin, Duff Martinez, Bobby Hankins and T.J. Montgomery will be present, and each has experience racing on the pro circuit.

In other words, it won’t be a competition for the light-hearted.

“Steve Martin is the No. 1-rated snow-cross racer in the country,” Stoffle said. “These guys all have immense ability. It should make for some tight competition.”

Winners receive 75 percent of the total entry fees as their prize for winning and the fans will receive prizes, as well.

“We will walk around and quiz fans on some of the things they saw,” Stoffle said. “If they get the right answer, we will give them free stuff. Everybody gets involved.”

XMR competed in Centennial, Wyo., last weekend, where Stoffle said 90 mph winds and cold temperatures limited the viewership to “about 45 people.”

This weekend, Stoffle expects more fans.

“It’s supposed to be nice,” she said. “Anyone who comes out will have a blast.”