Vintage snowmobile race to benefit cancer fund

4 years ago

CARIBOU, Maine — Vintage snowmobile racing will return for the third year to Caribou on Saturday, March 21.

The race, held on the grounds of Northern Maine Brewing Company, will bring a number of sledders from throughout the state to vie for points to earn the high points trophy. Local snowmobile enthusiasts who have vintage sleds are invited to participate in the racing, and all sleds will be registered for the event the day of the race starting at 7 a.m. 

Admission to the event will be $10 and children under age 12 are free. Racing will begin at 10 a.m. Food will be provided on site.

The Mega Meltdown Vintage and Kids endurance races have attracted racers from across The County, Maine and New Hampshire.   The “Tame the Track Tour” Snowmobile Races will offer 16 divisions with a guaranteed purse of $2,500. This is the last race in the series of eight and will take place on a track designed on the property behind the brewing company. 

The main event will be the continuation of the Brian’s Bracket Challenge, a single-elimination showdown which gets its name from the Brian’s Ride Cancer Fund, created in 2015 in memory of Brian Caldwell. Caldwell was a well-known self-employed carpenter who was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer and later died. After his death, Brian’s family saw his financial struggles during his battle and wanted to help those in need cover some costs of cancer-related expenses. Caldwell was an avid motorcyclist and loved old cars. The initial fundraiser was a motorcycle ride, hence the name Brian’s Ride. 

To date the fund has provided nearly $75,000 to more than 200 patients of Aroostook County in need of assistance with travel, co-payments, medical equipment, etc.   

The vintage sled racing event will also invite youngsters to race sleds from 120s to 200, stock and modified. There is a Junior and Woman’s Invitational and multiple other classes ranging from Vintage Single Stock to Vintage IFS 440 Stock (up to ’99).