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Seven Sleds Finish CSC Endurance Run
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HOUGHTON (March 20, 2003)--The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is earning its name this year.
Despite snowcover collapsing into slush and bare ground poking up throughout the Keweenaw, seven of the 12 teams--including Michigan Tech--completed the 60-mile endurance run today.
"It's fantastic that so many finished," said Jim Duke, of Munising, past president of the Michigan Snowmobile Association. "They're doing very well."
Event organizer Jay Meldrum, director of MTU's Keweenaw Research Center, agreed. "We're thrilled that seven competitors passed the endurance event in these challenging conditions," he said.
This is Michigan Tech's first year hosting this Society of Engineers collegiate design competition. Teams of engineering students from participating schools have taken a stock snowmobile and then reengineered it to reduce emissions and noise while maintaining or improving performance.
The Challenge's endurance run was originally scheduled to follow the snowmobile trail from the Keweenaw Research Center, near the Houghton County Memorial Airport, north to Copper Harbor. However, as temperatures hovered in the mid-30s and a cold rain drizzled down, organizers relocated the event north to the Mandan Snowmobile Trail in Copper Harbor, where trail conditions were somewhat better.
Teams completing the 60-mile run were Colorado State University, the University of Wyoming, Minnesota State University at Mankato, the University of Idaho, the University of Waterloo and the University of Wisconsin at Platteville, as well as Michigan Tech.
Nathan Bradbury, driver of the University of Idaho snowmobile, had no complaints, despite the spring-like conditions. "It was excellent," he said. "We threw up enough snow so that we didn't even reach operating temperatures."
After the event, Walt Hull of Colorado State and his teammates clustered around their entry; the modified Arctic Cat purred as they goosed the throttle. "The ride was a little choppy," Hull said. "I'd like to have run it a little faster, but [our snowmobile] still sounds good, like a sleeping tiger."
The noise, emissions, acceleration and braking tests are set for Friday, March 21, at the Keweenaw Research Center.
On Saturday, the public is welcome to drop by during the handling event, which is expected to begin at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The teams will be threading their sleds through KRC's Snow Cross Track until about noon.
On campus, tours of the mechanical engineering facilities will be held at 2, 3, and 4 p.m. Saturday, and the participating sleds will be on display from about 2 to 5 p.m. outside the Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Building. The awards banquet follows at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom and is open to the public. The cost is $25 per person; contact Gail Sanchez at 487-2911 for ticket information.
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