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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The whine of snowmobile engines filled the air at the papal site on March 14 as snocross descended on Fort Simpson.

Residents clustered on vantage points to watch the racers as they sped around the oval snow track, launching airborne over the bumps.

Derek Ocko catches some air during one of his races at snocross in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

There were fewer racers than normal to watch this year, said Troy Bradbury, event organizer.

Approximately five fewer racers attended thesnocross circuit stop in Fort Simpson, leaving 25 competitors.

The economic recession is partially to blame for the drop in participation, said Bradbury.

Snocross in Fort Simpson also can't compete with the amount of prize money available at the bigger competitions, he said.

Almost a third of the racers who did compete were from the village.

"Most did well," said Bradbury.

Bradbury finished first in the masters' class while his daughter Amanda Bradbury took first in the ladies.

Also on the track were Warren Cli, 5, and Tyler Lafferty, 10, who raced each other in the 120cc class.

It was the first time at snocross for both young racers.

"It was awesome," said Cli, who finished first.

Cli said he likes driving his Arctic Cat snowmobile fast.

Derek Ocko also placed in his two classes. He finished second in both the semi-pro 500 and the semi-pro 600 classes.

Ocko said his semi-pro 500 performance was the better of the two races.

"My machine was running better," he said.

In the 600 class Ocko had minor engine problems with his Ski-Doo 600 open modified that slowed him down.

This wasn't the first time he has finished amongst the top racers in his classes.

At his first race of the season in Fort Chipewyan, he finished first in the open class on the first day of the competition and second the next day. Ocko finished third in the stock class on both days.

In Hay River from March 7 to 8, Ocko finished fourth in the open class after injuring himself the day before the race.

He plans to finish the snocross circuit by competing in Fort Smith at the end of the month and in Yellowknife at the beginning of April.

After four years in snocross, Ocko said he keeps racing because it's fun.

"It's always a good competition," he said.

One final Fort Simpson racer had the dubious distinction of also winning an award at snocross.

Sabowa Visser won the Deh Cho Best Crash Award that comes with $100 in prize money. Visser's crash was the only bad one of the event, said Troy Bradbury.

Visser, who was racing in the youth fan class for the first time, was doing practice laps during the intermission when he launched his machine over the track bank. The snowmobile landed on its nose.

"He totalled his sled," said Bradbury.

Visser was taken to the health centre but did not suffer any serious injuries, Bradbury said.

In general, this year's course was very safe, he said. Bradbury, along with Derek Ocko, designed the course, which was constructed by Owen Rowe of Rowe's Construction and the village.

"Out of all the tracks I've seen this one stood up the best," said Bradbury.

The fans seemed to enjoy the spectacle the track and racers provided.

Bradbury said the large number of fans that came out to watch the event impressed him.