Riders and fans alike braved the sub-zero temperatures at the 57th GFL International 500 snowmobile race in Sault Ste Marie, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 7
SAULT STE MARIE ― Just after 9 a.m. in Sault Ste Marie, Mich. on Saturday, February 7, the most famous words in racing rang through the crisp Upper Peninsula air.
"Gentleman, start your engines!" echoed through the loudspeakers for drivers and spectators to hear.
It was just a formality; facing sub-zero temperatures and -20 degree windchill, the drivers participating in the "Most Gueling and Prestigious Snowmobile race in the World" already had their engines up and running to avoid a stall.
The 57th running of the GFL International 500 took place on Saturday as snowmobile drivers from around the world descended on Sault Ste Marie to answer the question that sparked the event back in 1968: Can a snowmobile run 500 miles?
That question has spawned the annual weeklong event in the Northern U.P. city of Sault Ste. Marie, filled with races, time trials, the Miss I-500 Pageant and more than enough for the thousands of spectators to take part in, culminating with Saturday's grueling 500-mile run that takes over 8 hours to complete.
It's a test of endurance; not just for riders, but for the snowmobiles themselves, being pushed to their absolute limits during the coldest weather Northern Michigan has to offer.
For Clyde, a race fan from Munising, Mich., it's that grueling aspect that keeps him and other fans coming back for more.
"The mechanical and physical abuse that these guys go through, these sleds go through," said Clyde. "Everything. For seven and a half hours, those guys running around like idiots, it's all a challenge."
Clyde knew one of the riders personally, buying snowmobile parts from his shop from time to time. That gave him a rooting interest, but it's his love for the sport that keeps bringing him back, this being his sixth visit to the I-500.
The Hoos Racing team No. 67 sled led the race for most of the day, but it was the Hetteen Heritage Racing No. 54 Polaris driven by Evan Peppel, Alex Hetteen, Paul Brown and Vince VanSlyke who came in first place at the end of the 500-mile trek with a time of 8 hours, 22 minutes and 33.107 seconds. It was the first I-500 win for the team.
"I am speechless," Paul Brown told FloRacing after the win. "Alex, Evan, Vince, the whole crew, everyone here has put in so much work."
"Vince got on, I looked at the race monitor and said 'We're in first! I didn't know that,'" said Peppel.
Trophies were awarded to the top 15 finishing teams at a banquet at Kewadin Casino Hotel & Convention Center. The top 15 were:
- #54 Hetteen Heritage Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:33.107
- #28 Nelson Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:38.852
- #18 Nelson Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:45.245
- #8 Kolbus Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:53.748
- #2 Town Brothers Racing (Ski-Doo) — 08:22:45.810
- #13 Piche Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:43.938
- #75 Schwarz Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:40.659
- #24 Novak Motorsports (Polaris) — 08:22:35.831
- #41 WC Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:47.674
- #67 Hoos Racing (Polaris) — 08:20:36.005
- #77 Brownlee Boys Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:34.551
- #55 Furkey Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:41.511
- #23 Langaas Racing (Arctic Cat) — 08:22:41.131
- #88 McCoy Racing (Polaris) — 08:22:40.112
- #51 AP Motorsports (Polaris) — 08:23:05.373
Snowmobiling enthusiasts have long called Michigan's Upper Peninsula home. With thousands of miles of trails and hundreds of inches of snow annually, it's the perfect destination for those who enjoy a motorized winter adventure.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Riders, fans brave sub-zero temps at Sault Ste Marie I-500 snowmobile race
Category: General Sports
