Derby Fever:

For some, the love of snowmobiles gets into their blood early on, as does the love of the Eagle River area. That has been very true for Ben Borgen of Rochester, Minn., who is in town this week for his 52nd consecutive World Championship Snowmobile Derby.

His love affair with the North Woods event, headquartered here in the “Snowmobile Capital of the World,” dates back to 1974 when Borgen attended his first Derby with four other guys.

Things were rowdier back then, with Borgen recollecting the experience that included both sides of the track being packed with “somewhat crazy” fans. He recalls “tons of shirtless men,” thanks to the fact that you could bring your own alcohol to the track and even start bonfires in order to stay warm.

That first year, lack of availability drove Borgen and his crew to Phelps as the nearest lodging location. Today, that group of five attendees has grown to about 15, give or take, who now hole up for the week at Elbert’s in St. Germain, where they have established a number of traditions such as frequenting Pub n’ Prime and Timber’s Bar and Grill, hitting the trails, and meeting up with friends made during previous trips.

Grand tradition

Derby Weekend has become an honored tradition for Borgen and his family and friends. While the personnel has changed throughout the years, the love of the sport has remained the same. But beyond the thrill of the race, it’s also a great appreciation for the people and places of the North Woods that keep him coming back.

“There is absolutely nothing like Derby Week in Eagle River in my mind!” Borgen enthused. “The area is a complete draw with the outstanding people, fantastic restaurants and bars, awesome trail riding on perfect trails, great music, and most of all, the exhilarating racing.

“I have never missed a year, even when I lived in Atlanta from 1979-1981. It is my hope to continue attending as long as I can get along without too much help,” he said.

Borgen is a long-time Minnesotan and a Vikings fan at heart, but the opportunity to take in a Packers playoff game during his time here is always a welcome part of the experience. “We also normally get to watch a Packers playoff game in a genuine Wisconsin bar like the Timbers. I don’t get to witness that level of support watching the Vikings,” he said.

As a “talker” and extreme race fan, Borgen said he has met many great new friends over his 52 years at the Derby, ranging from the famous Decker family to the incredible bartenders and restaurant owners. “The Eagle River area is by far my favorite place in the world,” he said.

A big part of the tradition is maintaining a good group of like-minded people to attend each year. Although it’s a very fun week, there is also a lot of planning that must be taken into consideration.

“Our primary traditions have been to invite the previous year’s attendees back and add new attendees as required when members retire,” Borgen said. “Of course, the new people are subject to rigorous tests before being accepted and they need to understand what we do. We always have serious trip planning meetings or emails to determine all of our requirements for drivers, sleds, food, alcohol, expenses, etc. We do not want to forget anything.”

While the World Championship Derby is the main draw for Borgen and his crew, he noted that they do follow the Vintage results closely via Flo Racing.

Stand-out moments

Borgen has lived in Rochester, Minn., since 1966, where he worked at IBM for his 42-year career. For most of his life he has been making the 270-mile trek to Headwaters Country.

He and the original group began their snowmobiling escapades in the 1960s to satisfy their need for “adventure and speed.” After learning about Derby Week in 1973, they started making plans to attend in January of 1974. Since that first visit, which started with a group of 30-somethings, they have carried on to add second- and third-generation family members and friends. An important aspect of the trip is not only to celebrate the sport of racing, but also to spend time with loved ones and remember past group members with each visit north.

Looking back on some of the highlights that stick out in his memory, Borgen mentioned his inaugural year watching Nascar driver Dick Trickle kick the back of his race sled off the corner one and three top walls, which he used to gain momentum to head down the straightaways at “incredible speeds.”

From a mechanical standpoint, he also spoke on the dramatic improvement in corner handling that was seen with the introduction of IFS front suspension on the Polaris race sleds in 1978, led by Jerry Bunke, and the “sensational advent of the twin tracker racing in 1982,” which he called the “best handling ever.”

With some of those January temperatures dropping pretty far into the negative numbers, heated seats are a luxury. Upgrading their seats has been something Borgen has appreciated as the years go on — whether that meant they “snuck” their way into those heated seats or paid for the Hot Seats upgrade.

After more than half a century, some memories have been lost in the shuffle. “There have been so many crazy and fun events around Vilas County that I’ve lost track of — arm wrestling and dancing in friendly bars to inviting a wide variety of new friends into our large Deerpath Condo,” Borgen said.

Through the decades

Time marches on, and things are bound to change. Some changes are for the better, like the ability to move from the earlier, less reliable machines to more modern, “rock-solid” sleds that offer “heated everything.”

Other changes are necessary, like taking into consideration the fact that the human body has its limits.

“As we have aged, our risk taking has decreased significantly,” said Borgen, now 81 (he’ll be 82 in February). “Very minimal night riding, reduced alcohol intake, and no deliberate bumping into each other on the trails to add excitement. But still lots of drag racing and speed runs on the many smooth lakes! We don’t really miss anything other than our diminishing driving skills and ability to get around.”

Heading into this year’s races, Borgen said he is definitely rooting for Sabrina Blanchet (No. 79) and Matt Goede (No. 28) in the top classes. “I’m a rabid Ski-Doo fan and rode powerful Mach Zs for 20 years,” he said.

But he’s also seen firsthand the danger these drivers put themselves in for their sport. “We have seen two deaths on the track and it is very hard to watch. I always pray for safe races in this very dangerous sport and don’t want to see any racer get hurt.”

And, when it’s all over, Borgen and his buddies will immediately get back to planning for 2027.

“The very day we leave Vilas County after a full week of excitement, friendships, and thrills, we start thinking about and planning for the next year like little kids. It can be a long countdown.”