INUVIK
An Inuvik teenager looks like he's made for snowmobiling.
Inuvik's Dang Dang Gruben took fourth place in his first snowmobile race April 6 at the Muskrat Jamboree. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Originally from Tuktoyaktuk, Dang Dang Gruben, 17, made a big splash April 6 at the 500/600 Open Country Race at the Muskrat Jamboree.
He finished fourth in a tough field of more experienced competitors in his first snowmobile race. Unofficial results had Jimmy Kalinek in first place followed by Isaac Lennie and Donovan Archie.
"This is the first year," Gruben said. "I'm the rookie."
The race was a favourite with spectators, attracting at least a few hundred. Some sat huddled in vehicles while others braved some serious cold and windchill for a more up-close-and-personal look.
Many grouped around the track where it crossed the ice road. There, the machines took to the air as they came off the snowbanks.
Gruben said he was reasonably satisfied with his performance at the race.
"The toughest thing was catching people," he said. "I just couldn't catch up to the third-place driver."
The drivers also had a tough time navigating a sharp turn near the ice road, Gruben said.
"It was kind of bumpy and there were two hills."
Racing the machines is a bit of a family business, as his cousin Darby Blake is also a racer. Gruben said his brother and his dad race as well.
Blake, who is from Tsiigehtchic, said he's been racing for six years. His passion, he said, is "speed and driving."
Gruben said the same things appealed to him, although there's more strategy and thinking involved than he first thought.
"It wasn't what I expected," he said. "I thought it would be more easier. You learn a few things. It's not as easy as it looks."
"I think the secret is in the driver," Gruben added. "I'm still learning."
He ran a stock machine in the race. Gruben said the only alterations were a skid plate and different skis. With one race under his belt, he now has a better idea of what he needs to do to improve.
"I'm probably going to do it every year now," he said. "Hopefully with a bigger Ski-Doo. This is a two-stroke machine."
Gruben said most of his snowmobile experience comes from going hunting with the machines.
Full race results were not available by press deadline.
