Snowmobile/ATV grass drags “like a small family”

Craig Bakay | Sep 06, 2019

“Some of these guys were racing before I was born,” said Bill Day, who, besides hosting and announcing the Bill Day Memorial Snowmobile and ATV Grass Drags at his family farm near Harrowsmith is also the head of Snowmobile Drag Racing of Eastern Canada, the sanctioning body for events like this.

“We had a little hiccup with the organization a couple of years ago but I think we’ve got it straightened out so we’ll keep rolling out with this.

“It was just dropped on me, so it’s what I do now.”

And some 200+ entrants and their families are glad he does.

On the Saturday of Labour Day weekend, there were 50 classes racing. On Sunday, there were another 41.

“On Saturday, we raced until dark,” he said. “It was pretty hectic but we had a lot of people to help out.

“We even had someone hit 123 mph in 500 feet.”

Indeed, many of the races feature speeds in excess of 100 mph.

But these aren’t your regular snowmobiles.

“There are a lot of mods,” Day said. “Most change the chassis and lower the sled  . . . change out the suspension.

“And then there are the tracks themselves, many with different picks and chisels depending on conditions and classes.”

He said many of the competitors have driven 12-14 hours just to get here.

“For the pros, there’s a 100 per cent payback of their entry fee, plus awards for finishes,” he said. “For the amateurs, there’s a chance to win $250.”

But there’s more to it than just the races.

While you can’t even hear the engines roaring from Harrowsmith/Rutledge Road, there is an impact on the community and it’s something Day is keenly aware of.

“There’s an impact on the filling stations and restaurants and we’ve also started adding vendors to the race venue,” he said. “This is all for people and we’re all working together in a very small community.

“And, I want to see people have fun.”