NHRA Pro Mod Snowmobile Class in August Has to Be Seen to Be Believed

It’s August in the Minnesota northwoods, so of course, that means the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Nationals would showcase . . . snowmobiles.

The Pro Mod Snowmobile class has taken its place on the Brainerd International Raceway dragstrip this weekend along with the Top Fuel and Funny Car stars of the sport. And Robbie Lowe, who brought his wheeled Thunder Cat from his home at Bradford, Ont., north of Toronto, impressed with his qualifying performance of 5.009 seconds at 133.74 mph on the eighth-mile course.

That speed is approximately 85 mph slower than a Pro Modified race car, 90 mph slower than a Top Alcohol Dragster, and 170 slower than a nitro-powered Top Fuel dragster at the 660-foot (eighth-mile) mark.

Lowe, owner of a snowmobile since he was three years old, has the fastest stock chassis Pro Mod Sled – which has topped out at 138 mph.

“It’s been really cool, seeing all the people walking around and asking us about the sled. They’ve been pretty shocked how fast it goes,” Lowe said. “It’s also been great racing in front of a big crowd, and then they come back and see us in the pits after we run. This has been awesome. We’ve really been enjoying it a lot. As soon as we heard they were having snowmobiles, we said we would love to come.”

A 16-sled Pro Stock Snowmobile class also competed in June at the New England NHRA Nationals at Epping, N.H.