Racing on the Bay Brings Attention to Fair Haven
Jeremy Houghtaling / Wayuga Contributing Writer
Wednesday, February 3 2010
Photos by Bill Huff Jr. / Wayuga Photographer
FAIR HAVEN - Snowmobile racers from as far away as Long Island converged on Fair Haven Jan. 30 for the first sanctioned drag races on Little Sodus Bay.
The racers were split into two divisions, trail studs and ice picks and chisels. The trail studs are regular trail sleds, but the others are sleds specially designed to run on ice. They have to be dollied to the starting point so that the sharp tracks won’t be ruined.
About 70 sleds participated in the event, with slightly more trail sleds than the pro stocks.
“It’s a good place for race sleds to practice,” said Graham Coombs, who was the fastest in Fair Haven, going about 124 mph at 660 feet. Many of the sleds went speeds in excess of 120. He also pointed out that there aren’t many places nearby to practice legally.
Coombs is a Syracuse native who won the 2009 Haydays race in Minnesota for pro stock 800’s.
The weather was a concern for the event, with warm temperatures from last week putting the races in jeopardy.
“Mother nature threw us a curve ball,” said organizer J.J. Elmer. He added that the ice wasn’t decent until Thursday.
The racers were happy the wind had died down from previous days.
“Wind can be dangerous,” pointed out H.J. Schroeder, who came from Long Island to participate. He came up to test out one of their new sleds on the ice.
“Everyone has been really friendly,” said Harry Schroeder of his first time in Fair Haven.
The planning for this year’s event started last year, when Elmer approached the owner of the Little Sodus Inn, Mary Williams, about holding such an event. They had to pay for insurance and permits to make it legal, and racers donated money to help cover the costs. Last year a similar event was held, but it was unsanctioned.
The physical preparation began around New Years. With the help of the Fair Haven Fire Department, holes were cut into the ice and water was pumped out to make the surface smooth. The fire department was also on hand in case of emergency, and food and drinks were sold by the Fair Haven Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary in an area generously donated by the Little Sodus Inn.
Planning has already started for next year’s event. Elmer hopes that next year the event will find more sponsors, and would eventually like to see the Winter Carnival make a return to Fair Haven, with this being one of the events. He also would like a better communication system on the ice.
Elmer praised the racers and the crowd, thanking for them showing up despite the frigid temperatures, and for cleaning up after themselves.
“It was a good test for another event,” said Dave Dunn, a racer who made the trip from Kingston, Ontario. “It’s a backyard event, a lot of fresh air and fun.”
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