It’s one of the most enjoyable conversations in snowmobiling.
Every year, after a new class of inductees is announced, enthusiasts across North America begin asking the same question:
“Who should be next?”
The answer is rarely simple: Snowmobiling has been shaped by thousands of individuals over the past six decades. Racers, engineers, inventors, manufacturers, volunteers, journalists, club leaders, promoters, mechanics, and trail advocates have all helped build the sport into what it is today.
Many of those contributions happened quietly, behind the scenes, and often without much public recognition.
More Than Championship Trophies
When most people think about the Snowmobile Hall of Fame, legendary racers often come to mind first. Their accomplishments are certainly worthy of recognition, but the Hall of Fame represents far more than racing success.
The sport has advanced because of people who designed better engines, developed safer suspensions, organized racing organizations, promoted trail systems, founded clubs, created innovative products, wrote about the sport, and volunteered countless hours to keep snowmobiling growing.
Without these individuals, snowmobiling would look very different today.
Many Worthy Candidates Are Still Waiting
One of the challenges facing any Hall of Fame is that there are simply more deserving candidates than can be inducted in a single year.
Each annual class represents only a handful of people, while the list of individuals who have made significant contributions continues to grow.
That means many deserving pioneers, racers, innovators, and supporters may wait years before receiving the recognition they have earned.
How the Nomination Process Works
Every Snowmobile Hall of Fame inductee begins with a nomination. Anyone can nominate an individual they believe has made a lasting contribution to the sport, whether as a racer, engineer, manufacturer, promoter, volunteer, journalist, club leader, or industry innovator.
Nominations must be submitted by March 31 each year. The Hall of Fame encourages nominators to include as much supporting documentation as possible, including newspaper articles, photographs, brochures, posters, videos, or other materials that help tell the nominee’s story. The more complete the nomination, the better the Selection Committee can evaluate that individual’s contributions.
One fact many people don’t realize is that once a nomination has been approved, the nominee remains on the annual ballot until he or she is inducted. There is no need to submit the same nomination year after year. Racers become eligible after being retired from competition for at least three years. Voting takes place between April and June, with the formal induction ceremony held during the annual Ride With The Champs weekend each February.
Preserving Snowmobiling’s History
Every year that passes makes documenting our sport’s history a little more difficult. Stories are forgotten. Photographs disappear. Records become harder to locate. People who witnessed important moments are no longer available to tell their stories.
That is why preserving the history of snowmobiling is just as important as celebrating it.
The Snowmobile Hall of Fame serves as a permanent reminder of the people whose dedication helped build one of North America’s greatest winter sports.
Who Will Be Announced Next?
After nominations close at the end of March and voting concludes during the spring, the snowmobiling community eagerly awaits the announcement of the next class of Hall of Fame inductees. Traditionally, the new inductees are revealed around September, several months before they are formally honored during the Ride With The Champs and Induction Ceremony the following February.
Until then, the conversation continues. Every snowmobiler has their own list of deserving candidates, and that’s part of what makes the Hall of Fame so special. It encourages us to remember the people whose passion, innovation, and dedication helped shape the sport we all enjoy today.
If someone comes to mind, don’t assume someone else has already nominated them. Take the time to prepare a nomination. The next Snowmobile Hall of Fame inductee may simply be waiting for someone to tell their story.
