Polaris® snowmobile racers will enjoy the competitive advantages of the innovative new 2014 Polaris IQ® Race Sled that features a new lightweight crankshaft and new 128" rear suspension. These improvements and other updates to the race sled are designed to provide Polaris racers with better holeshot performance, enhanced throttle response, improved traction and greater stability in the rough for Terrain Domination.
The new 2014 Polaris IQ Race Sled is the result of integrated collaboration among Polaris snocross and cross-country racers, race team personnel and Polaris snowmobile engineers. Together, they developed the new features and validated them through extensive testing that included use in selected races last season.
The Polaris Racing Department has historically led the industry in developing innovative racing technology that “Wins on Sunday, Sells on Monday,” including legendary Polaris IFS, powerful 2-stroke engines and more.
New 2014 Polaris IQ® Race Sled
“This season’s race sled is the refinement of a legendary vehicle, with a focus on holeshot and throttle response improvements,” said Matt Prusak, Race Program Leader in the Polaris Snowmobile Division. “The benefits will be seen by snocross and cross-country racers alike.”
Polaris Race Manager Tom Rager, Jr., said racers and teams have been impressed with the performance of the new race sled in testing and on-track evaluations.
“The industry’s only purpose-built race sled just keeps getting better and better,” said Rager. “A lot of the sled’s development credit goes to several of our riders, Ross Martin in particular, who tested it and made it so good.”
Re-engineered elements of the 2014 Polaris IQ Race Sled include:
• NEW Lightweight Crankshaft
The new lightweight crankshaft features a design that provides the same balance as the previous crankshaft – with a 2.5-pound weight reduction in rotating mass.
This results in a 25% reduction in inertia, improved throttle response and increased acceleration. Racers will achieve better holeshots, and the engine will reach its optimal operating RPM faster.
• NEW 128" Rear Suspension
Polaris® racers will benefit from the increased traction of the new 128" rear suspension and new 128" track. This new setup delivers better holeshots, better stability in whoops sections, and improved cornering.
Similar to the setup that Polaris teams have raced with great success in the Mod class for more than four seasons, this new rear suspension is based on the original IQ® Race geometry, with new rail beams and tunnel components to package the longer track length. The 2014 Polaris IQ Race Sled utilizes an aggressive new 128" Sno-XT track.
“Along with delivering an improved holeshot, the new rear suspension tracks straighter in the whoops sections, and results in less ski lift for enhanced turning,” Prusak said. “Our cross-country racers in particular will benefit from the improved high-speed stability.”
Along with the new 128" rear suspension, additional improvements were made to enhance performance and reliability.
• Updated Shock Calibration
Polaris engineers, race teams and the technicians at Walker Evans Racing have combined forces to recalibrate the Walker Evans® shocks used in the race sled’s front and rear suspension. The updates are designed to ensure consistently outstanding performance from green flag to checkered on demanding terrain such as extreme snocross tracks.
• NEW Brake Pads
The new Hayes™ Type 126 brake pads were developed to deliver consistently reliable braking as brake systems heat up during aggressive racing action. Racers will also see an improvement in brake pad life.
• NEW MY14 Racing Graphics
While Polaris racing teams will customize their sleds with team graphics, racing numbers and sponsor logos, they’ll start with a new look that features a white hood, red belly pan, accents of red, white and blue, and Polaris graphics. The 2014 race sled also has a low white windshield.
RACE-WINNING POWER & SUSPENSION
The 2014 IQ Race Sled is built on the strong, durable and lightweight Polaris-exclusive IQ® Chassis. Advanced assembly techniques minimize the parts count to keep weight to a minimum while delivering maximum strength and reliability.
The race sled is powered by the Polaris Liberty® 600 engine. It delivers class-leading acceleration for outstanding holeshots as well as impressive horsepower across the entire RPM range.
The liquid-cooled Polaris Liberty 600 twin has twin Mikuni Rack TM 40 carburetors, NiCaSil-lined cylinders for efficient heat dispersion and the Polaris VES (Variable Exhaust System) for maximum power and instant throttle response. The power delivery is managed by the legendary Polaris P-85 drive clutch and a Lightweight TEAM™ Roller driven clutch.
Polaris racers can fine-tune their front and rear suspension performance with the Walker Evans 16-click compression-adjustable shocks. The race sled’s IFS uses Walker Evans Aluminum IFP 16 Position Compression Adjustable Shocks with Piggyback Reservoirs.
Recreational riders can enjoy the same outstanding IFS as Polaris racers, as the race sled’s IFS design is used on Polaris Switchback® models and on RUSH® models built on the PRO-RIDE™ Chassis.
In the IQ® Rear Suspension, the front track shock is a Walker Evans Coil Over Shock with 16-position compression adjustability, and the rear track shock is a Walker Evans Aluminum IFP 16 Position Compression and Rebound Adjustable Large Body Shock.
The new Polaris IQ Race Sled was developed for use by Polaris snocross and cross-country racers. The suspension and shock packages described here are intended primarily for snocross racing, and the Polaris Racing Department is providing cross-country racers with shock tuning information and setup recommendations for terrain racing.
