Herfindahl triumphs in Heartland 200

Zach Herfindahl won the Heartland 200 snowmobile race Saturday and Sunday.

It was the third year with Cor Powersports running the event. “The first year we took over, it ended up being on the lake,” said owner Todd Myers. “It was a low-snow year. Then, last year was the first year that we did the terrain race, like we did this year.”

By comparison, he said, “This year went a lot better,” noting that last year’s event was the first terrain race they had done in a long time. “This year we came in more prepared. We worked with Polaris Ride Command to get the race course uploaded onto their interactive GPS trail map system, and worked with the DNR and (local authorities) to identify issues from last year that we needed to focus more on this year.

“The feedback that we’ve gotten already from law enforcement, EMS, and the Heartland 200 group was about how much better this event has gone than previous events, even before us. A lot less issues, hardly any complaints. Overall, everything went a lot better.”

Myers said the safety measures they took made a big difference. No major injuries were reported.

“Nobody was transported by ambulance,” he said. “We had a couple where people were bruised up pretty good, and were checked out by local EMS, and everyone was cleared.”

Trail conditions were challenging this year, Myers said, with the crazy weather this winter. He noted the heavy, wet snow early in the season caused a lot of downed trees and branches. “The two snowmobile clubs did an amazing job clearing things,” he said, referring to the Forest Riders and the Nevis Trailblazers. “They groomed everything they could. There was one section they hadn’t been able to get in with the groomer yet, because, I believe, it was partially swamp, and so they just weren’t confident in bringing their equipment in there yet.

“But all of our races said it was one of the funnest races that they’ve done. Zach Herfindahl, who’s raced many times, said that it’s one of his favorite events. There’s been some issues in the past that he’s run into with conditions on the trail, and he said this year there was nothing wrong. Everything went really well.”

Racers from as far away as New York attended this year’s event, he said.

Myers also credited the clubs with staging the racers at the trail intersections and getting the trails groomed quickly after each day of the race, restoring them to good condition afterward for the recreational riders.

Myers said Herfindahl rode a remarkable race, ending the first day (Saturday) with a two-minute lead and taking first overall.

“The biggest thing is how well everyone worked together,” he said. “The spotters, keeping the recreational riders off the race-course part of the trail, and the general public, how they worked with us. We made them very aware of what trails were being used for the race, and they just avoided those sections until the trails were cleared.

“The biggest thing for us was to run a safe race, get it done, and then quickly get the trail back to conditions for the recreational riders.”

Myers said all this worked very well this year.

Blake Higgins of Park Rapids raced in the Sport Stock and Sport Improved Stock categories, placing 16th and 8th respectively on his Arctic Cat sled, with a time of 2:09:02.756 on Saturday but no finish on Sunday.

Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise

According to results from Cor Powersports, the top winners in each class are as follows. Times are a total of both days’ races.

Pro Open (10 entrants) and Pro Factory 600 (12 entrants):

1. Zach Herfindahl (312), Eagle River, Wis. Arctic Cat sled. Total time: 3:50:29.102.
2. Aaron Christensen (10), Metiskow, Alberta. Polaris. 3:52:18.976.
3. Justin Tate, (28), Scandia, Minn. Polaris. 3:52:56.572.

Pro Factory Women (4 entrants, 3 finished):

1. Mckenna Cloose (42), Pinewood, Minn. Arctic Cat. 4:23:20.215.
2. Savannah Landrus (402), Blaine, Minn. Polaris. 4:26:21.906.
3. Unity Gausen (144), Warroad. Polaris. 5:14:50.788.

Pro Vet 35+ (3 entrants, 2 finished):

1. Jon Arneson (190), Medina, Minn. Arctic Cat. 4:22:29.308.
2. Kurt Bauerly (318), Milaca. Ski Doo. 4:22:50.083.

Semi Pro Improved Stock (15 entrants, 11 finished both days) and Semi Pro Factory 600 (19 entrants, 13 finished both days):

1. Boe Bunke (875), Roseau. Polaris. 4:00:19.053.
2. Jesse Hallstrom (136), Thief River Falls. Ski Doo. 4:01:02.735.
3. Evan Peppel (188), Roseau. Polaris. 4:01:11.356.

Expert 600 Limited and Junior 14-17 (7 entrants, 5 finished):

1. Brady Wadena (8), Dillworth. Arctic Cat. 4:31:30.017.
2. Elliott Clark (41), Warren. Arctic Cat. 4:32:48.120.
3. Jaxon Hammer (325), Warroad. Polaris. 4:38:30.624.

Sport Stock (21 entrants, 15 finished):

1. Keagen Houser (825), Grand Forks, N.D. Arctic Cat. 4:15:17.063.
2. Justin Olson (606), Pequot Lakes. Arctic Cat. 4:19.:09.316.
3. Chance Ogle (244), Sheldon, Wi. Polaris. 4:20:10.595.

Sport Improved Stock (13 entrants, 7 finished):

1. Keagen Houser (see above).
2. Jarrett Loegering (66), Shorewood. Polaris. 4:22:58.830.
3. Adam Brandt (132), Comstock. Arctic Cat. 4:30:14.968.

Junior 14-17 Girls (2 entrants, 1 finished, Sunday only):

1. Katie Clark (361), Karlstad. Arctic Cat. 2:35:06.436.

Vet 30+ (2 entrants):

1. Adam Brandt (see above).
2. Jared Christensen (87), Rush City. Polaris. 4:45:32.660.

Masters 40+ (4 entrants, 3 finished both days):

1. Jon Arneson (190), Medina. Arctic Cat. 4:22:29.308.
2. Mike Carver (36), Fosston. Arctic Cat. 4:32:49.835.
3. Dale Cloose (442), Pinewood. Arctic Cat. 4:33:17.973.

Masters 50+ (5 entrants, 4 finished both days):

1. Jon Arneson (see above).
2. Mike Carver (see above).
3. Todd Halvorson (199), St. Michael. Polaris. 4:57:02.465.

Trail (3 entrants, 2 finished both days):

1. Adam Brandt (see above).
2. Stuart Brandt (123), Moorhead. Arctic Cat. 4:50:03.465.

Classic (3 entrants, 2 finished, Sunday only):

1. Kellin Geisler (987), Roseau. Polaris. 2:24:18.121.
2. Paul Votava (81), East Grand Forks. Polaris. 2:43:06.902.

The following classes raced a shorter course.
Junior 10-13 (8 entrants):

1. Trig Anderson (871), Warren. Arctic Cat. 1:56:28.868. 
2. Rielly Clark (68), Warren. Arctic Cat. 1:56:37.461.
3. Reese Novacek (854), Roseau. Polaris. 2:02:42.864.

Junior 10-13 Girls (5 entrants, 4 finished):

1. Reese Novacek (see above).
2. Charlie Kangas (24), Goodridge, Minn. Ski Doo. 2:25:31.246
3. Kynsie Diesen (12), Wannaska, Minn. Arctic Cat. 2:42:38.272.

Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise