37th Annual World Championship Snowmobile Hillclimb
Jackson Hole, WY
2012 Jackson Hole World Championship Snowmobile Hillclimbs. What else is there to say except you are racing against the fastest riders in snowmobile racing on arguably the hardest uphill race course in our sport. We had a fantastic weekend of racing in qualifying and in overall finishes. This is the first year Sherman Racing has been invited to Jackson and we are proud to say we are racing in all 3 Semi-Pro classes for a chance to bring home the title of World Champion and possibly King of the Hill.
All qualifying for Semi-Pro, Womens, Juniors, Amateurs, and Non-Pro Masters took place on Thursday. The weather was phenomenal and the conditions couldn't be any better for the dismal amount of snow we had this year. This is where the fun began. 1st run of the weekend, Stock qualifying. I've never been so ready to race in my life, and it was hard to keep the emotions in check while sitting on that line for the first time. The timer check the radio and waved me on, and that's where it turned into beast mode. After going through the timing lights it was throttle to the bar as I went through the first couple jumps and through the KLIM banner over the biggest of the gap drop-offs. I can still remember every run of qualifying almost running into the edge of the banner I was so close. After that it was a series of the smoothest, quickest transition turns I have put together in a single run. I knew I had a good time coming through the last gate, but doubted whether it would be good enough. As I stopped at the check point to put ski brakes on the Snow Devil volunteer patted me on the back and said, "Good job man, you made it in!". I was so stoked that I still couldn't believe I made it until I got to the tech area and I could see Rosa holding 4 fingers up! They qualified 5 in each class and I made it in with a 58.151 second run. Off the bubble by a margin of 0.95 seconds, and only 1.5 seconds off the lead....
Improved Stock and Mod qualifying produced almost identical results. I almost can't tell you the difference between all 3 runs because the consistency was too close to pick anything out. Improved Stock was a 5th place finish with a time of 58.431 seconds and only 2 seconds off the lead time. Mod Qualifying was another 4th place finish at 58.008 seconds, beating the bubble time by 1.1 seconds and missing the lead time by 1.2 seconds. It didn't matter how far off the lead I was, it only mattered that I qualified in every class and had 3 runs at a World Championship in finals on Friday.
Finals day!!! It's an indescribable feeling knowing you are going to be racing to the top of Snow King Mtn. for the chance to have bragging rights for an entire year. I would say the nerves were at about twice the level of qualifying even knowing we had the most fresh course to choose from for the weekend. Stock run started just like qualifying and was very smooth heading through the first catwalk. I had chosen my line from watching other racers and started making my way up through the course. 2nd catwalk - check. Rock Garden - check. The biggest task ahead was getting around the last 2 gates after the 3rd catwalk. I made it around the first one and tried to get the sled turned uphill, but just couldn't get enough bite and headed straight for the gate. Big Mistake!!! Or so I thought. Normally at this point on the hill if you get turned around and head down towards the net you are going to face a wild ride and most likely break parts going into the catch net. I must have been on the big man's good side though because as I started downhill and got sideways I managed to keep enough traction and weight uphill that the sled stopped just above the 4th catwalk entrance. I couldn't have breathed a bigger sigh of relief knowing my sled was saved with 2 more runs to go. The hill help got me over to the catwalk and I made my way across the top of Snow King. I can't consider it as 'going over the top' for the first time, but at least I was 98% there and saved the sled.
On to Improved Stock finals. This is where the rest of the day really went fuzzy. For the most part I ran as consistent of run as Stock until about the 2nd catwalk. After a few bobbles and pretty good saves I headed around the 2nd to last gate towards the top. Knowing I carried too much speed in the first time I got around the gate, got on the uphill side, and picked a little bit tighter line. As I was just about to reach the top I bounced off a pretty good mogul and got pitched to the other side of the sled. Still heading towards the lights I remember gaining my balance as I ran next to the sled and got through the final gate and onto the top catwalk barely hanging on to the sled. It was finally a reality. For the first time ever I had raced a sled over the top of Snow King Mtn.!!! So surreal and amazing, I can really say what I was feeling after wanting to do this for so long. I have been coming to the Jackson Hillclimbs for over 10 years wanting to be one of those racers that everyone was cheering for as they went up through the most coveted hillclimb course in the world. I feel like a majority of the story should be based around this accomplishment even though it takes away from the success I had in Mod finals. In the end I had another amazing run to the top, posting my fastest time of the day and giving the last gate at the lights a tap of the ski as I hung a leg out going through the timing lights. FINAL TALLY: 5th Place - Stock, 3rd Place - Improved Stock, and 2nd Place - Mod!!!
Overall I wouldn't have asked for a much better result to what happened. I consider myself extremely graced and fortunate to have finished the biggest race of my career with 6 Top 5 finishes and 2 podium finishes. I have to send a huge shout out to the sponsors who helped me get where I am this year: Sign-Up Signs & Graphics, Dance Designs Inc., SMX Optics, and GoPro. I would also like to recognize Amsoil for being the only oil I run in my sleds for the last 7 years and never letting me down once.
Most importantly I would like to thank my beautiful wife Rosa, and my kids Alivia and Austin for supporting me the entire weekend, and supporting my passion throughout the year. Without their support it wouldn't matter what other sponsors I had. They keep the life in me, and keep me focused on becoming the best person I can be on and off the race course. This year was Austins first year of snowmobile racing in the 120 classes, and he did awesome! At only 3 years old at his first race he loved every minute of it and doesn't talk about anything else other than snowmobiling. I can only hope he grows up to outshine everything I think I've accomplished in life.
As always, no Jackson weekend would be complete without a trip to our favorite riding area anywhere. Area 51, as I have sworn to call it, was another blue bird day of riding with some of the best people I know. Thanks for another awesome ride of big climbs, big drops, big jumps, and beautiful Teton mountain sightseeing with Cory Simmons 181, Chad Smith 141, and Russ Cook 690.
2012 Jackson Hole Hillclimbs.........................................OUT!!!!!!!!
