Marquette Mountain Uphill Drag,
Marquette, MI

April 7, 2012
(April 6, 2013)

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April 5, 2011

Marquette Mountain to Host Snowmobile Races

Only in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula would snowmobile racers be gearing up to race in April! While Snowmobile racing in April in the UP has not happened for a few years, it is the Mid America Snow and Terrain Extreme Racers (MASTERS) Racing Circuit that will be sanctioning races this Saturday.

The event will take place at Marquette Mountain where they have plenty of snow. This popular Ski Hill was one of the first in the Midwest to provide its snow to snowmobile racers at the end of the skiing season. Marquette Mountain first hosted Snowmobile Races over 10 years ago. Now, many Ski Hills have found ‘life’ after the skiing season, and that is by hosting a snowmobile race.

“We have some of the best April snow conditions I have ever seen,” replied Vern Barber, Marquette Mountain GM. The man-made snow has also survived through the cooler spring temperatures.

The snowmobiles will be racing uphill for 500 feet. 3 snowmobiles will be racing side by side in separate lanes. The snowmobiles will compete in 4 Divisions; Stock, Modified, Vintage, and 120cc. In the Stock and Modified divisions the sleds compete based upon engine size, which range from 500 cc to Open. Sleds 1980 and older compete in 4 Vintage Classes. Children between the ages of 5 and 9 will compete in the 120 cc class.

Midway Rentals is going to award the fastest driver on the hill, the winner of the Open Mod Class, $500.00. A purse of over $3000 is expected to be given away on Saturday Night. The winning driver in each class will receive a Trophy, sponsored by the Marquette Country Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We have racers coming from Saginaw and throughout the Lower Peninsula, along with Wisconsin, Minnesota, and throughout the Upper Peninsula coming. This event will bring a lot of people to the Marquette area,” according to MASTERS Racing Circuit President, Skip Schulz.

While this race is the MASTERS Racing Circuit Year-End Points Championship, Schulz expects a majority of the drivers to not be members of the MASTERS Racing Circuit. This 15-year-old Snowmobile Race organization has had 3 other ‘point’ races earlier this winter in the circuits drag racing series. The MASTERS also sanctions the popular Winternationals Hillclimb in South Range, Michigan.

For the racers that have not already pre-registered through www.mastersracing.net, will be registering this Friday Night at Marquette Mountain from 6 pm to 9 pm EST. The MASTERS does not allow racer registration on the day of the race.

The races will have a chance to ‘test and tune’ the sleds from 8:30 to 9:30 am EST Saturday morning. Racing is to start at 10:00 am EST on Saturday.

The MASTERS Racing Circuit will hold our final race of the season at Marquette Mountain on Saturday, April 9th, 2011. This race is open to the Public, however those that are MASTERS Racing Circuit Members for this past season, this race will be our FINAL Points race of the season. This race will determine the Season Points Champions in ALL of the classes.

ALL racers will have to either Pre-Register On-Line to insure that they have a spot in the classes they want to compete in. You can Pre-Register through www.mastersracing.net, or by filling out the attached Registration Form and sending that back, with a signed copy of the rules and payment too: MASTERS Racing, % Marquette Mtn, 610 Greenland Road, Ontonagon, MI 49953. Those that Pre-Register on line will have to pay the fees on Friday Night, April 8th at Marquette Mtn. PLEASE note that all Annual MASTERS Racing Circuit Members do NOT have to pay the Insurance Fee. ALL others are required to pay the $50.00 Insurance Fee.

Those that want to ‘gamble’ that the class is not full can Register on Friday Night April 8th at Marquette Mtn. Registration on Friday Night, April 8th will begin at 6:00 pm EST. This will run till 9:00 pm EST. Starting at 9:00 pm on April 8th, we will begin making up the charts for the races.

You can drop your trailer off in the Pits on Friday Night. The Pits will open up at 7:00 pm EST on Saturday, April 9th. PLEASE park as close to each other as possible, as Pit parking is limited. As you know, you will be given your Pit Pass either when you register on Friday Night or if you have sent in your registration, rules, and payment via snail mail, you will be given your Pit Pass on Saturday Morning. EVERYONE that is in the Pits is REQUIRED to sign the Waiver of Liability Form. Every driver is given ONE extra “Crew” Pit Pass. Additional Pit Passes will be sold by Marquette Mtn for $10.00/each.

We will not have ANY fans or crew standing on the side of the mountain watching the race. You will be allowed a crew member with you at the Starting line, but family and friends will have to watch from the fan viewing area behind the starting line.

We will begin the Test and Tune (TNT) Runs at 8:30 am EST on Saturday Morning. We will run TNT from 8:30 am to 9:30 am EST. At 9:45 am EST we will have the Mandatory Driver’s Meeting. Competition will begin at 10:00 am EST with First Round Racing. Like always, we will start with Open Mod and go down to Mod 500, then run Open Stock and go down to 500 Stock. We will then run Vintage and the first run of the 120 cc class. Then we will run in reverse order, 500 Stock to Open Stock, 500 Mod to Open Mod in the next round.

Grooming of the 3 lanes will be done on as needed basis throughout the day.

I am going to make every effort to get sponsors for an additional purse in Open Mod, Open Stock. All classes will get cash from entry fees along with 1st Place Trophies in all the classes. The Purse and Trophies will be held 90 minutes after our final race at Marquette Mtn. We will also hand out the Year End Trophies and Purse that night.

Tommorrow I will be in the Marquette area working on Purse, Trophy, and Officials Lodging Sponsors. I will e-mail all of you who the sponsors are and ask that those that will be staying in Marquette for the weekend to please patronize our sponsors. I am also asking that you help us in getting as many drivers to this event as possible and to pass the word around to anyone you know that may be interested in competing at Marquette Mtn on Saturday, April 9th, 2011.

For your information, Marquette Mtn snow conditions are EXCELLENT. They have a very hard base. We will be running 3 lanes, starting at 550 feet and working our way forward as the starting line requires. Feature Races will most likely be at the 500 foot mark. ALL Drivers will have to go through Safety Tech on Saturday Morning before they are allowed TNT. Also, depending upon driver registration, NO year end point Champions have the Points Championship in any class LOCKED UP. Most likely this race will determine the Year End Point Champions.

If you have any questions, feel free to either e-mail me or call me at 906-884-9101. NO Driver Registration will be taken over the phone.

Thanks for your help in getting the word out and helping the MASTERS in making this a Successfull event!

Skip Schulz
MASTERS Racing Circuit President