New Maneuvers Highlight St. Ignace Mud Run
By Paul Gingras

"I was so covered in mud, from head to toe, that it took half an hour to get it out of my hair!" said Lisa Kanitz of St. Ignace, who helped organize the second mud run in town Saturday, July 7, at Little Bear East Arena and Community Center.

The track, shaped like a numeral nine, was used slightly differently for this event. Rather than running a full circle at the top of the track, trucks rolled toward it, made a halfcircle, and thundered down the straight-away.

Roughly the same number of spectators turned out for both the first run in May and the second mud run, which surprised organizers, who had assumed more people would attend the July event, Mrs. Kanitz said, adding that weekend events elsewhere in the region may have siphoned off some mud-run enthusiasts.

Asimilar number of racers registered trucks this Saturday, as in May, she added. Notably, a group of racers came from Canada to take a turn in St. Ignace.

During an intermission, a group of children, about five to 12 years old, raced barefoot down the track. Austin Downey of St. Ignace won the race, earning a free T-shirt.

All told, the event "went really well," Mrs. Kanitz said.

The Mud Run was possible thanks to "a culmination of the whole community," said Lee Kanitz, who helped with the event. The St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce organized the Mud Run, in cooperation with the City of St. Ignace and the St. Ignace Fire Department. The event was sponsored by more than 15 local businesses, Mr. Kanitz said.

Race Results:

Jim West of St. Ignace won first place in the Class One Open. Rick Bonnell of Sault Ste. Marie took second place, and Wade Aubert of Boyne took third place.

Shannon Bonnell of Sault Ste Marie took first place in the Second Class Women's Open. Bridget West of St. Ignace took second, and Tracey Holland of Boyne City took third.

For the Class 3 Street Stock race, Bill Ramsby of Cheboygan took first place, Paul Shattuck of Cedarville took second, and Nick Earl of Sault Ste Marie took third.

Class Four included stock trucks with tires of up to 34 inches in height.

Todd Blair of St. Ignace took first place, Tommy Huff of Cedarville took second, and Brian Earl of Sault Ste Marie took third.

The Class Five race included vehicles with tires up to 37 inches in height.

Rick Bonnell of Sault Ste Marie took first place, Eric Baldino of Sault Ste Marie took second, and George Huff of Cedarville took third.

The Sixth Class Women's Stock Race followed.

Shannon Bonnell of Sault Ste. Marie took first place, Kelly Huyck of St. Ignace took second, and Heidi Shattuck of Cedarville took third.

The Class Seven Modified race included vehicles with tire modifications, raised suspension systems, and other alterations.

Matt Baker of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, took first place, Jim West of St. Ignace took second, and George Huff of Cedarville took third.

The Class Eight race involved stock trucks with tires up to 44 inches in height.

George Huff of Cedarville took first place, Rick Bonnell of Sault Ste. Marie took second, and Tommy Huff of Cedarville took third.