The script is a conversation between the host, Cliff Duvernois, and Carri Bradley, a board member and co-chair of the I-500 snowmobile race in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They discuss Carri’s involvement with the race, the history and significance of the I-500, the events and activities during race week, and the experience of watching and participating in the race. Carri also talks about the community involvement and volunteers needed for the event.
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Transcript
It's an experience like you'll never experience.
2
:I compare it to a NASCAR race.
3
:When we say, start your sleds,
and you hear the sound and
4
:the smell of the race fuel.
5
:Um, it's like no other.
6
:And when they drop that green flag,
it's like your heart is pounding.
7
:The sound is absolutely incredible.
8
:It's nerve wracking.
9
:Cliff Duvernois: Hello everyone.
10
:And welcome back to Total Michigan,
where we interview ordinary Michiganders
11
:doing some pretty extraordinary things.
12
:I'm your host, Cliff DuVernois.
13
:It's hard not to think about
winter time in Michigan without
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:thinking about the I-500.
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:Uh, Every snowmobiler on the
planet absolutely loves this race.
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:And it's, it's come to define
wintertime in Sault Ste.
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:Marie.
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:That's why I'm absolutely thrilled
today, to have one of the board members
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:of the I-500 as well as the co chair.
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:And that would be Carri Bradley.
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:Carri, how are you?
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:Carri Bradley: I'm wonderful.
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:Thank you.
24
:Cliff Duvernois: Excellent, and
thank you for being here today.
25
:Why don't you tell us a little bit about
where you're from and where you grew up.
26
:Carri Bradley: I grew up, in the Soo.
27
:And then relocated to Marquette.
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:However, my roots have always been
here, with generational family here,
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:in our involvement with the I-500 is,
is deep and ingrained in our fiber.
30
:And
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:Cliff Duvernois: we're
definitely going to explore that.
32
:So where did you wind up going to college?
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:Carri Bradley: I did go to Lake State.
34
:I received a degree from Lake State.
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:I'm going to date myself
in the early, 90's.
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:And then went to further my
education at Northern and then a
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:Master's degree from Grand Valley.
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:Cliff Duvernois: What'd
you get your master's in?
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:Carri Bradley: School of Social Work.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Interesting.
41
:Okay.
42
:So let me ask you this question.
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:Why go into social work?
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:Carri Bradley: I have always loved people.
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:I have always wanted everyone to
fulfill their dreams and commit
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:to their highest potential.
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:And I'm very interested in
helping people get to that point.
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:Cliff Duvernois: And where do you think
that this desire of yours came from?
49
:Carri Bradley: A lot of it had
to do with my family roots.
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:We're very, very people oriented, have
always volunteered in our communities.
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:Um, my parents, grandparents, I've
had phenomenal role models in that.
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:And it was just one of those things
that you give back to your community.
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:you you get what you give.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Nice.
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:Now, it's, so did you actually
get a career going in social work?
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely.
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:Yes.
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:I'm, I'm a retired social worker.
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:I've worked clinical social
work in a hospital setting
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:in a mental health setting.
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:And then I finished out my career, 28
year career as a school social worker.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Okay, now was
this back up here in the UP?
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:Carri Bradley: Yes, this was here
in the Eastern upper peninsula.
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:Yes.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Okay.
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:So now I'm going to take a step back.
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:Because it seems like there's a big leap
between I'm a social worker to the I 500.
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:Yes.
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:So, how did you get
involved with the i-500?
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:Carri Bradley: Back in the early
In the:
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:sold ski roll snowmobiles.
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:So as far back as I can remember,
our family rode snowmobiles together.
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:That was something that
we did on the weekends.
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:If you were too small to sit on the sled,
you actually got towed in the back of one.
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:Cliff Duvernois: in the back of
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:Carri Bradley: So I don't
remember snowmobiling not
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:ever being a part of my life.
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:My grandpa had snowmobile teams
in the first couple races.
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:Generationally, um, my great uncle
was one of the first founding board
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:members and planners of the I-500.
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:Many family members
have been on the board.
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:There's probably not too many years of
our 55 year history that there hasn't
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:been a family member on the board.
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:Probably not a single year where
there hasn't been a family member
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:At least involved in volunteering in
the race, if not handfuls of them.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Carri, if you
would, tell us what the i-500 Is.
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:Carri Bradley: I-500 is a week long
family community event that ends
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:on Saturday with the biggest, most
exciting race in North America.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Ok.
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:So what goes on during this family
'cause you said it's an entire Week.
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:So it's not 7 days of racing, is it?
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:Carri Bradley: No, it's not.
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:Our program starts on
Sunday, with our kids race.
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:Very family oriented.
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:A great day.
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:We end with a pizza party and
a celebration and trophies.
97
:It's our way of not only giving back
to the community, but also involving
98
:our young people in the racing circuit.
99
:It's great for them to get
started at a young age.
100
:And we teach them exactly appropriate
race etiquette, so to speak.
101
:And it gives them a great opportunity
to get out there and show their stuff.
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:And they absolutely love it.
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:It's one of my favorite events that we do.
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:Cliff Duvernois: And what other kind of
events do you have going on that week?
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:Carri Bradley: that week?
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:On Monday, we also try to involve
the community as much as possible.
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:And we do a skate night at the track.
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:It will be held on Monday
this year, weather permitting.
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:Everything again is weather permitting.
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:From five to seven, where we invite
the community to actually come
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:and skate around the Mile Oval.
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:Which is really exciting.
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:A totally different look.
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:It, it looks big.
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:But when you're actually going around
that mile loop, it's quite incredible.
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:And then we also are planning our
driver introduction night, where the
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:kids can come, families can come.
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:And actually meet some of the
drivers, sit on their sleds, ask
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:them questions, things like that.
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:It's, it's a great opportunity for our
drivers to give back to the community
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:and just to, to keep everybody
interested, and know what's happening.
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:Cliff Duvernois: And a couple of other
events that they got going on that week.
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:Carri Bradley: on.
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:Uh, so then we move into our
actual qualifying for the week.
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:We have several sessions of that.
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:We also have a race Wednesday
night as well as Thursday night.
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:Friday we move into race registration.
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:And we do everything
around racing on Friday.
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:And then we kick off
everything Saturday morning.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Carrie for the actual
race day itself in the morning, right?
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:When things are going on, talk
to us about what that is like.
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:Carri Bradley: Wow.
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:Cliff, it's the most
exciting experience ever.
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:Um, We start our pre race
festivities at around 9 a.
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:m.
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:with a green flag drop at 10.
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:And let me tell you.
138
:It's an experience like
you'll never experience.
139
:I compare it to a NASCAR race.
140
:When we say, start your sleds,
and you hear the sound and
141
:the smell of the race fuel.
142
:Um, it's like no other.
143
:when they go around those
first few laps, under caution.
144
:We like to watch for, snow dust
and conditions, track conditions.
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:And when they drop that green flag,
it's like your heart is pounding.
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:The sound is absolutely incredible.
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:It's nerve wracking.
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:I cry actually the first several laps
because, um, the sleds are very bunched
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:up, when they go around the first few
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:Cliff Duvernois: laps.
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:And,
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:Carri Bradley: and, it's, we
tend to tell racers, rookies.
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:We say, you know, you're not going
to win this race the first 100 laps.
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:This is a 500 mile race.
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:But, once, once they start,
that driver kicks in.
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:And the excitement kicks in.
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:And people take off.
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:And it's.
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:nerve wracking and
exciting and fun to watch.
160
:the sounds, the noises, the smell,
it just doesn't get any better.
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:It's, it's in your body.
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:And if you experience that one
time, you will be addicted.
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:You will want to come back every
year after that, to see that start.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Why don't you
talk to us about how the initial
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:idea for the I-500 came about?
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:Why even have a race in the first place?
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:Carri Bradley: This started out
with a group of men, sitting around
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:having coffee and thinking about
the Daytona 500 and saying, hmm, we
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:should do this for a snowmobile race.
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:We should do something that we
can do 500 laps on a snowmobile.
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:And it evolved from there.
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:And my understanding is that we had
a great showing of people from both
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:sides of the river, who ended up
partaking in this endeavor, truly.
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:And, bringing equipment and accessories
over from across the border and
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:building our first initial racetrack.
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:Cliff Duvernois: And from
there, it's become a little
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:bit of a cultural phenomenon.
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely.
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:Cliff Duvernois: How many
people usually attend the I-500?
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:Carri Bradley: We usually
have upwards of, um, 20, 000.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Oh Sweet Moses
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:Carri Bradley: Yes.
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:Cliff Duvernois: That is a lot of people.
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:And how many race drivers
do you typically have?
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:Carri Bradley: Well, we're allowed to
have, well, that's varied over the years.
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:We used to have more, um, when we started.
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:Our starting field now is, I think, 35.
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:Cliff Duvernois: oh okay.
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:So that's actually a lot less
than I thought it would be.
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:But you said there was a point
in time that there was more
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:Carri Bradley: more.
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:Yes.
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:Cliff Duvernois: You were also talking
to, and this is something that I've known
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:for quite a while, and your statement
earlier kind of sparked the memory.
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:The racetrack is actually made of ice.
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:Carri Bradley: Yes, it is, which
is a big misconception because
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:people think that we need snow.
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:We need cold weather to
be able to freeze water.
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:It is ice.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Why ice?
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:Because I'm one of those people that
would think you should be racing on snow.
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:But why ice?
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:Carri Bradley: You know,
it gives better traction.
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:we, the drivers have studs.
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:so it's just a better
race surface than snow is.
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:Cliff Duvernois: For the I-500,
because I know that you said, how
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:many generations of your family
have been involved with the I-500?
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:Carri Bradley: Yes.
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:Cliff Duvernois: So it
literally is in your DNA.
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:yes.
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:it is.
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:And so when it comes time for you
to decide to join the I-500, is it
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:just because of family tradition?
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:Is it something that
you're passionate about?
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely both.
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:Like I said, I grew up riding
sleds, still ride to this day.
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:Grandfather rode till
he was in his eighties.
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:My dad rode until he passed away.
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:Additionally, it was something that
we were involved with for so long.
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:And when I moved back to town,
um, I had lots of family involved.
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:So it made sense for me to get
re involved as a volunteer.
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:Cliff Duvernois: When you joined
the I-500, was it with the intent
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:that, you know, you were one day
going to be on the board of it?
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:or were you just thinking to
yourself at the time, I just
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:want to be a part of this?
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely
just a part of it.
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:Never, ever, ever aspired
to be a board member.
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:And how many years now
have you been doing this?
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:This will be my 31st year.
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:of
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:Cliff Duvernois: Wow.
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:Carri Bradley: Yes.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Wow.
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:And you keep coming back for more.
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:Carri Bradley: It's family.
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:Once you've
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:Cliff Duvernois: you're not just talking
literally family, it's the I-500 family.
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:Carri Bradley: It's, it's a family.
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:I think anyone that you would
talk to that has volunteered there
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:over the 55 years would say it's
the I-500 and it's volunteers.
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:It's family.
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:And when you need something, and you call
on your I-500 family, they are there.
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:Cliff Duvernois: I love that.
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:For our audience we're going to take
a quick break to thank our sponsors.
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:When we come back, we're gonna talk a
lot more about the I-500 and what you
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:can expect when you come to the event.
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:We'll see you after the break.
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:Hello everyone, and welcome
back to Total Michigan, where we
266
:interview ordinary people doing
some pretty extraordinary things.
267
:I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
268
:Today, we're talking with the
co chair of the I-500, and
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:that would be Carri Bradley.
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:Carri, before the break, we were having
a pretty cool conversation, actually,
271
:with regards to the I-500 family.
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:And you were talking about the,
you know, the volunteers and
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:everything else and how they're
there and I absolutely, I love that.
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:So, to take a step back here, to
put on an I 500 event, how many
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:people are typically involved?
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:Carri Bradley: involved?
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:Hundreds.
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:So many people do things that we
don't even know about every year.
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:I couldn't even give you
a a solid number on that.
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:This community has supported this event.
281
:And the volunteers and the
people of this community have
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:made this event for 55 years.
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:We are the longest running volunteer
event in the state of Michigan.
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:Cliff Duvernois: That's
something to hang your hat on.
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:Carri Bradley: It's amazing.
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:Yeah.
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:So I can't even tell you because so many
things, simultaneously, happen that we
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:don't even know about, that somebody calls
and says, Hey, can you do this for us?
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:Hey, can you do that for us?
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:Hey, what, I couldn't even tell
you how many hundreds of people are
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:involved in this event each year.
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:Cliff Duvernois: So with that being
said, it seems that the community just
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:does more than just show up at the race.
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely.
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:Absolutely.
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:Absolutely.
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:From, track efforts all year around,
mowing grass, cutting trees, to, providing
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:food during race week for volunteers.
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:Um, We feed all of our volunteers.
300
:Yeah, they're involved in
every aspect of this race.
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:Cliff Duvernois: So let's talk about if
somebody's listening to this and they're
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:like, you know what I'd like to volunteer.
303
:I would like to be a part of this.
304
:You talk to us a little bit
about how that process works.
305
:What are some of the things that they
could expect if they wanted to volunteer?
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:Carri Bradley: if they
wanted to volunteer?
307
:Well, we do have, um, on our
website, uh, a volunteer application.
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:And when you fill that out, you
give us an idea of what you might
309
:be interested in volunteering.
310
:And then we try to match
what your interest is.
311
:Like I said, there's anything up
there, from working in the summer.
312
:During work projects, to plowing
snow in the winter, to hanging
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:banners, to helping cook food for
volunteers, to selling apparel.
314
:There's such a wide variety of things
that people can become involved with.
315
:It's endless.
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:Cliff Duvernois: The I 500 in
and of itself is a year round.
317
:event.
318
:it's not just one week out of the year.
319
:It's the race is over.
320
:And you're already focused on next year.
321
:Carri Bradley: We're
planning for the next year.
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:We're actually planning simultaneously
while the race is going on.
323
:We're taking notes and saying,
Hey, we need to do this next year.
324
:Hey, we need to not do
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:Cliff Duvernois: I love that
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:Carri Bradley: So we're
continually in a planning process.
327
:Cliff Duvernois: And when you were talking
before about volunteering over the summer,
328
:why is it important over the summer
to have people working on the track.
329
:Carri Bradley: We have such a limited
amount of time weather wise here.
330
:And where the tracks located,
it's very, it's all clay.
331
:It's very wet.
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:So we have a limited amount of
time that we can actually do
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:some of the outside projects that
we do, throughout the summer.
334
:Any type of building repairs that we
do all have to be done in the summer.
335
:Any ground repairs have
to be done in the summer.
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:So we're always, looking for
people to support us during our
337
:work bees for the summer as well.
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:Cliff Duvernois: So you don't
have to necessarily freeze
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:Carri Bradley: Absolutely not.
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:Cliff Duvernois: You can here when
it's, you know, 80, 90 degrees
341
:Carri Bradley: Yes, and cut
trees, and cut grass, and we're
342
:doing a project right now.
343
:Um, We're insulating one of our
buildings and putting a new furnace in.
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:So that means moving equipment
out and things like that.
345
:We always have painting
projects going on in the summer.
346
:We're moving things.
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:Absolutely, there's many things
to be done in the summer as well.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Now for the person
that's hearing this and thinking,
349
:you know, I want to go to the i-500.
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:Maybe they've never even been here before.
351
:What are some things that I should keep
in mind like really to like maximize and
352
:get the most out of the I-500 experience?
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:Carri Bradley: I think taking in as
many of the I-500 events as you can is
354
:a great way to see the overall picture.
355
:A lot of people come just for the Saturday
for the race because it is the big event.
356
:But there's so much that goes
on during the race week that
357
:families can take part in.
358
:I would definitely,
encourage people to do that.
359
:It kind of gets you geared
up for race day on Saturday.
360
:Cliff Duvernois: You were
talking before the break about,
361
:there's a lot of kid activities.
362
:That are in this, and I can imagine
a lot of parents are thinking,
363
:man, kids get cold so fast.
364
:Carri Bradley: And race day,
we have vendor tents set up.
365
:And those are heated.
366
:So people can go in there
to warm up if they get cold.
367
:you know.
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:Cliff Duvernois: hot cocoa.
369
:Carri Bradley: Absolutely.
370
:So we have food vendors in there.
371
:Yeah, so they can go
in and warm up in that.
372
:Yes.
373
:Absolutely.
374
:Cliff Duvernois: up.
375
:for the actual, event itself, if somebody
is actually interested in racing in the
376
:event, talk to us about that process.
377
:I can imagine you guys get flooded
with thousands of applications because
378
:everybody and their brother wants to race.
379
:So how do you get it
down to that final 35?
380
:What are some of the
qualifications that you have
381
:Carri Bradley: Well, to be on the
track, you have to fill out, if you're,
382
:uh, You're a rookie, we call them.
383
:You have to fill out an
application with our race director.
384
:And he reviews your
qualifications in that.
385
:Before you're even allowed
to be on the track.
386
:So that's the first process in that.
387
:Cliff Duvernois: I would just assume
that just because you've ridden on
388
:trails doesn't make you automatically
qualified to go 500 miles on an oval.
389
:Carri Bradley: Correct?
390
:Yes.
391
:You have to have some race experience.
392
:Cliff Duvernois: Ok
393
:Carri Bradley: and that
could be snow cross.
394
:in different states, different
race circuits and things like that.
395
:Yes.
396
:Cliff Duvernois: There's actually
qualifications that go on.
397
:Carri Bradley: Yes.
398
:There is qualifications.
399
:There's several rounds of qualifying.
400
:And then, depending upon the
speeds, that's our pole setter.
401
:And that's how our, positions,
it's just like a NASCAR
402
:Cliff Duvernois: Nice.
403
:Carri Bradley: race, um, you
qualify for your position.
404
:Cliff Duvernois: Nice.
405
:I know last year there was a lot
of excitement around the i500.
406
:And the finish that game is, yes.
407
:So, for those that are, you know,
listening to the talk, well,
408
:what what would you talk about?
409
:Share with us a little bit about that.
410
:Cause it actually made a
lot of news in the state.
411
:Carri Bradley: Yeah, we had the
we had the closest race ever.
412
:it was very exciting.
413
:Absolutely.
414
:don't know that we'll ever have
that kind of a finish again.
415
:But yeah, it was, it was
down to The last second.
416
:Yes,
417
:Cliff Duvernois: Excellent.
418
:And now for the, for the race.
419
:So what, when is the
race coming up in:
420
:Carri Bradley: Historically, we
always thought that the race we
421
:always told everyone it's the first
Saturday in February every year.
422
:We found out through some history
books from one of our founding
423
:fathers just recently that we
did actually have a couple races.
424
:We had one race that was on the
second Saturday in February.
425
:And we had one that had to be postponed
due to weather and was held on a Sunday.
426
:So It normally is held on the
first Friday, or I'm sorry the
427
:first Sunday in February So this
year it will be February 3rd.
428
:Okay.
429
:Cliff Duvernois: Okay.
430
:for this year's I-500
that's coming up in:
431
:Is there anything new that's
coming out that people can expect.
432
:Carri Bradley: No.
433
:No.
434
:we, We have our schedule
set for this year.
435
:You can find that on our website
with, all the events, times.
436
:but no, we have not added
anything new for this year.
437
:I would like to say though that
we do have vintage racing as well.
438
:on our Tuesday schedule.
439
:And so when you talk about vintage,
you're talking about old sleds?
440
:Older, older sleds, yes.
441
:That wouldn't necessarily,
be driving in the I-500.
442
:However, we do have some events
that we do, have some of our former
443
:sleds in that, come back and race.
444
:Cliff Duvernois: I spent some time over
at the Snowmobile Museum in the UP.
445
:And that was a treat.
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:Carri Bradley: Oh.
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:It's amazing and that if you at
all are into snowmobiling and,
448
:the history of snowmobiling, that
is the most amazing place to go.
449
:There is so much history, in, in
snowmobiling and, It's incredible,
450
:like you said, what, what they.
451
:when it started to what has evolved now.
452
:They also have a wonderful,
section of the museum that
453
:they've dedicated to the I-500.
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:So they actually have a lot
of our memorabilia there.
455
:As well as some of our sleds
that have been in the race.
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:So it's, it's a nice mix of Old
and more new, not totally new.
457
:But more new, so I just can't
say enough about the museum.
458
:It's, it's a phenomenal place to visit.
459
:Charlie and his wife are dedicated
to the history of snowmobiling.
460
:So definitely something I would
say to take in the week of the
461
:I 500, if you're here in town.
462
:That's a short drive away, and
I would definitely, visit there.
463
:Cliff Duvernois: Certainly.
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:And to circle back with something
that you you've been involved with the
465
:I-500 now for 31 years what would be
maybe one or two of some of the biggest
466
:changes that you've seen over that time?
467
:Carri Bradley: Probably the sleds.
468
:Obviously we're, we're running speeds of
over a hundred miles an hour now, where
469
:we started at 40 and 50 miles an hour.
470
:So definitely the sleds themselves, the
make of the sleds, and the speeds as far
471
:as, you know, the race, When you think
back to when we started in:
472
:sleds were going, 40 50 miles an hour.
473
:And people thought that was fast.
474
:And the people thought that was fast.
475
:And now our sleds have computerized
systems in them and, they're
476
:running computerized things.
477
:It's, It's, just phenomenal how technology
has changed with sleds over time.
478
:Cliff Duvernois: Carri, if somebody's
listening to this interview and they
479
:want to check out more about the I
500 and we talked about ways that
480
:they can volunteer or even if they're
crazy enough to try to race it.
481
:But where can they go to find
more information on that.
482
:Carri Bradley: They can
go to our website at, www.
483
:i500.
484
:com.
485
:We also have a Facebook
page, that they can look at.
486
:We post things regularly on there.
487
:If you're interested in watching
our event, and you're unable to
488
:come in person, um, we do have Flow
Sports, who live stream our event.
489
:And they are there all week long.
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:They live stream all of our, um, what
we call time trials or qualifying.
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:They're a wonderful, wonderful venue.
492
:If you can get on and subscribe to
Flow Sports, that's where you would
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:be able to see everything live.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Wonderful.
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:And is there a link on your
website to Flow Sports?
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:Carri Bradley: Yes.
497
:there Yes.
498
:Sounds great.
499
:Cliff Duvernois: great.
500
:Carri, thank you so much for taking time
out of your schedule to be with us today.
501
:Really do appreciate it.
502
:Thank you.
503
:And for our audience, you can always
roll on over to TotalMichigan.
504
:com, click on Carri's interview and get
all the links that she mentioned above.
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:We will see you next week when we
talk to another Michigander doing
506
:some pretty extraordinary things.
507
:We'll see you then.