ARVIAT - Brian Tanuyak of Chesterfield Inlet took the checkered flag in the Senior Division of Arviat's Sam Napayok Memorial Challenge in one of the closest finishes in the history of the race earlier this month.

Brian Tanuyak of Chesterfield Inlet begins to move to the outside to pass Arviat's Jordan St. John as Albert Netser of Iqaluit stays hot on their heels during the Senior Division final at the Sam Napayok Memorial Challenge in Arviat earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Nadine Lamoureux

Tanuyak overtook Arviat's Ryan St. John on the final turn to win the $5,000 top prize, while Iqaluit's Albert Netser finished third.

Chester's Nathaniel Issaluk earned $3,000 for winning the Junior Division at the event, with Brandon Oolooyuk of Rankin Inlet placing second and Chester's KJ Putulik finishing third.

The annual Challenge is sponsored by the Arviat Racing Club, which fundraises all year for prize money.

Club spokesperson Ryan St. John said the races went extremely well this year.

He said Mother Nature provided sunshine and mild temperatures, and a large number of racers from Rankin and Chester took part.

"We had more out-of-town racers this year than we've ever had," said St. John.

"There was lots of good racing and the finals were very, very tight.

"It was neck and neck -- about half-a-sled or a sled-length difference -- in both the junior and senior divisions.

"Lots of people came out to watch the races, as they do every year."

The event featured 600 cc machines racing on a 1.2-mile track, with 11 junior and 21 senior racers competing.

Qualifying heats determined the starting placement in the final, with the winner choosing an outside or inside line in the final heat.

St. John said as many as 35 to 40 racers competed in the Senior Division during the early years of the race.

He said that levelled off to about 20 to 25 racers during the past five years.

"Junior racers come up through the ranks until they turn 18 and join the senior circuit.

"We're seeing more and more juniors join the senior ranks, and that's good because it brings new blood and competition to that division.

"Everyone seemed happy with how things went this year.

"We had great weather and the sea ice was very smooth, so, other than the berms and ruts created by the machines pounding through, it was a fairly smooth track."

St. John said fundraising for the 2012 race gets underway later this month.

He said the finals in this year's event will be a tough act to follow.

"In the senior division, my son (Jordan) and Brian (Tanuyak) were pretty much dead even at the final corner, that's how close it was.

"In the juniors, Nathaniel (Issaluk) was behind the whole race and then, at the second- or third-last corner, he took a different line and passed Brandon (Oolooyuk) to get the win."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.