It’s already starting, another cancelled race and the El Niño has hardly even gotten going.
Cor PowerSports Race Series ·
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Yesterday at 6:48 AM ·
Porcupine Mountains 100 UPDATE!
Yesterday, while en route to Ironwood, MI, we received a call from the Porcupine Mountains 100 group (Steve Hamilton, Jay Mittelstaedt, & Zach Herfindahl). Late last week, they noticed rising water levels in low areas along the race course and started monitoring the situation closely.
By Monday morning, water levels had risen enough to wash out a snow bridge and a culvert along the race route.
Last fall, the group dedicated thousands of hours to clearing, creating trails, and improving culverts in low-lying areas. The first snowstorm brought heavy, wet snow, resulting in many downed trees across both the race course and the regional trail system. Local residents and the race team worked together to clear these trails. The area then experienced some of the heaviest snowfall in recent years, which initially created excellent conditions for this year's event.
Last week, the Ontonagon area experienced above-average temperatures, leading to significant snowmelt. The group developed a contingency plan, but the melting snow flowed into low areas and ultimately caused the breaches described above.
Given the current conditions and the extended forecast for snow and temperatures, the course can no longer safely host the event. As a result, the group has made the difficult decision to cancel this year's event.
During yesterday's call, the group expressed their frustration about having to cancel but emphasized that they are actively seeking an alternative location to hold the event in Upper Michigan this year: “We sincerely apologize for the delay in notification and are working quickly to find a new venue for this season's race.” stated Steve
In addition to relocating the event, the year-end banquet will also need to be moved. We have contacted several potential venues where we have previously hosted races, and the Porcupine Mountains 100 group is reaching out to their contacts as well.
We expect to announce the new location for the March 28 event and year-end banquet within the next 24 to 48 hours.
We at Cor PowerSports thank the Porcupine Mountains 100 race group for their hard work and dedication. We recognize that this was a difficult decision, and we appreciate their commitment to prioritizing racer safety. Their efforts to secure a replacement venue demonstrate their dedication to both the sport and the region, as they strive to keep the event local.
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AK440 ·
