Thanks to the slednecks over at SledRacer.com, my eyes were opened to this concept “sit in” oval race sled conceived and built by oval guru John Hooper.
I can’t help but think of Gilles Villeneueve, Alouette, Manta, Ski-Doo twin-trackers and other interesting sleds that have have carved a unique niche (while slicing away the very elements that we think of as “normal”).
The future of oval racing…or just the latest in a long line of sideshows?
Personally, I believe that when you remove the “active” rider element of what constitutes a snowmobile, it’s no longer a snowmobile as most of us see it. And it will thus become a sideshow.
Call me a crackhead, but if the goal is less expensive oval racing that will attract more racers, more spectators and perhaps more factory involvement, then I say the future of oval racing is snow ovals, rather than ice.
But clearly there are people far more involved with oval racing than I (and who are dang smart) who believe this new Hooper Outlaw 600 is something BIG.