A variable speed drive having a rotatable drive shaft, a fixed sheave fixed relative to the drive shaft and mounted for rotation with the drive shaft, a movable sheave mounted for axial movement relative to the drive shaft, a plurality of drive fingers projecting axially from one of the sheaves, each drive finger defining a finger contact, and a plurality of recesses in the other sheave, each drive finger being movably received by a corresponding one of the recesses, and each recess defining a recess contact that slidably engages the corresponding finger contact.