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I-500 promises a fast track for 51st annual snowmobile race

'It’s looking really good - it should be a fast race, and very exciting,' says race chairman
2016 - 02 - 07 - i500  - Klassen-12
File photo

International 500 board of directors chairman Ric Federau watches the action from above - looking out a window in the event’s administration building - while a number of antique snowmobiles whiz by.

“This track is in pristine condition,” said Federau. “Mother nature bestowed us with a lot of snow, obviously, on the both sides of the river which makes things a little difficult, but we’ve able to plow the track.”

It’s expected that the 51st running of the snowmobile race will see a full field of 38 participants on the mile-long ice oval come Saturday.

The track is widely regarded as one of the best of its kind, says Federau - bringing people from as far away as Alaska, the U.S. Midwest and the Carolinas to Sault Michigan.

“We’ve got plenty of ice down right now, and we’ll be watering throughout the week,” said Federau. “It’s going to be a fast track, we got an early start in December to drop water - it warmed up, but we got a base down and ever since then we’ve just been moving along.”

“It’s looking really good - it should be a fast race, and very exciting.”

The event also draws original equipment manufacturers, all wanting to test their snowmobile parts at full tilt, in order to get a good reading performance-wise.

“This is the one they want to be at,” Federau told SooToday. This is the most prestigious oval ice race in the world, and they all want to be a part of that.”

The I-500 is also hoping that people on our side of the river want to be a part of the week-long festivities as well.

Monday night will feature a free open skate on the racetrack itself, the upper ice level will host the Jimmy John’s Mini-500 Snowmobile Races, which will see about 50 kids racing sleds.

“The Canadian side means a lot to us, and we’d like to see more involvement from that area, so to all your people on your side - bring it, we’d love to have you,” Federau said.

A full rundown of events can be found on the I-500 website.


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James Hopkin

About the Author: James Hopkin

James Hopkin is a reporter for SooToday in Sault Ste. Marie
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