A historic snowmobile racer – and a Snow Goer photo model at Rode Reports for several years – has gotten into the snowmobile dealership game.
Colorado’s Dennis Durmas had a long and storied career racing mainly Polaris but also a few years on Ski-Doo snowmobiles in snocross, cross-country and, most successfully, in hillclimb racing, where he was a Jackson Hole World Champion. Now he sells Polaris and Ski-Doo equipment, among other things.
In January, Durmas purchased Weekender Sports in Hotchkiss, Colorado. Aside from those sled brands, the dealership also sells and services Polaris ATVs and utility vehicles, Stihl power equipment, and trailers from Triton and Yacht Club. Moreover, Weekender Sports is also a sportsman’s store, selling hunting, fishing and camping equipment, which also falls right into Durmas’ wheelhouse.
In an interview with our sister publication that covers the business-to-business end of the powersports world – aptly called Powersports Business magazine – Durmas said the move was the culmination of a dream.
“I’ve wanted to do it for quite some time and just never really stepped up and did it, and I had a chance to get a hold of a small dealership real close to the hometown I grew up in,” Durmas said. “It’s actually the town I graduated high school in, and I’ve been around this dealership forever, and I just decided it was time and I wanted to get out of the oil and gas business.
“I’ve been on a snowmobile all my life. My parents when I grew up owned a Moto-Ski dealership in Newport, New Hampshire, when I was born, so I’ve been on a snowmobile since day one,” Durmas added. “I’m a big enthusiast on snowmobiles, much more than even just the racing. The racing brought me to where I’m at these days; I’ve done it for 30 years, and I just enjoy powersports.”
A more complete story on Durmas and his Weekender Sports business will appear in an upcoming issue of Powersports Business magazine.