Front Row Set For World Championship: Here Are The Odds For Each

January 21, 2023 By John Prusak

After some rough-and-tumble racing on a rugged Derby track on Saturday, the front row is set for the Eagle River World Championship in Eagle River, Wisconsin, and it includes 10 truly amazing drivers and sleds. The run for history on Sunday should be truly awe-inspiring!

Below are pictures and “fictional odds” straight off of the Snow Goer Tip Sheet that is annually produced at the World Championship event. We’ve been producing a “tip sheet” at the World Championship since the 1990s, and never have we had this much trouble setting the fictional odds. The 10 drivers who advanced to the front row for the final were the survivors of a 30-sled, knock-down, drag-out brawl in qualifying races. They are the cream of the crop, and truly none of them deserve to be listed ninth or 10, but they had to be put in some sort of order!

Better yet, two more racers are going to be added to the final in a last-chance qualifying race on Sunday. There will be several all-stars competing in race, with big names drivers from ovals, enduro racing and cross-country.

Matt Goede and Blaine Stephenson separated themselves a bit in qualifying, but we could very easily envision any of these 10 racers listed below carrying the checkered flag after Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. race. For that matter, there are also about five guys in the LCQ who we could imagine winning – the talent is that deep this year! Also, if you see this story before 11 a.m. Sunday, jump into our Fantasy Snowmobile Racing Challenge game — it’s free, easy to play and fun.

The World Championship is set for 1:30. Check it out, then check SnowGoer.com Sunday night for full coverage and behind-the-scenes detail.

Blaine Stephenson, No. 102 Polaris from St. Cloud, Minnesota. The only four-time World Champion was the second fastest qualifier but found the haybales a couple of times on Friday. He looked fast again on Saturday and goes in as the co-favorite. ODDS: 3-1

Jay Mittelstaedt, No. 297 Polaris from Reedsburg, Wisconsin. The defending World Champion started the weekend as a mid-pack rider but kept gets quicker as the weekend continued — just like he did last year. Is he laying in the weeds yet again? ODDS: 4-1

Gunnar Sterne, No. 220 Ski-Doo, from West Chicago, Illinois. “G Money” and his team still appeared to be dialing in their Formula III sled and needed a late charge to make it onto the front row. But it’s very hard to pick against somebody this talented. Could emerge on Sunday. 5-1

Tom Olson, No. 39 Polaris from Lodi, Wisconsin. Stephenson’s teammate at Wahl Bros. survived a nasty crash in a qualifying race but has been fast all weekend. ODDS: 6-1

Calvin Cook, No. 75 Polaris, from Dayton, Minnesota. The aggressive 20 year old won his semi final and looked hyper fast at times. He rides hard and loose. ODDS: 7-1

Colt Dellandrea, No. 53 Arctic Cat from Sundridge, Ontario. The fast Canadian is made his sixth W.C. final after repairing his sled after a nasty crash in time trials. He’ a veteran racers who knows how to click off laps. ODDS: 8-1

Zach DeWald

Luke Olson, No. 04 Polaris from Ishpeming, Michigan. He was very fast in time trials and on Friday in heats, but Saturday is appeared he came back to the pack a bit. He definitely knows how to hustle the sled around the track. ODDS: 10-1

Andy Shoemaker, No. 22 Polaris from Howell, Michigan. He was leading his semi final over Cook and Sterne but his sled faded coming to the checkered. He looked strong and in a normal year doesn’t deserve to be listed last, but we can’t figure out who to put behind him. ODDS: 10-1

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