First Boonta Eve race held in Silver Hill, Co.?

It's a stretch, but follow me here.... I watched Snowball Express the other night and I'm quite sure Lucas' inspiration for the pod race in Episode 1 was actually the Silver Hill Winter-National Annual Snowmobile Race. In Snowball Exp, our hero Johnny Baxter enters the race to win at the very least the $1000 third prize so he can save his struggling ski lodge from the evil Martin Ridgeway. In Phantom, Anakin must win the pod race to save his struggling Jedi friends and the beautful Padme. His evil foe in the race is Sebulba. Or Watto, depending on how you look at it. Of note also is the fact that the Naboo pilot's helmets are very similar in design to the leather ski helmet worn by Harry Morgan in Snowball Exp. Interesting, eh? Lucas claims the inspiration is the chariot races in old gladiator films. I think, however, the Disney snowmobile race is much closer in both heart and execution. Rent it and see for yourself. It's a good flick. It's the dearth of this kind of quality entertainment from Disney that first started me on my whole conspiracy theory. When they stopped being a family and became a corporation. Man to machine. It's all about the circles.