Mullan hosts motorized winter sports competitions

MULLAN ­— For the second year in a row, motorized snowbiking came to the Silver Valley and once again it was a huge success.

This year the event was part of the WinterFest celebration, that featured multiple events going on in both Wallace and Mullan (see WinterFest story).

The snowbiking event was held in addition to vintage snowmobile races that took place in Shoshone County’s easternmost city on Dec. 30 and 31.

According to organizers, the events were a real hit and attended well.

For Mullan, the vintage snowmobile races were a great addition to their already established snowbike event.

“This was the first time Mullan has hosted a vintage snowmobile race,” Mullan mayor Don Kotschevar said. “In the past we have hosted snowmobile drag races and back in the ’60s and ’70s we hosted snowmobile races in town that were promoted as the world championship of snowmobile racing.”

He explained that he got the idea to hold the event after seeing it in person in another North Idaho city. “Last year I attended Priest Lake's event and thought we need to bring this to Mullan. We have the snow and the facility. So I talked to Mike Courteau, the promoter of the Priest Lake event, and he was excited to add another venue to the circuit and was all in as far as helping me pull it off. Vintage snowmobile racing is growing in popularity and this month Snowest Magazine ran an article promoting Priest Lake and Mullan's events.”

The snowmobile races had 45 racers ride 65 vintage sleds and drew a healthy crowd.

Chaun McAlister, owner of Motion Sports in Coeur d’Alene, organized the snowbike races on the following day and like Kotschevar, was very pleased with the outcome.

“The event went similarly to last year’s, we had a good rider and spectator turnout, and most importantly no injuries,” McAlister said. “Cody Matechuk, the best snowbike rider in the world today was on hand to compete in the event. The multiple event strategy really worked for the WinterFest and we are thinking about doing even more next year.”

In only its second year being held in Mullan, the event brought it roughly 1,300 people.

Due to the severity of the weather before the event, some racers were unable to attend, but that didn’t stop the event from being big enough to sell out every hotel room in Wallace.

The event received a lot of local and regional sponsorship as well. Because of this, both McAlister and Kotschevar would like to thank all of the businesses, employees, and volunteers who made it all possible. Snowmobile and snowbike race results could not be obtained before press time. If the News-Press does receive the stats, they will be reflected on the online version of this article.