LAKE PARLIN — In all the months of planning and preparation for today’s Lake Parlin 100 snowmobile race, Joe Kruse hasn’t run into any surprising or sudden problems. If those are going to happen, they’ll happen today, race day, Kruse said.

“It’s crunch time right now,” Kruse, one of the race organizers with the Coburn Summit Riders snowmobile club, said.

Located 10 miles south of Jackman, this is the first major snowmobile race hosted in Lake Parlin. Today’s race is part of the United States Cross Country Snowmobile (USCC) racing circuit.

The gates open at 9 a.m., and the races begin at 10. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

The Lake Parlin 100 is the first of five scheduled events on the USCC’s East schedule this winter, including two others in Maine, the Madawaska 100 in Madawaska on Feb. 18, and the Maine 100 in Greenville on March 17. The USCC’s awards banquet is set for April 14 at the Clarion Hotel in Portland.

After a dry start to the season, the Jackman area has been hit by plenty of snow this month, making conditions ideal for racing, Kruse said.

“We got 6 to 7 inches of snow (Friday) morning. No rain, no freezing rain, just really nice snow,” Kruse said.

Registration began on Friday and will continue this morning before the racing begins. Kruse said between 75 and 100 competitors are expected. While some of the races are for professional riders, there will be a few amateur contests throughout the day, including races for various age groups.

Snowmobiling is a huge part of the Jackman area’s economy, and after a slow start to the season, things are beginning to pick up, Kruse said. The Lake Parlin 100 is helping fill hotel rooms and restaurants.

“It’s starting to turn. Last weekend was the first busy weekend,” Kruse said. “In a tough winter, it’s an event that bringing some economic help to the area.”

Copy the Story Link