Gavels come out gunning to start season

They’re back, they’re hungry, and they want to take it to the next level.
The Gavel family racing team—based in Stratton—came out flying from the starting line with some high-powered results in the first three events of the sno-cross racing season.
The year began Nov. 27-28 in Coleraine, Mn. with family patriarch John Gavel leading the way with three top-six finishes.
The senior member of the team, competing on a Ski-Doo, took fourth in the Beginner 500 and Plus-40 categories, as well as sixth in the Plus-35 division.
Youngest son, Rob Gavel, 15, managed a third-place result in the Beginner Fan class on his Arctic Cat racer, ahead of middle son Danny, 16, who was sixth on his Arctic Cat, and oldest brother Mike, 19, who was eighth on his Arctic Cat.
Rob also came through with a sixth-place result in the Beginner Open category, just behind Danny in fifth, with both racers competing aboard Ski-Doo machines.
Danny also came in 12th on a Ski-Doo in the Beginner 600 division.
The following weekend in Russell, Man., it was Danny’s turn to shine as he won the Sport Fan class just ahead of Rob, who came second.
The brotherly sweep was not to be, however, as Mike did not finish due to an injury suffered in an accident during the race. He will be sidelined indefinitely.
Meanwhile, John had another big day, taking second in the Masters and the Plus-30 Open categories as well as third in the Plus-30 division.
Dan was third in the Sport 600 group and fifth in the Sport Open class, with Rob netting sixth- and ninth-place results in those same events, respectively.
The biggest event of the season to date saw the Gavels travel to the World Snowmobile Association (WSA) Nationals in Winnipeg last weekend.
For Danny, the competition was all he could have hoped for, winning the Junior 16/17 division, while Rob placed 12th in the Junior 14/15 category.
The high-octane family operation next heads to a WSA Nationals event this weekend at the brand-new Park X facility in Hill City, Mn.
They will be joined there by Nestor Falls native Thatcher Haggberg, who is in his first full year on the WSA sno-cross circuit and competing in the Pro Stock National class.
Haggberg, 21, has missed the finals in his event in his first two WSA appearances this season in Duluth, Mn. and Winnipeg.