When Ken Staples, the soon-to-be outgoing organizer of the long-running Lac La Biche Winter Festival of Speed sent out a request for 'new blood' to be injected into the popular weekend winter racing event, he was hoping for new ideas and new people and maybe some new technology to continue the 35-year history of the racing weekend.
Since it began as a motorcycle racing weekend on the frozen shores of Beaver Lake before switching to Lac la Biche lake, the event has grown to include the Western Canadian Ice Racing Championships for racecars, motorcycle and sidecar races, snowmobile drag races, displays and demonstrations from the area's trapping association, and even an airplane fly-in. Staples, who has spearheaded the event since it began, is hoping to had off the reins this year, and wants to make sure the event continues with new ideas from the community.
His call for was answered with some new people who are starting a new event with equipment that was new ... in the 1970s.
Rob Kruk and Norm Charest, who manage and operate Full Tilt Powersport Sales & Service and Off Road Rentals and Sales are bringing a vintage snowmobile rally to the Fetival of Speed weekend, this year taking place from Februrary 22 to 23.
"Nostalgia is in," said Kruk whose business maintains, fixes and sells recreational and industrial equipment. In a workshop shared by both businesses at the Sentinnel Industrial Park that houses some of the company's latest projects, Kruk leans on a customized, late-model Harley Davidson motorcycle he has built up for a customer. "People like what they have. They want to fix it up, make it run right ... and show it off."
Behind the motorcycle are two snowmobiles. Their boxy cowling body covers and matte-painted colours with simple designs help to age them back to when machines were built more for function than flair. It's machines like these — and their owners — that Kruk and Charest hope to attract for their first-time Winter Fest Rally.
The two have organized and sponsored ATV and snowmobile rallies over the last two years, using the events to bring the beauty of the area's outdoor setting to more people. Businessmen as well as outdoor enthusiasts, the two not only hope to draw more attention to their recreational vehicle sales, rental and servicing companies, but also give more people the opportunity to enjoy nature.
"We've hosted rallies before where we've had dozens of machines heading out for a day on the trails, so the ideas for the Winter Festival rally is a similar one," said Charest, "but we'd like to add an element of nostalgia as well."
He said there are many people in the region who have old sleds in their yards, sheds or garages. With a few tweaks and a little clean up, most could probably be fired up in time for the rally. There's many more out there — and they service a few of them — that are the daily 'go-to' machines for many area families.
"The people who run them really like their machines — but I think there's a lot more people out there who would like to see the older machines as well. All the new technology and styles are great — but the older machines are where it all began," Charest said.
Registration for the vintage rally can be made by contacting Charest or Kruk here or here. The rules to enter aren't too strict, says Kruk.
"If you've got an older sled, something from more than 20 years ago, fire it up and bring it out," he said, explaining that organizers won't turn away anyone with a new sled who just wants to go for a half-day rally around the shores of Lac La Biche lake. "Everyone is welcome, but we're hoping the stars of the show will be some really old machines looking to shine."
