Interview with Steve Scheuring of Scheuring Speed Sports

Steve ScheuringAs the snowmobile season approaches, we thought this might be a good time to have a quick chat with Steve Scheuring, owner of Scheuring Speed Sports. Scheuring Speed Sports prides themselves as being the “first truly independent racing team in the sport of snocross”. Steve’s competitive spirit has made his team a mainstay in the ISOC (formerly WPSA) snocross series and a force to be reckoned with at every race.

Oildepot: How did you become the owner and team principal of a professional snocross racing team? Can you give us some insight on what made Steve Scheuring and how you ended up in this chapter of your life?

Steve Scheuring: I have been involved in snowmobile racing since 1978. I race professionally myself in oval racing until 1994. I also worked for the Yamaha and Ski-doo factory race teams before starting Scheuring Speed Sports. This is our eleventh year of our team and having AMSOIL as our primary sponsor.

Oildepot: Do you run the same AMSOIL lubricant formulas that anyone can buy for their snowmobiles or are you given exclusive “special” race lubricants from the company?

Steve Scheuring: We run the same AMSOIL Dominator that every AMSOIL dealer sells. We run 50 to 1 mix ratio as recommended. We also work with AMSOIL on Research and Development products in our snowmobiles and highway vehicles. Come race time we are running the same oil anyone can purchase from an AMSOIL Dealer.

Oildepot: How much horsepower do the Pro Stock and Pro Open Sleds deliver?

Steve Scheuring: The stock Polaris 600 is about 115 horsepower and the Polaris Pro Open sleds can reach near 150 horsepower.

Oildepot: How often do you have to rebuild your engines?

Steve Scheuring: We do preventive maintenance checks every week on our race motors. Same with our shocks, clutches, and suspensions on our sleds. We change our compression ratios on our Pro Open sleds according to the length of the track and the elevation.

Oildepot: Can you give us an example of time where AMSOIL products have prevented a DNF?

Steve Scheuring: Last year at the seasons final race in Milwaukee, Pro racer D.J. Eckstrom got hit from behind and the heat exchanger on his race snowmobile was punctured and we lost all the coolant. We ran the last eight laps with no anti freeze in the cooling system. That was impressive.

Oildepot: Do you foresee a time where your four-stroke engines will supplant two-stroke engines in your sport?

Steve Scheuring: Currently Yamaha races with four stroke motors. With new clean fire technology on two strokes and the clean burning characteristics of AMSOIL, I see two strokes being around for quite some time yet.

Oildepot: I’ve been to a few of the WPSA events when they were still held in Winnipeg and as much as I enjoyed the racing, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the riders and mechanics because it was so cold! What are the worst conditions that you ever had to work in at a race?

Steve Scheuring: Three years ago at Montreal it was minus 27 Fahrenheit. The wire for the lift gate shorted out and the lift gate raised itself while the back door was being opened. It sheared the back door off of the trailer and glass flew everywhere. The biggest challenge for the drivers when it is that cold is keeping their hands warm while racing.

Oildepot: Who are your sponsors for 2008-2009?

Scheuring Speed Sports is sponsored by:

Thanks Steve!