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Leighton Motorsports is a FactorySponsored Polaris National SnocrossRace Team based out of Eagle, Idaho.

Our team was originally started just before the2009/2010 race season. The previous seasonwe had taken our son Trevor to a couple ofNational races in the Midwest. We quicklylearned if Trevor wanted to keep advancing asa racer we were going to have to bring him tothe National Circuit, ISOC, where the best ofthe best race.

Written by Trace Leighton

LEIGHTON MOTORSPORTSThe team it is today!

Trevor Leighton, 2012 ISOC at Elk River, MN

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Instead of just having one sled in a hugetrailer, Wendy and I decided to invite acouple other Western racers to join us. Wehad gotten to know Colby Crapo, a 19 yearold Pro racer who had been very successfulout West. We became attached to Colbybecause of his funny and motivating per-sonality. Both racers agreed to travel withus. Unfortunately the third racer chosen,decided halfway through the season thatthe National’s weren’t for him.

The first season with Colby and Trevorshowed success, and at the end of thatyear Polaris Race Director, Tom Rager ap-proached me about us being a FactorySponsored Team. Of course we were veryexcited about this! Last season Tom Rageragain came to me with the suggestion ofhiring Ray Hulten, who was a Polaris raceteam owner on the Eastern Regional Cir-cuit. Ray is an amazing tuner and his team’salways had great success. Again, Tom hadmade my day! Ray and I got together anddiscussed the details of how to make itwork with a team made up of racers fromIdaho and a mechanics crew from NewYork. Along with Ray we were also blessedwith having Josh Swieton join our team asa mechanic. Josh had been working withRay for a couple of years and we knew hewas a top mechanic. It didn’t take long forRay and I to decide if we were going to pairup, we were going to go all in and build awinning combination! Part of making ithappen was knowing our racers needed tolive near a practice track that they couldride at several times a week, and if the rac-ers were living by a track the Crew Chiefand Mechanic had to live there also.Thankfully Ray and Josh were willing tomake that move for the winter, leavingtheir families and friends to devote their at-tention to the team. We chose ERX in ElkRiver, MN as our practice track, whichmade it easier to narrow down where themechanics and racers would live andwhere we would have our race shop. Withhelp from an ISOC official, we decided onPrinceton, MN. We now have a great shopin a beautiful little town located just 12miles from ERX, and an awesome five bed-room house where the team lives.

After the first race of this season, TomRager approached me with the possibilityof putting the top Women’s Pro Racer inour trailer. Her name is Jennifer Pare, a

French Canadian from the Province ofQuebec, Canada. After watching Jennydominate the field during the seasonopener in Duluth, it was an easy decision.We accepted Jenny onto our team withopen arms, and the next weekend in Bess-mer, MI was very interesting as Jenny, norher husband Sylvain, spoke much English.We made it through the weekend thanksto another team's bilingual crew chief anda Google translator app on Trevor’s IPhone.Once Jenny returned home, she aggres-

sively started learning more English. Now,3 months later we can all carry on a fullconversation with Jenny in English, withan occasional word or two having to usethe translator. Jenny is also the onlywoman racer that is a member of a FactoryTeam.

Most of the other race teams members arefrom the same areas. Our team is definitelyfrom one side of North America to theother. People often ask, “How do people

Colby Crapo, 2012 ISOC at Elk River, MN

Jennifer Pare, 2012 ISOC at Elk River, MN

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from Idaho, New York and Quebec Canadaall get together?” We politely answer, "Weall drive 1400 miles to meet in the middle."Although that is kind of a smart aleck an-swer, it is true. Wendy and I originally builtthis team with our kids and Colby, and didso based on having fun and staying familyoriented. We have stuck to that philosophywhich is definitely working, and we could-n’t have asked for a better group of peopleto spend the winter with. By 'group' I meanour team, the other race teams, our Spon-sors, and also the ISOC family that puts onthe races. Without all of them, none of uswould be racing. Colby will be moving upto the Pro Open class and Trevor will bemoving up to Pro-Lite for the 2012/2013season. Jenny will again be racing the ProWomen’s. It is very exciting to have threePro’s running out of our trailer, and feel wehave come a long way in just three seasons.

It takes a great amount of time and com-mitment to be part of this team. While theracers are training and racing hard, Ray andJosh are spending long days working onand tuning the sleds. Wendy and I seem tospend an awful lot of late nights eitherdriving the rig back to Princeton or flyingon a plane back to Idaho. Someone whodoesn’t get a lot of notice behind the scenesis our daughter Timi. Timi is a full timestudent at Boise State University studyingSports Broadcasting. In her so-called 'sparetime', she is the Team Manager of LeightonMotorsports. Where she finds the time Idon’t know, but she does and we can't bemore thankful. She is responsible for keep-ing our Facebook and Twitter up to date,

and handles the ordering and selling of allof our Swag and Clothing. While at theraces Timi is busy either running a videoor still shot camera.

Wendy and I would like to personallythank all of our team, Sponsors, andfriends for giving us the opportunity tohave so much fun doing this. Although it isa financial and time commitment, wewouldn’t have it any other way. We alsowant to thank Wheels of Thunder Maga-zine for inviting us to be a part of theirFamily!

What It Takes to Prep a Race SledFrom the Crew Chief, Ray Hulten

When we receive the new race sleds in thefall we start by going through a checklist ofthings to do. Some of the things on ourchecklist are to remove the front and rearsuspension, dismantle the suspension, andsend the spindles and slide rails out forcoatings. The coatings serve two purposes,appearance and to keep snow from build-ing up. When the suspensions are apart wereinforce certain parts that have been proneto breaking. Once we have all our partscoated and reinforced we reassemble every-thing using shocks that have been cali-brated for each rider. We then install moreaggressive skis and carbide runners, tracksget studded and snow flap straps are in-stalled to abide by ISR rules. Motors in thestock class must remain stock, but we dochange the calibration of the carburetorsand clutches for optimal performance. Weinstall data acquisition systems on all of

our sleds to monitor engine rpm, jackshaftrpm, exhaust temp, engine temp, and GPSto map the track. We install different han-dlebars, handguards, and put foot tractionplates on the running boards. After all thepre-season prep is complete and we beginto race, the sleds undergo a weekly main-tenance routine which varies from week toweek. Every week we replace the shockswith freshly serviced ones, replace reedvalves, clean exhaust valves, clean clutches,remove the chaincase cover to inspect thechain, and change the oil. We check all thefasteners, ski alignment, track alignment,and replace anything that is bent or bro-ken. After every couple of race weekendswe perform our weekly maintenance, butalso replace the piston and rings, drivechains and belts.

OUR RACERS

Jennifer Pare #112

Jennifer was born March 12, 1985. Shelives in La Dore, Quebec, Canada with herhusband of four years Sylvain and his sixyear old son, Nathaniel. Nathaniel is rac-ing successfully the 120cc class in Quebec.

During the week, Jennifer works 42 hoursa week as a dispatcher for a trucking com-pany. She also trains for two hours a day,five days a week. Her training includes 50minutes of cardio exercise and 50 minutesof muscle building exercise. In the sum-mer Jennifer rides motocross, mountainbike and jet ski for training.

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Jennifer's passion for snowmobile racingbegan at a very young age. Her father wasa snocross and cross-country racer andthere were always two or three sleds in thegarage. Jennifer and her brother, Francois,built an oval snow cross track in the fieldbehind their home. They raced each otherall day long.

At the age of 14, Jennifer started racingsnocross in the Women's class in theS.C.M. sanctioned race circuit in Quebec(owned by Marcel Fontaine). After threelearning years, she was dominating to thepoint that the other women in the classdidn't want to register if Jennifer was reg-istered! Jennifer wanted to continue rac-ing and decided to race in the Sport

division with the men. She was soon fight-ing for the top positions, and three years ina row she won the S.C.M. SPORT Champi-onship. After competing a few times withRock Maple Racing (E.C.S.), outside theProvince of Quebec, she decided to givethe ISOC series a try. She enjoyed racingDuluth and Lake Geneva in 2009-2010.

In 2010-2011 Jennifer raced every week-end to accumulate PRO AM Women'spoints. She stayed in the Midwest for threeraces in March and was able to visit the Po-laris Racing shop in Wausau, WI. She andSylvain were able to check out her sled andthey were pleased to receive advice fromother drivers and mechanics.

In November 2011, Jennifer and Sylvaindrove 22 hours non-stop from their hometo Duluth with her sled in the back of herDad's pickup truck. At the time they did-n't know if she would be able to race everyISOC event due to the time and expense oftraveling to the races. When Tom Rager,Sr. realized the situation, he met with TraceLeighton from Leighton Motorsports andasked if he would have a place in his trailerfor a very determined young lady.

In Her Words...

Tom Sr. could not have found a better teamfor me. Trace and Wendy are extraordinarypeople with big hearts. As soon as I metthem in Bessemer, MI they made me feellike a member of their family.

This winter went very fast. I am veryhappy with my race results as I have won

every qualifying heat and the final at everyevent. I won the Points Championship forPro Am Women's class. The last threeweeks of the season I stayed in Princeton,MN with my team. It was awesome to beable to practice with my teammates, TrevorLeighton and Colby Crapo, at the EXRtrack in Elk River. Ray Hulten and JoshSwieton are two very experienced me-chanics and they maintain our sleds in per-fect racing condition. I could not find anybetter. They are always smiling and it isvery pleasant to spend time in their com-pany.

I am racing because I love this extremesport and I am doing whatever it takes toachieve the best results.

-Jennifer #112

Colby Crapo #999

I grew up in a small town up in the moun-tains called St. Anthony, Idaho, where myfamily is all farmers. With that came thelong winter months with not a whole lotgoing on. Needless to say when you havenothing to do and live in the mountainswith tons of snow, you gotta keep yourselfbusy and my entire family was into snowmachining. When I was two years old myDad bought me a little Kitty Cat for Christ-mas, and from that moment on all I couldthink about was riding my snowmobile. Asthe years went on I got better and betterriding it and I wanted to show all the olderguys that I could keep up and ride withthem wherever they could go. Around that

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same time my cousins Kurtis and JeremyCrapo had signed with factory Polaris tostart racing the Nationals. From that mo-ment on my poor parents had to deal withme begging every day of my life to let metry racing. They finally gave in!

I started racing at eleven years old at a lit-tle race circuit literally in my back yardcalled P.A.Y.S racing. I won the pointschampionship that year and from then onout I was completely hooked. The nextyear I started to race the Mountain WestRacing circuit, which was the biggest cir-cuit in the western states at the time. Iworked my way up the ranks there and atseventeen I started racing Pro. That seasonI met a man by the name of Trace Leighton.

The next season Trace asked me if I wouldlike to go with him and his family out to anational event in Canterbury, MN. I was ofcourse thrilled at the opportunity to race

the nationals cause I always thought Icould run with the guys out there. Theweekend went surprisingly well for me andTrace thought that I could handle my ownagainst the guys at the national level in theISOC series too. At the end of that seasonTrace asked if I would like to join a teamhe was putting together called LeightonMotorsports. I couldn't have been happierto think that I might be racing for a factoryteam like my cousins who I had looked upto for so many years!

I have now been racing with Leighton Mo-torsports for three years in the Pro Liteclass. I unfortunately broke my leg at thebeginning of this winter, however I cameback strong and have found myself on thepodium several times. Polaris and Tracehave both decided that next season I amready to move up to the Pro Open class.This step means a lot for me and the team.

Over this summer I am going to have totake my training to the next level. To do soI will be racing motorcycles on local cir-cuits around Idaho. I love riding and rac-ing bikes and have also found it is a lot likeriding snow machines. It can be hard totrain for because it uses muscles that everyday exercising does not use, where ridingmotorcycles is a lot of the same muscle use.For cardio I actually kind of enjoy ridingmy "struggle buggy", which is just a roadpedal bike. It is excellent cardio and I likethat you can travel at a pretty good pace soit isn't too boring.

As far as the team goes there is a lot more

mechanically that goes into Mods thanstock sleds. I have complete trust in mymechanics Ray Hulten and Josh Swietonthat they will have me on some of the verybest equipment out there. We all live in thesame house throughout the winter whichis really good, you get to know each otheron a whole new level, which is key. Theteam has to get along and gel together,which is one thing that I think our teamdoes probably better than about any teamout there. It is like one big family which Iabsolutely love. We all want to win yet weall know things happen. If it comes to apoint where there is too much pressure andno one is having fun doing what they loveto do, I feel results will spiral downhill.Everyone trusts that everyone else is doingtheir part. I know when I go to the line thatmy sled is the best that it can be and theteam expects the same out of me. That I amin shape and I will ride to the absolute bestof my ability.

I am thrilled to get next season underwayin the Pro Open class. Everyone will be re-

turning to Princeton, MN around the firstof November. Trevor and I will be crankingaway in the gym and also riding as muchas possible wherever we can find snow. Themechanics will be getting sleds dialed inand testing with us wherever we are riding.While Trace and Wendy will be finishingup getting ready for the season workingwith all of our sponsors and people thathelp so much throughout the season. Can'twait for November and I will see all of youThanksgiving weekend in Duluth!

-Colby Crapo #999

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Trevor Leighton #931

I have been riding snowmobiles for aboutfifteen years now. It all started when I wasthree years old riding in front of my Dad inthe mountains in Idaho. At five years old Ifinally got my own snowmobile. By thetime I was ten I was going on the “guyrides”, which were rides that all the guysleft the girls at home because we wanted togo in dangerous and steep areas. When Iwas thirteen my Dad's good friend TobyAshley (a former Pro snocross racer) founda sled for me to ride at a local race in Mc-Call, Idaho. I raced in the Junior 10-13class against kids that had been racing foryears, but I managed to take third place inthe final, which was when I becamehooked.

When I turned fifteen my Dad bought anew trailer and truck and started a race

team. This was also the first year we wererunning a national circuit. I have been rac-ing nationals for three years now and nextyear I will be moving up to Pro Lite. Inorder to get to this level it took a lot of com-mitment from my Dad and the rest of myfamily. It also took a lot of work from my me-chanics and my teammates pushing me onthe practice track. I feel very comfortablemoving up next year and I’m very excitedabout it! If it wasn’t for my Dad pushing mewhen I was younger to be the best rider, Idon’t think I would be here today.

When it comes to our mechanics, there is alot to say because they are some of the bestin the industry, and I never worry about mysled not performing. This year my Dadmade a change and hired Ray and Josh, andthey are a blast to work with! They comefrom many years in the racing environmentand I'm very happy with the move my Dadmade. The guys work more hours than alot of people out there and they work sevendays a week. Every week they tear downour sleds and rebuild them in about oneday. Sometimes they are waiting on partsfrom us breaking stuff, but that's the onlything that holds them up. Otherwise theyusually can get most done by Tuesday orWednesday morning and then they startfixing our practice sleds. If they didn’t putthis hard work into the team I don’t thinkColby or I would be moving to the nextlevel or winning national races.

I would say our team is the most laid backteam on the circuit. When it comes to busi-ness we get it done, but if you're not laidback like us then you're not havingfun...and when you're not having fun youdon’t get along. We all get along really welland it is always fun going to the races. It all

makes me want to continue racing becauseour bond is at the track and at the house.We have created such a 'family' environ-ment with each other at the track and at thehouse in Princeton. I couldn’t ask for a bet-ter team to be with!

A day in the life of a Leighton Motorsportsracer for me consist of me usually wakingup at eleven (Ray and Josh always give mecrap, but I'm a normal teenager and sleeplate any chance I can), then Colby and Ihead to the shop to load up our practicesleds. We head to ERX, a local practicetrack and ride from about twelve to four.

We then go to the gym after getting backfrom practicing, and then end the night byplaying Call of Duty. On race weekends it’sa little different. We go to our drivers meet-ing around one and then we have practicelaps, two heats, and a final. We usually eatdinner in the trailer at races, and then therest of the team heads to the hotel while myparents and I sleep in the race trailer at thetrack. In the off-season I wakeboard a lotand ride my dirt bike almost every day. Lastyear I was in high school so for training Iplayed football and lifted in class. This yearis going to be a little different though. I willride my road bike a lot and go to the gymto get ready for taking on the Pro Lite classnext year.

-Trevor Leighton #931

Thanks you Trace, Ray, Jennifer, Colby, andTrevor for giving us a little more insight onthe team and some of next year's plans. Tofollow them make sure to find them onFacebook at Leighton Motorsports.