Alberta
1965
Snowmobile racing in Alberta began with closed course “Power Toboggan Races” featured at the 1965 Edmonton Winter Carnival known as the MUK-LUK MARDIS GRAS on a track built onto the frozen North Saskatchewan River
As snowmobile racing became a rising pass-time in the late 60s the Alberta Snowmobile Racing Association (ASRA) was created with numerous events held at the Edmonton International Speedway, Ma-Me-O Beach, as well as the “Circle-8 Speedway” stock car track in Calgary and by 1970 expanded to oval, closed course, and “cross country” events throughout Alberta
As sled racing increased in popularity in the early 70s the North Western Snowmobile Association (NWSA) was formed which developed into numerous events held across Alberta all winter long. The NWSA feature event was always the North-Am International at/near Wetaskiwin AB which in its heyday drew up to 600 entries chasing 10s of thousands of dollars in prize money and the racing action delivering crowds exceeding 20,000 spectators
Alberta (NWSA)
1970
Alberta
1971
Alberta
1972
Alberta
1973
Alberta
1974
Alberta
1975
Alberta
1976
Alberta
1977
Alberta
1978
Alberta
1979
Alberta
1980
Alberta
1981
Wainwright, AB 81
Wainwright, AB
Tony Maloney
Alberta
1982
Alberta
1983
Ken Benson
More Alberta
late 80s and early 90s
2026 “Hall of Fame”
Alberta Nominee Racing Resumes
Dennis Clarke (Winterburn, Alberta) active 1969 -1994
Dennis Clarke from Edmonton was the NWSA’s most prolific, and successful racer having won more feature races and North-Am Championships than any other racer (and by a long shot!). With a storied race career stretching from 1969 through to the mid-90s NWSA #20 Dennis Clarke is a name most revered when it comes to performance and true dominance in the sport of snowmobile racing in Western Canada.
Marvin Glanz (Ma-Me-O Beach, Alberta) active 1967 - 1976
Marvin Glanz was Alberta’s original King of high displacement oval snowmobile racing. Starting out competing in Edmonton Speedway events in the late 60s and often running in the fastest modified 650cc and 800cc Mod classes throughout the 70s it seems Marvin always found a way to make it to the winner’s circle. From running the rare EXT Special Arctic Cats early in his career, and eventually moving up to his now infamous hand-built Chaparral 650cc Sachs triple IFS racer (painted in Cat purple of course) it seemed Marvin was always innovating his way out in front of the competition.
Here Marvin Glans recounts him being able to pass and beat Arctic Cat factory rider Charlie Lofton at North-Am in 1971
Here’s the great Marvin Glanz explaining his winning race prep process and strategy
Don Ayers (Edmonton, Alberta) active 1970 -1980
Ken Benson (Sylvan Lake, Alberta) active 1975 -1985
Dale “Gundy” Gunderson (Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada) 1947-2007
Dale Gunderson was a prominent racer and notably an early President of the North Western Snowmobile Association (NWSA) based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and contributing greatly to the early development of snowmobiling, and snowmobile racing in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
In the late 60s Dale (known to everyone as “Gundy”) raced both Polaris and Rupp sleds to great success and was even awarded one of the rare “Rupp Ruby” rings from Mickey Rupp himself in 1972. In those early years Dale was easily recognizable as the tallest guy in the pits especially while wearing his bright green and red “Mark Ten” snow suit! (Mark Ten cigarettes was a primary sponsor of the NWSA circuit and snowmobile racing at that time)
Like many, in the mid-70s Gundy raced and mostly won riding Merc Sno-Twisters, then eventually graduating to a pair of beautiful 1979 IFS Moto-Ski SnoPro sleds while continuing to take down a number of NWSA feature events and regular podium appearances. As such over his 11 years of active racing Dale won numerous NWSA season series “high point” class trophies
Later in his lifelong involvement in snowmobiling, Dale became a transformative member of the Alberta Snowmobile Association (ASA) and his local Whitecourt Trailblazers club, becoming a popular organizer of weekly club rides, ASA Jamborees, and was the driving force behind the club’s extensive “trail grooming” efforts. As such in 2004 Dale Gunderson was awarded with ASA’s Excellence Award as “Alberta’s Outstanding Snowmobiler” followed by the “ASA Louise Sherren Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2007 (posthumously). As a fellow NWSA racer and longtime family friend, I am honored to nominate Dale “Gundy” Gunderson to the Western Snowmobile Racing Hall of Fame. ~Alan Nagel
