International 500 facts for kids

The International 500 Snowmobile Race, often called "the I-500", happens every year in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is famous across the country. It's known as the biggest and longest single-day snowmobile race in the world.

How the I-500 Race Started

The idea for the I-500 race came up in 1968. Some business people were talking about the Indianapolis 500 car race. They wondered if a snowmobile could race for 500 miles (800 km). This idea quickly turned into a plan for a snowmobile race. It would be just like the Indianapolis 500, but for snowmobiles.

The city of Sault Ste. Marie gave some land for the race track. This land used to be a place where ammunition was stored for Fort Brady during World War II. There were still three concrete bunkers on the property. The new I-500 Committee needed help to clear the land. The National Guard helped them. They destroyed two of the bunkers, but one is still there today. In less than six months, a group of volunteers built the entire one-mile-long (1.6 km) track.

The First I-500 Race

The very first I-500 race was held on February 8, 1969. Forty-seven drivers qualified to race. At that time, there were no standard rules for snowmobile races like this. So, the I-500 Committee used the rules from the Indianapolis 500. Volunteers counted the laps for the racers. They did this for the next 28 years.

Each driver needed at least three backup drivers. They had to switch places every 50 laps or less. The total prize money for all winners was $10,000. After 13 hours and 42 minutes of racing, Dan Planck won the first I-500 on a Ski-Doo snowmobile. When Planck finished, only 26 snowmobiles were still running.

By the next year, news of the race had spread. Professional drivers started coming to the I-500. Since then, it has become a very important event. Snowmobile makers use it to show how well their machines perform and how tough they are.

The Race Today

Today, the I-500 race usually takes about eight hours to finish. Drivers can try to qualify as many times as they want. Since 1999, an electronic system counts the laps. A wire under the track at the start/finish line tracks each snowmobile. Each snowmobile has a special device called a transponder. This device triggers the wire's receiver, and the lap is counted.

Drivers can now race the whole event by themselves. However, most teams choose to have two or three drivers. John Wicht III is the only driver to have raced all 500 miles alone and won. He did this four times!

Drivers must show their racing history and meet other requirements to enter. Many drivers prepare for the I-500 by racing in shorter events around the Midwest. Each racing team spends a lot of money on equipment and fuel. Top drivers might even get support from big snowmobile companies. These include Ski-Doo, Yamaha, Polaris, and Arctic Cat.

Over the years, the I-500 has gained many fans. In the early 1970s, nearly 20,000 people came to watch. Snowmobiling was very popular in the mid to late 1970s. The big race in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was the place to be for snowmobile fans. In the 1980s and 1990s, sales for the main snowmobile makers grew. They reached their highest sales in the mid-1990s. As sales grew, so did the companies' interest in doing well at the I-500. The prize money they offered also increased a lot. More recently, about 8,000 to 10,000 people attend the event each year. The total prize money is now usually more than $40,000.

The first track was made of snow. Now, three 8,000-US-gallon (30,000 L) tankers put about 1,800,000 US gallons (6,800,000 L) of water on the track. This happens over three weeks to create a layer of ice. This ice layer is about twelve to eighteen inches thick.

Safety and Community Impact

In 2004, an accident happened during the I-500. A snowmobile broke down, and the driver was thrown off. The machine then left the track. This accident led to serious injuries for some people near the track. The local hospital, War Memorial, had to activate its emergency plan. Because of this, the race was stopped early at the 174th lap. The leader at that time was declared the winner.

This accident caused many discussions about race safety. Before this, there was no fence or barrier on the inside of the track where crew members and their guests stood. Since the accident, a snow barrier 10 feet (3.0 m) high and 20 feet (6.1 m) from the track has been built every year. Now, only two team members are allowed to stand on top of this barrier to watch their machines. Every year, the race committee and teams work hard to make the race as safe and fair as possible.

In 2012, it was estimated that the community of Sault Sainte Marie gained $3.5 million during race week. This shows how important the I-500 is to the local economy.

I-500 Race Winners

• 1969 Dan Planck, Otis Cowles, Leonard Cowles, Ski-Doo
• 1970 Don Brown, Bill Gunsell, Steve Holcomb, Chaparral
• 1971 Mike Nickerson, Gerald Teegarden, Larry Holmes, Ski-Doo
• 1972 LuVerne Hagen, Stan Hayes, Doug Hayes, Polaris
• 1973 Melvin Kitchen, Dan Prevo, Douglas Bisball, Polaris
• 1974 LeRoy Lindblad, Wes Pesek, Burt Bassett, Polaris
• 1975 Buddy Weber, Stanley Shunk, Jim Crawford, Yamaha
• 1976 Stan Hayes, Doug Hayes, Jerry Witt, Mercury
• 1977 Grant Hawkins, Mike Chisholm, Yamaha
• 1978 Ken Littleton, Ted Ritchie Yamaha
• 1979 Robert Dohm Jr, Ron Dohm, Jeff Dohm Polaris
• 1980 Grant Hawkins, Ed Goldsmith Yamaha
• 1981 Guy Useldinger, Dan Enns Polaris
• 1982 Gerard Karpik, Brian Musselman, Ski-Doo
• 1983 Duane Baur, Ralph Swartzendruber, Paul Swartzendruber, Yamaha
• 1984 Brian Musselman, Karl Schwartz, Ski-Doo
• 1985 Brian Musselman, Chris Daly, Ski-Doo
• 1986 Jeff Kipfmiller, Rick Zudell, Dan Kirts Ski-Doo
• 1987 Mike Staszak, Jeff Kipfmiller, Ski-Doo
• 1988 John Wicht III, Polaris
• 1989 George Sherrard, Tom Sibbald, Jeff Kipfmiller, Ski-Doo
• 1990 Rick Wezenski, Gary Loar, Troy Donn, Polaris
• 1991 Todd Krikke, Randy Krikke, Polaris
• 1992 John Wicht III, Polaris
• 1993 John Wicht III, Polaris
• 1994 Ivan Hansen, Robb Sass, Polaris
• 1995 John Wicht III, Polaris
• 1996 Troy Pierce, Todd Krikke, Polaris
• 1997 Troy Pierce, Todd Krikke, Polaris
• 1998 Corey Davidson, Steve Olson, Polaris
• 1999 Corey Davidson, Steve Olson, Polaris
• 2000 Corey Davidson, Steve Olson, Polaris
• 2001 Russ Chartrand, Tim Leeck, Polaris
• 2002 Mike Gentz Jr., Gabe Bunke, Polaris
• 2003 Corey Davidson, Travis Hjelle, Polaris
• 2004 John Hoos, Matt Hoos, Corey Furkey, Chris Furkey, Polaris
• 2005 Gabe Bunke, Josh Davis, Corey Davidson, Polaris
• 2006 Corey Davidson, Travis Hjelle, Yamaha
• 2007 Chad Gueco, Bill Wilkes, Yamaha
• 2008 Corey Davidson, Jim Wilson, Yamaha
• 2009 Troy Dewald, Jeff Luenberger, Bryan Dyrdahl, Ski-Doo
• 2010 Troy Dewald, Jeff Luenberger, Arctic-Cat
• 2011 Corey Davidson, Travis Hjelle, Polaris
• 2012 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Polaris
• 2013 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Polaris
• 2014 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Polaris
• 2015 Brian Dick, Wes Selby, Arctic Cat
• 2016 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Taylor Bunke, Polaris
• 2017 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Taylor Bunke, Polaris
• 2018 Zach Herfindahl, Wesley Selby, Arctic Cat
• 2019 Troy DeWald, Ryan Spencer, Bill Wilkes, Arctic Cat
• 2020 Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen, Taylor Bunke, Polaris
• 2021 No race due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• 2022 Justin Tate, Andy Wenzlaff, Polaris
• 2023 Tyler Nickles, Cody Bauer, Joey Burch, Nick Wickerham, Polaris
• 2024 Aaron Christensen, Taylor Bunke, Boe Bunke, Polaris