MUSKEGON, Mich. — For 12-year-old Jerzie Zielinski, winter means snowmobiling and racing, two things she excels at.
"Every time I see snow coming down I’m like 'Oh yay! Seasons coming up! And whenever it’s ending it's just like it’s terrible, I don’t want it to end,” Jerzie said.
The Twin Lakes native got her first sled at age five and she’s been traveling to snowmobiling competitions every winter weekend ever since. So much so, she says she's lost count.
Jerzie’s success in all those tournaments have made her the top-ranked snowmobiler in the state for her age group. She’s hoping to continue her success this weekend this weekend when she travels to Iowa for the biggest snowmobile race of the year: the Theisen’s Snocross National.
Competing in the national race will present a whole new realm of opportunities, and although Jerzie says she's working to take home a win, at the end of the day it’s the thrill of the sport that she sees as her real prize.
"Racing is all about fun, it’s not all about winning, you need to have fun,” she said. “The best trophy you can ever get is enjoyment, you just have to have fun."
Jerzie leaves Thursday for the race in Dubuque, Iowa. If you want to follow along and support her, visit her Facebook page: Jerzie Zielinski Cat Attack Racing.
