Seven-year-old Troy Porter’s snowmobile racing career was halted abruptly on Aug. 19, 1999 when his custom-made Kitty Cat Formula 1 racing sled was stolen from his father’s truck.

Troy, who began his racing career when he was 4, had already earned several first-place trophies, and was on his way to a competitive racing season.

His parents, Colleen and Patrick Porter, contacted the police and began their own personal search for the stolen Cat.

"We offered a $1,000 reward for anyone who found it and we ran ads, fliers and e-mailed all the Arctic Cat dealers in the United States," said Colleen. "We described the Cat and asked them to watch for someone who was selling parts that might have come off of our Cat. We followed many false leads."

Serial numbers were stamped on the engine, so the Porters knew that unless the numbers had been filed off, they could identify their vehicle when it was located.

ON DEC. 19, exactly four years and four months later, Troy Porter’s Kitty Cat was returned to him thanks to the shrewd detective work of Jeremy Barnard, a friend of the Porter family.

Barnard, a student at Eastern Michigan University, recognized the Cat while perusing racing sleds for sale on e-Bay. The sled had just been auctioned off for $600 to a buyer in Temperance, Ohio, who was purchasing it from someone in Toledo, who had apparently purchased it from someone in Wisconsin.

The Porters notified the Michigan State Police who pursued the lead and brought the sled back to Michigan where it is now safely stored at Bob’s Arctic Cat in Milan.

Colleen says that her son is very happy about getting his sled back, although he is sad to think about all the years of racing that he missed. Now at the age of 12, Troy has outgrown the sled.

"When he gets on it now, he looks like a big kid on a tricyle," says Colleen.

Troy is currently racing a 440 Sno-Pro Arctic Cat in the Michigan Regional World Snowmobile Association circuit. This weekend he will be racing in Gaylord.

The family is grateful to Barnard who kept the search alive. He continues to refuse to take the $1,000 reward money despite the urging of the Porters.