The cross-country International 500 snowmobile race has a long and storied history. It’s been operated by different race organizations, run on various routes and had more than its fair share of controversy.
Yet ultimately, the cross-country I-500 is one of the purest tests of man and machine. Competitors traverse more than 500 miles of natural terrain over multiple days to determine each year’s champion.
In 1997, that champion was Corey Davidson on the No. 3 Polaris. He overcame a star-studded field that traveled twisting routes between Beausejour, Manitoba, to Bemidji, Minnesota, on February 2-4 and came out on top of the ISOC GMC Ten Star 500. Davidson earned a cool $22,000 for the victory. He would win the race again (under different titles) in 2003 and 2005.
Here’s a look at the Top 10 finishers that year, based on photos that then Snow Week Associate Editor Paul Johnson took while covering the race. Frankly, the images aren’t perfect – they were originally slides that had deteriorated a bit before we digitized them a couple of years ago with the help of our friend Greg Marier. But each member of the top 10 was a notable racer at the time, and several have earned Snowmobile Hall of Fame status. Click here to see past cross-country I-500 winners.
FYI, 194 total sleds entered the race that year in five different classes.
After running the second fastest time on day one, eventual winner Corey Davidson jumped into the lead on day two. He won the race by 6 minutes and 40 seconds after day three. After the race, second-place finisher Kirk Hibbert told Snow Week, “I didn’t have any problems, I just couldn’t make up time.” Toni “The Flying Finn” Haikonen was more than a snocross sensation, as he proved by finishing third in the 1997 ISOC cross-country I-500. South Dakota’s Greg Hyde ran his Number 4 Polaris in the top four throughout the race and finished fourth. Coincidence? We think not. Todd Wolff had a rough day one at the 1997 ISOC I-500. Then he recorded the fastest time on day two. He finished fifth this year, but won the cross-country I-500 the following year and then again in 1999. “I showed up yesterday and I wasn’t ready to race or something,” Nathan Titus told Snow Week after day two, “Today I went a lot better, but it didn’t feel that fast. I got launched a couple of times when I hit stuff I didn’t see.” He finished sixth overall. David Brown led the first flight of sleds out of Beausejour, Manitoba, on day one. And he was first to the finish line that day, 186 miles later in Roseau, Minnesota. He would finish seventh overall. The “Mountain Rocker” was far from home. Yet Dennis Durmas finished an impressive eighth despite a nasty get-off on day two.Also from Colorado, veteran racer Lynn Felker used a strong day two to eek into the Top 10 overall. He finished ninth after day three. Harley Doebber, the man who used to dominate the old Heartland race circuit, was fourth after day one. A rough day two put him deeper in the pack. But on the last day he moved back up into 10th spot.
2 thoughts on “Top 10 Finishers In The 1997 Cross-Country I-500 In Photos”
Fun to see brand competition. 5 Polaris, 4 Ski-Doo and 1 Arctic Cat.
Nice that it started in CPTC oval race track in Beausejour. Great to have it a true Canada and US race as it was meant to be, thus the International 500.
XC racing is always fun to watch or read in media and the best R and D testing of real sleds in real life conditions over multiple long days vs short few minutes heats. The consumer wins with proven sleds that last with no BS recalls from BS computer only testing by IT nerds vs real life real hard core sleders.
XC will always be king with real driver skill and endurance of man and machine vs SX.
It would be very nice if you listed the winners of the other classes. Semi Pro, Legend, and Women, I believe Polaris had a clean sweep.
Thank you for post what you did. Brings back great memories!
Fun to see brand competition. 5 Polaris, 4 Ski-Doo and 1 Arctic Cat.
Nice that it started in CPTC oval race track in Beausejour. Great to have it a true Canada and US race as it was meant to be, thus the International 500.
XC racing is always fun to watch or read in media and the best R and D testing of real sleds in real life conditions over multiple long days vs short few minutes heats. The consumer wins with proven sleds that last with no BS recalls from BS computer only testing by IT nerds vs real life real hard core sleders.
XC will always be king with real driver skill and endurance of man and machine vs SX.
It would be very nice if you listed the winners of the other classes. Semi Pro, Legend, and Women, I believe Polaris had a clean sweep.
Thank you for post what you did. Brings back great memories!