Pam & Jerry
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 was one of many that some or all of the Midnight Blue Express oval and Cross-country team was on in 76-77 season.
Gary Mathers Review of Starfire Kids – Midnight Blue Express
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 at Polaris, he went to Kawasaki, then later became one of the most successful figures ever in American motorcycle racing. He was inducted into the American Motorcycle Museum Hall of […]
Bunke Racing 2016
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. In the season opener for the new No Bull Triple Crown, Bunke racing took third. Take a look at their website – lots of great information and photos, as well […]
The Polaris Trailer Today
The first story in “StarFire Kids – Midnight blue Express” is largely centered around this trailer, once the home base for the Polaris Professional Race Team when they were on the road. The picture above is from back in the day. The outside of the trailer no longer looks like this.. it has been painted […]
SnoPro USA
Starfire Kid and my friend Joel from SnoProUSA put this piece of massive awesomeness on his website. How awesome is that?? Thanks Joel!!!
Some Starfire Kids Photos
Just some more photos that have come to light recently… the top one is Pam (Bunke) Klima watching the races in Eagle River with a couple of friends. The other two are of Bob Eastman… one kneeling next to his 1974 340cc SnoPro, and the other with one of the Derby Queens at the famed […]
The First IFS Cross-Country Machines
The First IFS Cross-Country Machines Starfire Kids – Midnight Blue Express chronicles the amazing story of how the first IFS cross-country sleds were conceived and created and then dominates as much as the RXL’s did on the ovals. These two shots (From the late CJ Ramstad) show two of the first three ever made with […]
One of Larry Rugland’s 73 Factory Machines
Just a nice shot of one of Larry Rugland’s 73 factory Starfires. Note the aluminum pipes. I believe this was taken in the pits at Eagle River.
Randy Hites
Awesome video shots of Starfire Kid Randy Hites beating the snot out of his race sled in the Winnipeg to St. Paul race. Randy would have won it.. but he was so hard on the machine that he broke the chaincase in sight of the finish line.
First RXL Ever Found! *UPDATED*
A few years ago, I got to meet fellow Starfire Kid Gordy Carlson and see the 1977 SnoPro he’s been the caretaker of a for a great many years. Gordy followed the Polaris race team just like a great many of us did back in the day. He’s also been a Polaris dealer and worked […]