The Future of Oval Racing (or Just Another Sideshow)?

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.

Click to read a string of posts on SnowGoer.com.