Kovar-Pike Racing prepares for I-500

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WLUC) - The 54th running of the International 500 Snowmobile Race is Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie, and an Upper Michigan team is hoping to keep its momentum going.

Kovar-Pike Racing is a Pro-Enduro snowmobile racing team based out of Engadine. The #34 team of Dan Maki and Tyler Town took the win last month at the Enduro World Championship in Eagle River, Wis.

After the third round of qualifying in the Soo Thursday, the team is in 6th position.

“The track’s pretty good right now,” said Maki. “We’re just getting into it. I know these guys spent a lot of volunteer hours putting this thing together, but Mother Nature hasn’t been nice to them, so I’m assuming there’s probably not a whole lot of ice there and I’m expecting to see dirt probably pretty early.”

The I-500 is known as the most prestigious snowmobile race in the world with 500 laps on a one-mile track for about eight hours. Snowmobiles fly at more than 100 miles per hour.

Saturday’s race starts at 10:00 a.m. in Sault Ste. Marie. A live stream will be available online through Flo Sports.

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