Latest news with #LakeSuperiorStateUniversity
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
London Knights Rene Van Bommel Commits To NCAA Lake Superior State University
London Knights forward Rene Van Bommel has committed to Lake Superior State University in the NCAA, where he will report following the completion of his junior career in the OHL.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
When is the I-500 snowmobile race? Here's what to know in Michigan
Snowmobile lovers are gathering in the Upper Peninsula this week for the 56th annual International 500 snowmobile race. "Here, you'll feel your heart thump in your chest at the sights and sounds of professional drivers giving it their all. You'll feel sweet chills and thrills of the track, as the industry's fastest, sleekest snow machines tear around the only One-Mile High-Banked Ice Oval track in the world," the race's website says. The I-500 race, which takes place Saturday, brings together professional riders and fans alike to enjoy the snowmobile competition in Sault Ste. Marie, amid northern Michigan's frigid, snowy winter. Here's what to know. The International 500 snowmobile race is the largest snowmobile race in the world. The I-500 is test of endurance, with racers competing to see who can record 500 miles the fastest. It started 56 years ago after a conversation between friends about whether or not a snowmobile could go 500 miles in one day like a racecar. The first official race day took place on Feb. 8, 1969. More: Lunar New Year traditions in Michigan. How you can take part in the celebrations The I-500 will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday. Gates open at 8 a.m., opening ceremonies are at 9 a.m. More: Snowmobile trails beckon. How to stay safe on Michigan's 6,300 miles of trails this winter The I-500 takes place at the track, 984 W. E 4th Ave. in Sault Ste. Marie. The only 1-mile, banked ice oval track in the world sits on the east side of Interstate 75 next to the Sault Ste. Marie municipal airport, and not far from Lake Superior State University. The I-500 began in 1969, modeled after the Indianapolis 500 auto race, according to the race website. In the ensuing decades, the annual snowmobile race has brought hundreds of thousands of tourists to Sault Ste. Marie for the unique event. Race week kicked off Sunday with kids races. On Monday, participants had a chance to meet the riders and get their autographs, along with ice skating around the 1-mile iced oval during Skate Night at the Track. Tuesday marks Opening Day, or Bud Clarke Day, with the start of qualifying races. The I-500 Pub Crawl, which is not an official race event, is set for Thursday in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. People will get special shirts with the names of bars on the back, and bartenders at those bars will sign the shirt to mark that they have completed that section of the crawl. For a full schedule of events, visit the race website. The Miss I-500 Pageant takes place at Kewadin Casino on Friday night before the race, Jan. 31. Winners will be crowned in the Miss I-500, Junior Miss I-500 and Princess I-500 Pageant categories. More: How cold is too cold to walk my dog? It depends on the dog A collectible I-500 button gets spectators into the full week's worth of official race events, including the I-500. Buttons are $30 — or $40 Canadian. Buttons can be found at a wide variety of Sault Ste. Marie businesses and locations, but can also be purchased at the admission gates at any of the event days. Fore more information, visit the I-500 website. That first race in 1969 is also the Longest Time to Run Race record, at 13 hours, 42 minutes. The Shortest Time to Run Race record was set in 1995, at 7 hours, 36 minutes. The coldest race on record was in 1996 when the temperature reached minus 31 degrees. The closest race finish was in 2023, when Tommie Bauer Racing won over D.L. Racing by just 0.0001 seconds. For more I-500 statistics, visit More: New owners have big plans for Owosso Speedway, investing 'millions' in Michigan's oldest track Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: I-500 snowmobile race to return to Sault Ste. Marie
