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Manufacturers Provide $10,000 to Clean Snowmobile
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The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association donated $10,000 to the 2003 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge Nov. 22, kicking off a $100,000 fundraising campaign.
The Clean Snowmobile Challenge, set for March 19-23 at the Keweenaw Research Center, is the newest of the Society of Automotive Engineers' collegiate design competitions. Teams of engineering students representing universities from the length of the Snow Belt are taking a perfectly good stock snowmobile and reengineering it to reduce noise and emissions while maintaining or improving performance. This is Michigan Technological University's first year hosting the event.
ISMA member companies Arctic Cat, Yamaha, Bombardier (Skidoo) and Polaris have each contributed $2,500 toward the challenge. The $10,000 check was presented on behalf of ISMA by Jim Duke, of Munising, past president of the Michigan Snowmobilers Association.
"The manufacturers are very supportive of the Clean Snowmobile Challenge, the students and the SAE," ISMA President Ed Klim said. "I think it's great to get all these talented people together to work on these machines that we all love to build and ride."
Representatives from the snowmobile manufacturers, including engineers, plan to attend the Challenge and contribute their expertise as well.
"We have a personal interest," Klim said. "They like working with the students and enjoy contributing their time.
"We hope some of the Clean Snowmobile Challenge team members will decide to join our ranks and actually work in the industry," he added.
Hosting the Challenge is a natural fit for the Keweenaw Research Center and the Copper Country, said KRC Director Jay Meldrum, who is organizing the event along with Michigan Tech's mechanical engineering department. KRC is known for its superb winter driving track and test grounds, and the Keweenaw is famous for both snow and snowmobiling.
"This is a great opportunity for students to hone their engineering skills, and it's also a great opportunity to showcase the area as a winter recreation mecca," Meldrum said. In addition to hundreds of participants, the challenge will also draw snowmobile enthusiasts from throughout the region, particularly to the handling event on March 22.
Putting on a collegiate design competition involves some unusual expenses. Noise and emissions test equipment will cost about $27,000. A total of $29,000 will be awarded as prizes, and providing professional staff for the four-day event is expected to cost about $30,000.
"The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is a wonderful event that comes at a time of year when it will truly benefit the area's tourism industry," Meldrum noted. "I hope the Copper Country's business and recreation communities will support us in making this event a great success."
If you would like to support the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, contact Meldrum at 906-487-2750 or jmeldrum@mtu.edu. Sponsorships for various events associated with the Challenge are available.
11/22/02--MTN |
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