SAULT STE. MARIE — The 56th running of the International 500 snowmobile endurance race is just over three weeks away, and crews are making sure the track is ready to go.
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Last year, unseasonably warm weather meant crews had only had two weeks total before the race to get the track ready. This year it’s a different story.
Volunteers at the track have been laying water down daily on the one-mile oval. One to two million gallons of water are used each year to make the track thick enough to survive the grueling 500-mile, nine-hour race.
Race director Bill Cryderman said they’re ahead of schedule getting the ideal 16 inches of ice needed for the race.
“I believe that we are halfway to where we need to be, and we still have 18 or 19 days to water. We have a crew that shows up and they build 24/7, and it’s really cool to see,” said Cryderman.
The green flag drops at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, with events all week long leading up to the big race.
