Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
SNOW DRAGS — Sunday’s near-blizzard conditions did not stop a hardy group of snowmobile enthusiasts from participating in Houlton’s first snow drag races. Held at the Houlton International Airport, the event drew 35 sledders and about 250 spectators, despite heavy snow and high winds.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Not even a late-season blizzard could keep about 250 hardy spectators from enjoying the inaugural Snowmobile Drag Races at the Houlton International Airport.
According to event organizer Jane Torres, executive director for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, the number of participants was about half what was originally expected, but the enthusiasm from those who braved the storm was impressive.
About 250 spectators and 35 sledders braved the elements for racing that took about four hours. The top speeds on the day approached 130 mph.
“We had over 24 volunteers for this event and I can honestly say that every one of them had a great time,” Torres said. “The weather decided to be totally uncooperative. But we still had 35 sleds that ran in multiple classes, so there was always something happening for the crowd to watch.
“At one time I counted 12 trailers, 32 pickups and 74 cars, even though the snow and ice were getting worse by the hour,” she added.
Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
TIME KEEPER — Race timer Bill Sawyer is covered in snow as he waits for the next race to begin. Sawyer brought the timing equipment and lights to Houlton and was the person responsible for starting each race.
Some spectators would stand for 20 minutes, go to their vehicles to warm up then come out again to watch.
“This was a crowd that wanted to see Snowmobile Drags and they weren’t going to let a snowstorm stop them,” Torres said.
A heated hazmat tent was onsite, but organizers decided not to use it for fear of it blowing away due to the high wind gusts.
Despite all the obstacles, Torres said the event showed enough promise that it was something they would like to do again next year.
“The Caribou Snowmobile Club was a huge supporter and were by our sides every minute to offer guidance and advice,” Torres said. “We didn’t ask them they just willingly offered it knowing that we had never done this before. There is a huge learning curve to getting the right sled into the take-off position and now that we have experienced the process we would be comfortable taking it on again.”
