Snowmobile races rock fairgrounds

By PAT KRAUSE

sports@your daily globe.com

Ironwood - The Gogebic County Fairgrounds were the place to be this weekend as hundreds of the best drivers in modern ice oval racing rocked around the historic 1/2 mile track at speeds up to 100 mph at the Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus this weekend.

More than 150 snowmobile racers competed in the USSA Prostar Cup, including events for women and kids (junior racers).

By late Sunday afternoon Race Director Tom Auvinen, who shies away from praise, was very pleased with everything that happened on the weekend.

"It was really a good race weekend," he said. "A lot of people came out to see the racing. The weather was great with very little snow dust on the track, so visibility was good.

"The racers came from many states and Canada. There were racers from Ontario and Quebec and there were a lot of good tight races. There were no dominating type races. And the ambulance never went out once.

"The USSSA (United States Snowmobile Association) crew working with the Ironwood group of volunteers said they are great and we know this could never happen without them."

Many snow (or ice) racers mentioned the Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus and the fairground's track have become a top-flight race venue for snowmobilers along with Eagle River, Wis., and Alexandria, Minn. Other drivers raved about the half-mile oval track, because they can really open up their speeds on the straight-aways. Other mentioned the people around the Snowmobile Olympus were were friendly and helpful.

The Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus will host three races this winter, which very few (if any) other cities or towns will do.

Racing begins

Saturday dawned with bright blue skies and although it later clouded up, temperatures stayed in the mid-thirties and driving conditions were excellent for 42 races.

The highlight on Saturday came in the final race of the day-the USSA Champ race in which Gunnar Stern took the checkered flag after 15 laps.

Stern is considered one of the best young drivers around and he worked hard to earn the top spot in the finals.

"There are three heats and the finals," Stern said. "I qualified as the first driver in the finals. You get to pick where you want to start from in the final and I always pick the middle. You can get more speed for the first turn. My strategy was to stay calm on the first couple laps and it worked.

"I like Ironwood. I like the track, the community and meeting the fans."

Snowmobile races seem to be nearly all-male events at times (at least as far as the racing goes), but Madison Phillips made her presence known as she drove to victory in the Pro Women's F-500 race and even though she is only 19 years old, she's been racing a long time.

"My stepdad got me into snowmobile racing at age four," Phillips said. "I raced 120 races until I was 13 and then one year of cross country snowmobile races. And now I'm doing ice oval racing for the third year. I race the Pro Women's races and against the guys. I'm usually in the top 3 and today I was first. I won the World Championship last year in Eagle River."

Calvin Cook has some new hardware for his trophy case-if he has one. He won the huge TJ Patrick Trophy, which is also known as the Governor's Cup and is called the Junior II Sprint Class for ages 14-17.

"I won my heat and won my final, too," Cook said. "I was patient during the race and stayed out of the dirt."

Prostar Cup race

If there was a Snowmobile Olympus MVP, Cardell Potter was it because he won the Prostar Cup Champ race on Sunday. This race is the one almost all drivers would love to win.

Potter started out behind Matt Christoferson, who has become a fan favorite ever since he was involved in a terrible accident two years ago in Ironwood and recovered so well he won the World Championship last year. Christoferson held off Potter for six laps, but then Potter grabbed the lead and held off any Christoferson advances. He drove a very good race.

"We had engine problems all day long, but we kept working at them," Potter said. "I was hoping to keep it together in the race. On lap five or six, I took the lead. I got to pass on the bottom and got inside of him and then took off.

"There was no strategy out there. It was give it everything for 15 laps. Everybody's good out here, so this definitely feels good."

Dave Levra, of Saxon, Wis., was the top local racer as he picked up two first place and a second place finish in his Outlaw snowmobile that really doesn't look anything like a snowmobile.

"It's crazy, but its fun," Levra said. "Physically, I can't move like I used to. Those regular snowmobiles are for the young guns. And the Outlaw is safer; it even has a fire extinguisher."

The Pro Vintage Snowmobile races will be coming to Ironwood on Feb. 9.

"We're expecting another good turnout," Auvinen said.

The USSA Prostar Series comes to the Ironwood track Feb. 16-17.