GEORGE SAMSON
george@samsonracing.ca

George was born in Louisdale, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and has resided in Drummondville (St. Nicephore), Quebec for the past 8 years where he owns and operates Samson Transport and Deboisement Inc.

His passion for snowmobile racing started at a young age. In the Maritime winter races, George would always finish with the victory in his category. Determined to succeed, he continued his work and concentrated his efforts in building the best sled for the races. His perserverance led to the formation of Samson Racing Inc.

MIKE GIFFORD
mike@samsonracing.ca

Mike Gifford lives in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada and has been racing snowmobiles since 1973. His ThunderJet racers were unbeatable in the early 80s. Mike campaigned a Ski-Doo SuperStock IFS sled in the 80s and 90s and recently has been assisting his brother Howard in the Champ class with engine development, chassis and clutch tuning.

Mike is an acomplished engine builder as well as a competitive driver with  several wins in the very competetive champ-lite class. He lives and breathes two stroke racing engines.

Mike brings a wealth of experience and a no nonsence approach to chassis and clutch setup. He will be wrenching for Samson Racing as well as racing the champ sled he built for his brother at select races in the EPT.  Watch for Mike to give his brother a run for his money!

HOWARD GIFFORD
howard@samsonracing.ca

Howard Gifford is a veteran Champ 440 racer hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Howard began his racing career in 1974 racing a SnoJet Thunderjet. He and his brother were a dominant force in the mod-stock, super-stock and modified classes in the eighties and graduated to the Formula one and Champ 440 classes in the nineties.

Howard's accomplishments include many wins in  Champ-Lite and Semi-Pro champ classes in the EPT. Howard's best results in the championship points race included finishing in first place in 2003 in Semi-pro Champ and one point out of third in the Pro Champ class. Last year saw Howard finish in second place in the Semi-pro class points behind the Arctic Cat sled of Carl Lessard.

This season Howard will be driving the sled formerly raced by Lessard. Howard also designs and builds racing pipes for many of the top teams. His unique "hydroforming" technique that he has perfected produces perfectly formed  works of art that perform as well as they look. Watch for Howard and the rest of the Samson Racing Team to be competing in the CPTC and Eagle River as well as the SCM Eastern Pro-Tour.

JASON LAVALLÉE
jason@samsonracing.ca

It was in 1999, at the age of twenty that Jason found himself in Eagle River Wisconsin, for the first time. George Samson believed in Jason and thought that a touch of the magic of racing would set him off to a great racing career.

In his first competition, he returned home as the world champion in the class Vintage Open 800. Jason soon developed the urge to compete.

In the year 2000, he was able to realise a dream and race in the Champ class. Being part of Samson Racing team, he is able to race along side his idols Dave and Terry Wahl. Again, that year, he honoured the team with his 1st position in Vintage Open 800.

In year 2001, he finished in 4th position in the class Vintage Open 800.

The years 2002 2003 and 2004 brought a set back in racing but he concentrated his time in experimenting and developing new techniques and ideas in a prototype champ.

In the year 2005, Samson Racing welcomed Jason back on the team.

RICHARD GAGNON
richard@samsonracing.ca

Richard works in a shop where he is responsible for the maintenance of the equipment.

Racing has always been his great passion. For 15 years, he has been actively involved in the 4 wheeler competitions. For a period of 12 years, he has concentrated his racing skills in oval racing on his MX.

For the last three years he has been more focussed in snowmobiles and of those three years , two were with Samson Racing. He has developed new techniques, built motors and suspensions. His knowledge and his acumen has been a great asset to the Samson Racing Team.

NATHALIE LAHAIE
nathalie@samsonracing.ca

Nathalie works in a Styrofoam shop as a machinist.

Her racing career in a 4 wheeler MX-Oval has lasted 8 years. Then, because of her passion for mechanics, she became the supervisor for her husband and his friends racing machines. She has always directed her attention to the safety of the drivers.

For the last two years, she has been actively involved in the two Samson racing machines. She participates in the development, repairs and adjustments required to make the best run sleds. Her competence in mechanics and her hard work has brought a priceless improvement to the team and the equipment.