From five year olds to seniors, snowmobile racing attracts competitors of all ages.
At 85, Larry Ebare of Goulais River is an exceptionally experienced racer who has competed in the sport since the 1960s.
How many races has he won over the years?
“Lots,” Ebare said with a smile during a chat with SooToday at the annual Snow Drags at Runway Park held Saturday, Jan. 11.
Ebare, no stranger to victory at the annual Snow Drags, competed in seven races in last weekend’s event.
He placed first in five races and second in another.
Each race involved snowmachines with varying levels of horsepower.
The races were 500 feet in length and the Runway Park track just under 2,000 feet long, leaving drivers enough time for a slow down before turning and coasting back to the start line.
“I’ve won in every class I’ve ever entered. I raced in Sudbury five years ago and I won all eight races I entered there,” Ebare said.
Snowmobile race winners are usually awarded cash prizes.
“In Sudbury I won $100 for each race I won,” Ebare said.
Those cash prizes help pay for fuel.
“This is a very, very expensive sport,” Ebare said, mentioning the high cost of fuel.
“I have seven snowmachines. I like them all but I get a lot of speed out of this sled,” said the veteran racer, pointing to his modified Arctic Cat F7.
“I would have to say I can go about 140 kilometres per hour on this one.”
That’s 86 miles per hour.
“I started racing back in the 1960s. I’ve raced in New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Quebec. Runway Park is a very good facility. It’s one of the best in Ontario,” Ebare said.
The annual Snow Drags at Runway Park attract competitors from not only Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma District but also from southern Ontario, Quebec and the U.S.
“I don’t think I’ll be travelling to races that much this winter because there’s no snow in other places. The guys from Quebec who came here for the Snow Drags told me they don’t have enough snow so that’s why they’ve come here,” Ebare said.
He was born in Michigan and has lived in Goulais River for many years. He worked at Algoma Steel for 30 years before starting his own logging business.
Though retired, Ebare still feels the need for speed on the back of a snowmachine.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. That’s what it’s all about. I raced stock cars at different places. I’ve raced at Laird, I’ve raced at Kinross.”
How does it feel to be in his 80s and still roaring to victory in snowmobile races?
“If you win it, you feel darned good. I don’t know for how long I’ll keep racing but I’m still enjoying it.”