Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
TOMAHAWK, Wis. (Jan. 26, 2012) – Case Construction Equipment sponsored the 49th running of the AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River, Wis. As part of the sponsorship, Case provided skid steers, compact track loaders and a wheel loader to support the derby and facility in various chores, such as building the snow course, cleaning the ice course between races and moving equipment and materials.
Case provided select equipment to the Eagle River derby track for cleaning and building the snow course. Case SR175 and SR220 skid steers and TR320 and TV380 compact track loaders – each equipped with an angle broom – were used to sweep the track between races. A Case 721F wheel loader with a 3.5-yd3 bucket was used to build the snow course, and a Case SV250 skid steer with pallet forks was used for loading and unloading equipment.
"Case is proud to be an official product sponsor of this legendary snowmobile competition and to have our brand associated with the best of the best in the world of snowmobile racing," said Russ Wadzinski, general manager of the Case Tomahawk Customer Center in Tomahawk, Wis. The Case Tomahawk Customer Center provides personalized equipment training, state-of-the-art product demonstrations and hands-on equipment operation to help Case customers make informed buying, operating and maintenance decisions. More than 2,000 guests visit the center each year.
Wadzinski, an Eagle River class champion racer himself, approached the Decker family, owners of the Eagle River snowmobile derby track, to explore the opportunity of bringing Case customers from the Case Tomahawk Customer Center to the Eagle River track for tours of the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame.
Wadzinski provided the Decker family with a tour of the Case facility in Tomahawk, and the Decker family offered Case the sponsorship opportunity for the snowmobile championship.
"As part of the sponsorship, Case customers visiting our proving grounds in Tomahawk have the unique opportunity to visit the snowmobile capital of the world in Eagle River during their stay in the North Woods," Wadzinski said.
The championship event is one of the highest-ranking winter sports events in the Midwest and one of oldest continuous snowmobile races in the world, drawing more than 40,000 spectators from around the world. More than 500 of the most talented snowmobile operators from around the world began competing for the grand prize on Jan. 19, leading up to the championship event on Jan. 22. Prizes throughout the championship event included trophies for first- through third-place finishers, jackets presented by apparel manufacturer Coldwave and checkered flags presented to every class winner.
Home to the World Championship Snowmobile Derby for 49 years, the Eagle River derby track contains three separate racing venues including the Ice Oval, the Sno-Cross and the Vintage Racing track. The Ice Oval and Sno-Cross tracks are built and maintained using more than two million gallons of water, a 4,000-gallon ice truck, a state-of-the-art snow-making machine, a groomer and an ice shaver. For more information about the AMSOIL World Championship Derby or the Eagle River derby track, please visit www.derbytrack.com.