Steve Arpin has signed a one-year contract with Polaris that will see the 16-year-old Fort Frances racer represent the company at such snowmobile races as the World Championships in Eagle River, Wis. and another top one in Val Court, Que.
“I expected a contract from Polaris, and it happened,” his father, Chuck Arpin Sr., said Monday afternoon.
Specifics of the contract are confidential but the elder Arpin noted it was a “very, very generous offer.”
“It was much more than I expected,” he admitted.
Part of the reason to keep that type of information closed, Arpin said, is because of his son’s age, which prevents Polaris from promoting him.
But he did say Polaris’ sponsorships do entail their product and that they will be flying Arpin to the Val Court race in order to cut down on his time away from school.
Arpin, who will have 10 races on his schedule next winter (similar to this past season), including a pair of cross-country ones, said he’s excited about making a name for himself on the track.
“I’m really excited. It helps me out a lot with all the support,” he remarked.
One cross-country race will be the Iron Man 250 in Thief River Falls, Mn. while the other will be a 500-mile race starting in Warroad, Mn.
“It’s literally racing cross-country, all terrain, down roads, and across lakes,” said Chuck Arpin, adding his son did race cross-country back when he was 12.
“Because he is so young, and at his level of ability, he should make the transition very easily,” he added. “Using a quote from Polaris, they said ‘They are making an investment in our future.’”
The teen admitted that kind of pressure makes him a bit nervous but that’s something that can be quickly cured with a couple of early victories.
“It really does [make me nervous] because it’s based on performance but I’m going to try to forget about it,” he reasoned.
But Arpin won’t have much time to think about that added pressure this summer as he already has brought in a dirt bike to help him prepare for the cross-country races.
“Big time,” replied Arpin when asked if he’ll have to train specifically for those two cross-country races. “There’ll be lots of training but I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s something different and I enjoy doing it,” he continued. “The dirt bike will be coming in to help me with endurance because I’ll be racing 500 miles in three days.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
