CROSS-COUNTRY : Adding Talent & Prepping the RUSH
The Polaris heritage of cross-country excellence continues with racers such as Gabe Bunke. This seasoned Pro has raced at every event in United States Cross Country (USCC) history, and last season he finished third in USCC Pro Open points and fifth in the Pro 600 standings. He also finished second in the three-day I-500 racing on a Polaris RUSH sled.

Aaron Christensen finished fourth in Pro Open points on the USCC circuit last season and was sixth in Pro 600 points. Corey Davidson won the USCC’s Vets 30+ title, and was 11th in both Pro 600 and Pro Open points. Bunke is working closely with Polaris engineers to dial in the race setup for the RUSH models, and he and his fellow Polaris racers will use the RUSH in selected cross-country races this winter. Bunke will be joined on his race team this winter by up-and-comer Bobby Menne IV. Menne, who comes from a Polaris racing family, he finished third in the USCC’s Expert 85 and Expert 85 Improved classes last season. Menne will race in Semi-Pro classes this coming season. <Photo: Bobby Menne, Britta & Gabe Bunke at Haydays 2010. Photo courtesy of SledRacer.com

Legendary Polaris Ride & Handling Provides Cross-Country Racers With Competitive Advantage Racers Plan to Expand Use of RUSH Models This Winter
Polaris has long been known for providing snowmobilers with the industry’s finest ride and handling, and that terrain domination gives Polaris cross-country racers confidence and high hopes as they head into the new racing season.

Polaris racers will focus again on winning United States Cross Country (USCC) races and season points titles, the I-500 and the Iron Dog in Alaska, where Polaris racers Chris Olds and Tyler Huntington plan to defend the title they won last winter.


RUSH Racing Setups Are Being Fine-Tuned
Polaris cross-country racers will increase their use of the RUSH, which has the exclusive PRO-RIDE Chassis with a true progressive rate rear suspension. Racer Gabe Bunke is working closely with Polaris engineers on development of the RUSH cross-country racing setup. He gained great insight into the sled’s competition potential when he raced it to an impressive second-place finish in last winter’s
three-day I-500.

“I ran the RUSH in the first [USCC] race in Grafton [North Dakota] and we learned a lot,” Bunke said.“It was great for that course. It was better than our IQ Race Sled, I thought. Then Polaris Engineering took the sled back to review it before the Iron Dog, and I ran the IQ after that.

“I’m really confident in the RUSH’s ability. We are going to primarily focus on the RUSH to start the season because it’s the best snowmobile we have for the I-500. We want to get it dialed in for the I-500, which is our biggest event of the year. After the I-500, if it’s working real well as we expect, we’ll continue to use it some more.”

Racers will race on the 600 IQ® Race Sled all season as well.


Polaris Racers Gunning Hard for USCC Titles
Bunke will lead the Polaris charge in USCC racing. He is the ultimate expert on this Minot, N.D.-based cross-country circuit since he has competed at every USCC event in the sanctioning body’s eight seasons of racing.

Bunke, 34, enters his ninth season of USCC competition ready to compete for multiple Pro-class titles. Last season he finished third in USCC Pro Open points and fifth in the Pro 600 standings. He also finished second in the three-day I-500 racing on a Polaris RUSH sled.

“I’m feeling good,” he said about his pre-season training. “The little bumps and bruises from the end of last season seemed to have healed up and gone away.”
He isn’t concerned that his age is detrimental as he competes against younger racers.

“In cross-country, sometimes the older you are, the better you do because so much of our racing is mental,” he said. “It’s about keeping that level head on your shoulders.”
Polaris racer Aaron Christensen will also compete in the USCC Pro classes this winter. He finished fourth in Pro Open points on the USCC circuit last season and was sixth in Pro 600 points. Corey Davidson won the USCC Vets 30+ title, and was 11th in both Pro 600 and Pro Open points.

Joining Bunke Racing will be Bobby Menne IV, who is stepping up to run in the Semi-Pro classes this winter. Menne, whose father, Bob III, was a Polaris cross-country racer, finished third in the USCC’s Expert 85 and Expert 85 Improved classes last season.

Bunke said Menne impressed him when they have been on the race course at the same time. “I’ve been watching him and I thought he could be contending for championships some day,” Bunke said. “We’ve been talking about getting him on Polaris [sleds] the last couple years and we got something put together to make it work. Hopefully, we’ll win the Semi-Pro championship this year.”