Seven of the world’s best snowmobilers battled head-to-head, in the first ever freestyle snowmobile contest right outside the iconic Wrigley Field during Red Bull Fuel + Fury.

Daniel Bodin clinched the victory with the Shaolin Backflip, the first time this trick has ever been performed in any competition. “This is just amazing,” said Bodin on what it was like to win in Chicago. “There’s a lot of history here, it’s only the 5th of November so we didn’t have snow, but the crowd was screaming and to get a first place win, I mean, it’s the best start to the season. Now I want to go more, harder, stronger and kill it this year.”

In a cool moment legendary baseball player Ernie Banks presented Bodin with the trophy. Bodin gained legendary status in the sport of snowmobiling when he set the world record for longest backflip on a snowmobile, launching a massive 147 feet. A true motorsports ambassador, he continues to push the boundaries no matter what the terrain.

This year’s Red Bull Fuel + Fury competition put a unique spin on what is traditionally a winter sport, taking out the snow and challenging the riders to go head-to-head in a double elimination format on an urbanized track of dirt mounds, turf and steel “kicker” jumps.

The judging criteria included height, execution of trick and landing. Other competitors included snowmobiling all-stars Cory Davis, Fred Rasmussen, Ted Culbertson, and Jeff Mullin. Second place went to Heath Frisby and Jimmy “Blaze” Fejes was awarded third.

.
HISTORY OF RED BULL FUEL + FURY
In 2003, snowmobile pioneer Jay Quinlan executed the first-ever backflip on a sled en route to winning the inaugural Red Bull Fuel + Fury in Jackson, WY. In 2004 and 2005, he returned to the event, which moved to the abandoned Pabst brewery in Milwaukee, WI, wowing the crowds with back-to-back backflips in 2004. The competition returned to its backcountry roots in Alaska in 2006. The 2011 competition marks a much-anticipated comeback on the biggest stage yet.