Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Providence (Mar 24/00) - There was no bigger hit with the kids than Neal Phillips and his 1978 classic Citation at the Bison Jamboree snowmobile races held over the weekend in Fort Providence.

"I didn't even unload it (from the trailer) and there were kids (asking), 'Can I get a ride on that?'" he said as kids clamoured around repeating the question.

The novelty ride isn't exactly pretty, but it is certainly eye-catching. With its inner workings exposed -- Phillips said he has a hood and windshield, but the sled looks better without them -- the original parts were readily visible Saturday. It has 300 ccs of power, but sounds more like a 600 cc machine, and can reach a top speed of 55 miles per hour, according to Phillips, who has acquired the nickname "Sled Ed."

He raced the old Citation in the 340 and 380 class in the drags, and, outgunned, lost both of his races.

"It's only a 300 and I was racing 380s," a smiling Phillips explained to a disappointed young fan who inquired about the losses.

The fact that he lost didn't dampen the kids' enthusiasm as they continued to request rides and climbed all over the time-worn snowmobile.

"It's good. It's fast," a young Tyrone Gargan said.

After pulling in from a test run on the Citation, adolescent Andrew Gargan said it handled well and he'd like to own the machine himself.

Phillips purchased the sled, for cheap, a year-and-a-half ago from Fort Simpson's Trevor Kjeldsli, he noted. He has no idea how many kilometres are on it, but said he put on over 1,000 last year alone riding it repeatedly from the N'dulee crossing to Cli Lake. It's also been through the Ram Canyons and other parts of the North Nahanni area.

"It's been everywhere ... it's very reliable," he said.

The maintenance required has been a bare minimum, he added.

"I haven't done anything other than changed the odd (spark) plug," he said, noting that the machine has two cylinders, so one of them will always get you there and back."