MEDIA RECAP
Scorpion Trails images from this event may be found on the following pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
External sites which covered this event include: Big Johnson Jeeps; Solberg's Vintage Snowmobiles; ASCOA's Iron Dog Tracks; MnUSA's Minnesota Snowmobiling. Streaming video (courtesy Minnesota Bound is also available on the Media page).
Sponsored by the Cuyuna Range Chamber of Commerce, the Scorpion Homecoming was held in conjunction with the Chamber's long-standing ice fishing contest set aside Crosby's Memorial Park on Serpent Lake.
272 Scorpion snowmobiles were on display, the largest such grouping since 1980.
Circumnavigating Serpent Lake, more than 60 Scorpion snowmobiles completed the 2:00 PM trail ride.
The Sno-Serpents Snowmobile Club provided logistical support for traffic-flow and the 2:00 PM trail ride.
Trail-A-Sled, Inc. founders (later Scorpion Snowmobiles) Glen Gutzman and Dick Harrison were on hand as well as several former employees and racers.
The weekend also included a Saturday evening social hour, Sunday morning pancake breakfast and a driving tour of the firm's manufacturing campus and the company's original tin shed (circa 1958) in Crosby's Lakeview district. The tour featured light-hearted commentary from founders Glen Gutzman and Dick Harrison as well as former Scorpion dealer and racer Les Pinz. Dick's youngest son Randy provided a few important statistics.
Roughly 500 attendees were present for the Snowmobile display, most from out of town and many from out of state, including Wisconsin, Ontario, Montana and Florida. The combined events (Ice Fishing & Scorpion display) brought-in approximately 1,100 people. A major contributor to the large Scorpion turnout was a number of Internet discussion groups that were actively involved in promoting the event.
Machines displayed encompassed the entire gambit of Scorpion products and were also a wonderful chronology of snowmobile evolution in general. From the firm's early air-sled designs and early snowmobiles prototypes to various racing configurations, the hometown company's wares were proudly displayed.
The Chamber reported brisk sales of commemorative buttons.
The following awards were presented at 3:00 PM:
Peer's Choice - Jason Fuecker of Richmond, MN on a 1971 Mark II
People's Choice - Morris Krall of Stratford, WI on a 1975 Brut 440
Chamber's Choice - Lizzi Rasset of Buffalo, MN on a 1976 Lil' Whip
A follow-up event centered on Crosby-Ironton's July 4th parade is already in the planning stages. Given the large turnout, converting the Homecoming to an annual event is being seriously considered by the Chamber and local supporters.
