1.
GV PAN Two snow-mobiles start
0.08

2.
GV PAN One snow-mobils past camera
0.10

3.
SV PAN Another pair of snowmobile racers starting
0.18

4.
GV PAN Another pair starting and run
0.29

5.
SV Scoreboard
0.32

6.
SV & CU Lubricating rubber track and cooling engine (2 shots)
0.48

7.
SV & GV PAN Start of race and shots of race (2 shots)
1.02


"The sport of grass-racing snowmobiles began just a few years ago, when you might suspect the winter snow came late. Snowmobilers had nothing better to do. But it progressed from that time. Now racing teams participate just on the grass. Some machines here have never been ridden in the snow.



"Racers hit top speed of seventy-five to eighty miles per hour from a dead start -- such as conventional drag racers do. Snowmobiles are raced according to the engine size and its modifications ... if any. And the losers are continuously eliminated until only the winner remains.



"The problems involved with racing a snow machine on grass or dirt -- for one -- keeping the rubber track lubricated and -- another -- keeping the engines cool in uncustomarily-warm weather. Ice is plentiful here and it melts quickly when placed on the hot manifolds.



"The fastest time of the day is eighty-three-point-six-miles per hour by Danny Wheats from Bore, Montana. From the North Western States Grass Snowmobile Championship in Idaho Falls, Idaho, this is Todd Owens Reporting."




Initials BB/1936 FC/PN/BB/1948


SPORT: SNOWMOBILE RACING
TELERECORDING
TODD OWENS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Snowmobile enthusiasts in Idaho, United States, have found a new way or racing their machines while waiting for the snow to fall -- face them on grass or dirt.

Recently, the North Western States Grass Snowmobile Championship was held proving that there are now enough teams who want to carry on the sport ... even if it's held on grass. The Champion was Denny Wheats from Bore, Montana.

These machines are capable of running up to more than 80 miles (129 kms) an hour. The only problems confronting a racer are keeping the rubber track lubricated and keeping the engines cool with ice.

This film has a full commentary from TVN reporter Todd Owens -- a cued transcript for guidance only is given overleaf.

SYNOPSIS: American snowmobile fans in Idaho can hardly wait for the snow to fall before taking their machines out for a race, as Todd Owens of TVN reports: