Snowfall will help winter event

This week’s cold weather and snow has at least one group smiling.

Organizers of the sixth annual “The Jack” Helgren Memorial Iowa Lemans Championship, say they were happy and relieved to see snowfall Monday.  That, along with an extended forecast for continued sub-freezing temperatures, means “The Jack” should happen, as scheduled.

The event is a memorial to Jack Helgren, an area businessman, avid snowmobiler, former dealer/racer, and promoter of the sport in the area.

In recent years the wintertime event has faced challenges from Mother Nature.  Either there has been no snow, forcing snowmobile races to occur on ice, or it’s been too warm, turning the ice into slush.

This year “The Jack” will be held Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16 and 17. 

Friday night pre-registration will be held at the VFW in downtown Clear Lake.  MoJo Productions will provide DJ services and there will be a fun snowmobile cruise for all ages around the lake.  Anyone who would like to ride their vintage sled (un-registered 1986 and older sleds only) will need to purchase “The Jack Button” for $5.  The DNR has agreed to an “Event Registration” for any vintage sled that is un-registered for this event. It is only good for The Jack Race scheduled events.  Meet at the VFW at 5 p.m. for pre-registration for the race. There will be special Event Parking downtown Clear Lake.  At 5:30, 6, 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m. there will be guided tours from the Sea Wall to the Redstone condominiums, across North Shore Drive to the Anchor Inn, then the Surf parking lot to The Other Place Sports Bar & Restaurant and then ride to the South Shore Inn and Rumorz Bar & Grill on South Shore Dr. before returning to downtown Clear Lake (VFW, Rookies and Elly’s).

  The goal is to show riders the location of event sponsors and the race site. Riders will not be stopping at each location along the route. 

  There will also be a Bonfire Friday night at Clear Lake State Park.

Saturday will be filled with Lemans style racing, radar runs, a vintage show, Kitty Kat, all totaling 120 races based at Clear Lake State Park.  Racing will begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to conclude about 4 p.m.  

Saturday night an awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. at the Surf Ballroom.  “Split Second” will perform.

The Jack is sponsored by the North Iowa Snow Seekers.

Back-up dates for the event are Feb. 6-7.