With just three weeks to go before the first National snocross of the season, you can be sure that racers and teams are busy prepping the new race sleds, getting their race trailers in order, stocking up on parts and the like.
Yep, the Duluth National Snocross will dazzle those of us in attendance (or watching online) with amazing feats of driver talent, courage and chutzpah one a thoroughly beasty course and aboard some of the trickest, coolest snowmobiles ever built.
One racer who will be at Duluth with some SERIOUS chutzpah, who will once again hurl himself and machine into stratospheric heights, is Nathan Ewing out of Big Lake, Minn.
But unlike his contemporaries aboard the latest weapons of berm warfare, Ewing will rail the whoops and launch the massive doubles aboard a 1995 Arctic Cat 580 EXT. And, like last year when he competed at Duluth aboard the same machine, Ewing will elicit some of the loudest, most enthusiast cheers from the crowd every time he hits the track.
Nate is doing a serious refresh on his race steed prior to Duluth, burning a lot of the ol’ midnight oil in his shop getting it ready for the big show. He sent me a few pix of the process (along with a some sparse words describing the pix), which I’d like to share with you.
Enjoy!
“Just a basic take-apart.”
“Pull the motor of course, to disassemble and clean.”
“Chassis almost stripped, worked on some some spots that were showing strain.”
“After stripping and straightening.”
“Parts are arriving almost daily.”
“To end week number one: a little sand blasting on the bulkhead.”
“Started adding some visual horsepower here. If you can’t be fast, then you might as well look good trying!”
“Not quite finished but looking sharp for a rattle can finish.”
“New 1.75-in. lug track in for a test fit. CLOSE tolerance, whew!”
“Started assembly of the new powerplant, thanks to a few swap meet specials including three different salvaged motors.”
“eBay Special piston kit.”
“Motor locked (in place, not seized!) and loaded.”
Bumper mounted, hood on, windshield looking good and green. Getting closer.”
That’s all from Nate for now. It’s possible he’ll check in again with an update (including pix of himself with his trusty steed). Either way, stay tuned for an update on the build and/or a report from his stormin’ of Duluth.
Best of luck, and thanks for taking us along for the ride Nate!
Thanks for reading.
I love this guy! Gett’r done!
I didn’t think the 1995 EXT, or any other ’95 models except the ZR440 had the ETT. Is this a ’95 ZR440 chassis with a 580 engine?
Haha Great to see him back at it ! I gave him all sorts of crap last winter in staging at ERX over his sled not quite being loud enough for the ditch banger class.
Keep up the good work Nate!
Wish I could be in Duluth this year! Last year was awesome! the crowd really got behind this guy!!! Pray for snow fellow sledheads !!!
Those running boards are definitely not from 1995. The drain port holes look more like Twin Spar F8 running boards, but the side edge does not exactly look like Twin Spar running boards. Anyway, I commend this kid for running old iron in a modern race. Keep up the good work!!
Cool Nate and will be watching you again tare it up again at Duluth. I see you are still running the steel bulkhead, if you had an aluminum bulkhead you might sore a littler higher! Send me your address and I will send you a couple old school Black Magic decals that go just in front of your a-arms on each side of the bellypan just like Blair ran on his machines back in the day. swatters71@gmail.com Good Luck.
Thanks for all the response guys plan on putting on the best show I can in Duluth. And to
Answer the tunnel/running board question its just simply M firecat series running boards riveted to the stock tunnel along with a new style bumper that had to be widened do to the wider tunnel
Loved racing against you at ERA in vintage. Great to see your still at it. Kick some a@&!