In less than ten days, right before Friday Night Thunder racing, Mike Trapp will ride into the ice oval to open up the 58th running of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby Pro weekend.

Many remember that famous dual between Yvon Duhamel and Mike Trapp in 1971. We have asked Mike back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that championship.

On Friday night, Jan 15th, Mike will ride into the ice oval aboard a 2021 Yamaha provided by Yamaha Motor Corp. Mike, and a lucky young man from Stratford Wisconsin, will be carrying the torch in for the WI Badger State Games to open up the Derby weekend.

And, then on Sunday, Jan 17th, Mike will be back, but now on that very 1971 Yamaha, he had won upon (courtesy of Leon Koch, a collector, and enthusiast of rare Yamaha snowmobiles, of Koch’s Performance).

We can tell you we have been told the engine has been fired and ready to ride. And, Leon said the two-stroke exhaust of that SR433 Mod III Yamaha smells particularly sweet burning alcohol just as it did 50 years ago.

On that Sunday, Mike, the first-ever back-to-back world champion, will do a couple of parade laps right before the flag drops for the World Championship final.

This event, and that historic race, has received so much press in SnowTech, Snow Goer, Snowmobiling Podcast, On Wisconsin Outdoors, Antique Snowmobile Club of America, and well as snowmobile Facebook groups, the local newspaper, and TV media.

You will want to be at the Derby to witness what will indeed be a historic occasion. And then you will want to join us again for the special Ride with Mike Trapp in February.