The I-500 Snowmobile Endurance Race has been the LaCoursiere family blood for more than half a century.
Ralph LaCoursiere was at every race for over five decades leading up to his passing in January of 2024 at the age of 83... just a few weeks before the 55th running of the I-500 race. He was one of the original members to break ground on the track back in the late 60's.
Ralph was instrumental in keeping the love, and growing the love, for the I-500 in the LaCoursiere family.
Scott "Lucky" LaCoursiere and his brother Stephen have continued to do what they can to help keep the track ready to go for race day by getting others in their family to help over the years.
"Up until last year on Jan. 11, when he was called home, he was at every race for the last 54 years. My brother, Stephen, and I grew up helping Dad at the track. I've been volunteering for at least the last 43+ years and my brother for 47+. I have worked my way up from water crew to tow truck operator to north turn race official, and now for the last 20+ years, my title has been Asst. Race Director. All that time, Dad has been there guiding us and passing on his knowledge. He sat in race control for the past 20+ years. My 30-year-old son started as I did and worked his way up, and I'm very proud that he is now our south turn race official. My brother's sons are also volunteers, as is my cousin and his family," the 57-year-old LaCoursiere said.
For the first time this past Wednesday evening, LaCoursiere's 84-year-old mother, JoAnn, joined him and his son, Austin, in volunteering time to help lay water down on the track.
Three generations of one family volunteering one night, in single-digit temperatures, at the historic track.
That's dedication. That's love. That's commitment.
"Mom being there today was just something that she had always wanted to do. The real story and reason behind our dedication and generational volunteerism started with my dad. He was one of the original members to break ground on this one-mile oval. This race and track is not something that we just casually put time into every year. It's been ingrained into our soul from my parents," LaCoursiere explained.
As you can imagine working for that long with family, there are stories to be told.
"We used to get the water for the track from way up at the compound on top of the hill. My dad would sleep in the press center while we watered in case one of the trucks needed to be pulled up the hill by him with the loader. Oh, the stories that I could tell! This race has advanced in ways most people could never realize unless they started back in the 70s and 80s as my brother and I did," LaCoursiere continued.
While LaCoursiere's family has played a vital role in volunteering their time over the decades, there are so many more families and volunteers who help make the race week and race day a success.
"I believe this race is a testament to the international community as it takes hundreds of volunteers every year, all year, to make it succeed. This year's race will be dedicated to two volunteers that were here from day one, my father and Walter Brosco, whose family has been involved as long as mine has. It just shows that this race will always continue to advance with the times, but the one thing that will never change is the dedication and heart that has been passed from generation to generation. I will always miss and cherish the times I've had with my dad at this track, but watering it for the first time with my mom alleviated some of the grief knowing that he is, and always will be, watching over us all at this monster mile we call the I-500," LaCoursiere concluded.
LaCoursiere also has a sister, Julie who is 63, that moved to Wisconsin in 1979, but was involved with the race until then.
For information about I-500 race week, click here.
