The Polaris racing blog and the ongoing chronicle of the amazing men and machines of the Polaris Professional Race Team from author Larry Preston.
In researching the book I dug up every available source I could. One great resource was the Roseau Times-Region newspaper of the time. Lots of
Herb Howe wins the first ever Winnipeg to St. Paul I-500, Eastman takes the Hodag, and Randy Hites sets takes his Polaris to new heights!
Moments after Jerry Bunke won the big 440X final in Alexandria, Minnesota, his wife Pam joined in the celebrations out on the track. This cover
1973 was a banner year for Polaris racing. Nearly every manufacturer had a good race sled available, but the new 1973 Starfire won in the
1972 was not the most stellar year for the Starfire kids, but there was some extraordinary breakthroughs. Laverne Hagen, Doug and Stan Hayes began a
Gary Mathers was the Polaris race director from 1971 through 1975, bringing the race team into the professional era of snowmobile racing. After his time
Love this shot. Bob Eastman laying on the ground, in the snow and the dirt working on a sled! Jerry Bunke on the right looking
Dorothy Mercer loved the grueling, multi-day event that was the Winnipeg, Manitoba to St. Paul race. She finished in the top 5 in 1973, behind
The racing bug hit Polaris in a big way when company president Alan Hetteen started to participate. 1965 would be the year that Alan won
The Bunke family just keeps on winning! Jerry’s son Gabe, Gabe’s son Taylor and Spencer Kadlec are kicking butt and taking names as Bunke Racing.
Starfire Kids Midnight Blue Express is the unauthorized and previously untold true story of the people from Roseau, Minnesota and the machines they built to find fame and fortune in the brutal, challenging, and often very dangerous sport of snowmobile racing in the 1960s and 1970s.
