STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Baldy's Lower Warm Springs turned into an Indy 500 race course this weekend as 112 skiers traded their ski wear for that of race car drivers.

The Janss Pro-Am, one of Sun Valley Ski Education's biggest annual fundraisers, shifted into high gear as it dove into the world of fast cars this year in an imaginative fun twist.

"It's the 25th anniversary of the Janss Pro-Am and we based it around 24 Hours of Le Mans, figuring that if you add up all the time our teams are involved in three days of activities they're spending 25 hours of Janss," said Heather Foster, who co-organized the event for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation.

Will Brandenberg and Mike Sinnott on the Muscle Cars and Mudflaps team celebrate their prowess with a tire and a power gun.

In addition to the race track on Lower Warm Springs, a Pit Row featuring booths for teams ranging from Greased Lightning to the Flamin’ Cha-Cha’s was set up on the lawn adjacent to the Warm Springs Plaza.

High-octane Drive Le Mans Coffee with hints of caramel and chocolate took its place next to the Half and Half. The boutique Adobe Road Winery of Petaluma, Calif., trotted out its race series wine. And lunch resembled what you'd get at the race track concession stand with hamburgers and buns donated by Hyndman Beef Cattle and Big Wood Bread and sides provided by Atkinsons Market amongst the popcorn and candy bars.

In addition to the ski racing, teams competed to build best-in-show miniature stock cars. And, with Les Schwab sponsoring Saturday's lunch, teams competed to see who could change a tire fastest, rolling a tire down Pit Row in their ski boots.

They raced Friday in what Foster called "nuking snow"--snow coming down so hard the racers could barely see their hands in front of their faces. And they finished Saturday in bright sunshine with fresh snow on the runs to begin the day and corn snow as the day progressed.

Talladega Nights, or the Lee Gilman team, was comprised of Wes Powell, Mike Pfau, Ginger Lingard and Josiah Rosser.

"This whole thing has been the most intense racing experience I've had the privilege to be part of," said former SVSEF racer and Boulder Mountain champion Mike Sinnott, who raced on Will Brandenburg’s Muscle Car and Mudflaps team.

"I love the race car theme," added Lexi Black, who raced with SVSEF for 10 years and now works for the Idaho Conservation League. "What better way to get fired up about skiing fast than with fast cars. And what better way to support a good cause. My years with SVSEF were the best years of my life. I learned so many values."

The Janss Pro-Am not only celebrates skiing and snowboarding in Sun Valley but it raises $400,000 to provide financial assistance and other resources for the 800-plus youth involved on the alpine, Nordic, freestyle, snowboard and Big Mountain teams.

Numerous SVSEF racers and alum enjoyed success on the race courses this year, including Haley Cutler who just received her entry card onto the World Cup following a podium finish at the NorAm Finals  at Panorama, British Columbia.

Margot Griffith and Lexi Black were among those taking part in this weekend’s Janss Pro-Am fundraiser.

Dasha Romanov made her World Cup debut before becoming injured shortly afterwards. And a handful of others raced at the top.

"We had four athletes racing at the top compared to where we were a decade ago, which is really exciting for us and the community," said Will Brandenburg, a World Cup racer who now serves as the SVSEF alpine director. "Our athletes feel like they're part of something bigger. We're seeing more mountain support, and we have all these wonderful resources with short lines and a mountain that develops skiers. The national championships we had this year and previous years shows our young athletes what's possible.

"Yet there's a very fine line between pushing and supporting someone,” he added. “We're starting to understand what kids' passion is. Even if someone's talented enough to go onto the World Cup, that may not be what they want to do. We're striving to find the balance."

This year's Junior Pros included Fernanda Hurtado, who started with the Rota-Rippers program at  Rotarun ski area near Hailey and now races on a U14 team. Twelve-year-old Thijs Lloyd served as the Junior Pro for the Sun Valley Ski Patrol team.

There were three generations taking part on Dave Wilson’s team, including Regan Nelsen, Trish Wilson and Sydney Nelson

"This is my first time to do the Janss, and I feel so lucky to be with the ski patrol," he said. "I'm meeting new people and, unlike the races we run all season, there's no pressure. It's all fun."

Twelve-year-old Sydney Nelson, who beat the all-time women's skate ski record in the Half-Boulder this year by more than a minute, took part on her grandfather Dave Wilson's team. It was a family affair with her mother Regan Nelson taking part, as well.

Wilson, who chairs the SVEF's board, has taken part in the Janss since its beginning, along with other supporters like Liz Brown, Tom West and Averell Fisk.

"Our two girls are now 43 and they'll tell you every good skill they learned in life they learned from ski team," said Trish Wilson, Dave's wife. "Time management, exercise, winning, losing... So that's why we've supported SVSEF all this time."

3P2#Will Brandenberg and Mike Sinnott on the Muscle Cars and Mudflaps team celebrate their prowess with a tire and a power gun.