Gordy Muetz
DATE OF INDUCTION: JANUARY 17, 2002
CAREER SPAN: 1966-2001
COMPETITION TYPE: Yamaha
BRANDS RACED: Oval, Ice Drag, Grass Drag & Snocross
AGE AT INDUCTION: 58
Long associated with Yamaha racing teams and high-performance programs, Gordy Muetz of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, is perhaps snowmobile racing’s best known, most recognizable technician, mechanic and racing manager. Muetz can trace his 35 year career in snowmobile racing back to being part of the early Minocqua, Wisconsin-based Yamaha team that helped Hall of Famer Mike Trapp win back to back World Championships aboard Yamahas at Eagle River in 1971-1972. Gordy has been part of many varied Yamaha R&D and racing efforts in the years since, working in both California and in the Midwest.
Moving to California in 1970, Muetz was an integral part of the successful and historic Yamaha racing efforts in the early 1970’s, working as a Technician, Team Manager and R&D Specialist in snowmobiling until 1978, scoring many racing team successes including several Stock, Formula and Sno-Pro oval victories and championships. Shifting to motorcycles during much of the 1980’s, Gordy worked in Yamaha’s service, engineering and warranty departments as well as factory racing efforts.
Muetz returned to Minnesota in 1992 to assume new duties as Customer Performance Coordinator at Yamaha’s Coon Rapids, Minnesota, facility where his always changing responsibilities included being part of the planning and coordinating of a variety of his company’s racing programs in Oval and Snocross snowmobile racing. including the successful factory Snocross efforts of the 1990s. After 30 years in snowmobiling, Gordy’s career came full circle when he took his final post in snowmobiling at Yamaha’s facility in Minocqua, Wisconsin.