Last year, Dec. 28, 2022, Sault Ste. Marie had 36 inches of snow on the ground.
The snow lovers rejoiced and I-500 race officials and volunteers were just as excited one month before Race Week 2023.
Fast-forward to today, Dec. 28, 2023 with no snow on the ground and mild temperatures averaging well-above normal the past several days.
Bill Cryderman, I-500 race director for about 15 years now, isn't concerned about the weather conditions. Not yet.
"We are moving forward as normal. We usually do not start making ice until right around Jan 1 on a normal year so we are not worried in the least at this point and with the long range forecast looking promising we will be looking to have a great track," he said.
The I-500 race slated for Feb. 3, 2024 will be the 55th running of the race. It has never been cancelled due to weather.
"The I-500 has never been cancelled because of weather in the 54 previous races ran!! (However, in 2021, the race was not run due to the COVID pandemic). We had to adjust some schedules due to weather related issues and have had to shorten some races due to weather issues, but it has never been cancelled due to weather," he said.
But Cryderman does have a message to the weather gods to lessen the stress of the officials the next few weeks.
"I won’t lie, we would love to get five-seven days of teen temperatures so we can get some frost in the ground then say eight-10 inches of snow to make nice snowbanks, then it range from five-10 degrees with low humidity up until race week, that would be a perfect world," he said.
Cryderman said that low humidity and 15-20 degrees is optimal ice making conditions. They would like at least 16 inches of ice on the track for the eight to nine hour endurance race.
Up to two water trucks only moving at five mph are used to lay down the water when weather conditions permit. By race day, around 1.7 million gallons of water will be used to make the best ice possible.
The dozens of volunteers are getting more and more eager each day race day gets closer. Cryderman cannot give enough praise to all those who help not only during race week, but also the weeks and months leading up to the big race.
"Absolutely first and foremost I have to give a big shout out to our loyal volunteer core. We have taken the extended warmer weather and done some projects that we have been wanting to accomplish like adding some drain tile coming out of Turn 4 area to help dry up some areas to make it easier to begin watering. We have also done extensive brush cutting along outside of front stretch to enhance Flo Sports camera angles and have done numerous fencing projects this fall," he said.
"The number of volunteers vary from year to year as we take on different projects and I truly cannot give you a set number but we have well over 150 different volunteers that make this race happen. This race is fully driven by our volunteer groups.
"This race is truly an international event with volunteers coming from both sides of the border as well as racers sponsors and fans and that’s truly a unique experience. This is the premier oval enduro event running and we are so proud to keep the tradition alive," he added.
Last year's race, Cryderman said, was one for the ages.
"I was not track-side at the conclusion of the race. I was in the pit area dealing with another issue at the time, but I will tell you it didn’t take long for my radio to summons me to the finish line. The finish of that race will forever be etched in the history books and as the race director I was very honored to see all the proper channels be used and the confidence in our timing and scoring people and systems come to fruition.
"We work very hard to make sure everything is perfect and that was no different," he said.
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