BLAIR MORGAN RACE TEAM MANAGER ENJOYS THE SPORT
by Scott A. Sumner
www.slednews.com
Jamie Anseuw is the Race Team Manager and part owner of Blair Morgan Racing. “ Blair and I have had this team for going into our 7th season and are looking for really good results this season. We ran prototype of this REV XP sled last season and it is a really good vehicle, a great platform. As well we have some new mechanics and a new driver in Garth Kauffman. Return drivers include Ian Hayden and of course Blair Morgan,” smiled Jamie Anseuw. “ This is the sled we raced and won with at Valcourt. Warnert Racing and Blair Morgan racing were involved in the development of the platform and put it through the rigours of racing. We actually had the sleds in early December last year we just didn’t race them until Valcourt.”
The Ski Doo REV XP sled weighs 440 pounds. In the stock class it is the first season for a 600 engine. There is no 440 production vehicles sold so this allows the manufacturors to use production 600 motors that are tweaked a little bit and put them out on the race track. “ Our REV XP and even our modified sled is basically identical to what the consumer can go and buy. We have different calibrations and different tracks, etc. but similar. We work on our motors to get more power and succeeded at that as the stock engine is extremely strong, really impressive,” noted Anseuw. “ We are in the last year of our third contract with Ski Doo and I’m sure we will do a fourth. We are a good solid team. Blair is the No. 1 snocrosser in the history of the sport. I will be surprised if Blair's records are ever broken. In developing
the XP it was difficult because you are going back and forth from the REV platform to the XP platform. We were caught lacking a bit last year as there is only so many hours in a day and days in a week. This year we are ready to go.”
There are 14 staff at Blair Morgan Racing and it is a big circus to take on the road. The team is based in Winnipeg.“ Blair lives at home in Estevan, Saskatchewan and flys into the races to Winnipeg and has been in Winnipeg for two weeks. This our 11th season together as I managed him at Arctic Cat as well. My job is more management. We have a suspension specialist and our own motor development specialist on the team. The injury has forced me to seek out experts,” said Anseuw who is a paraplegic after a race injury in Calgary. “ I am one of the fortunate people who have turned this hobby into a career and you can’t have it better than that. There is a lot of enthusiasm this season with Arctic Cat and Ski Doo having a brand new platform and the first year of the 600 class since 1999. We are really looking forward to the season.”
