Sunday, June 8, 2008

25th annual Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Rally

Saturday-Sunday, June 21-22, 2008
Waterford Hills sports car racing track, Waterford, Mich. (near Pontiac)

Open to riders of of all human powered vehicles -- recumbents, regular bikes, tandems. Classes for streamlined, unstreamlined cycles, tandems, women, youth, tricycles. Conducted using Human Powered Race - America rules (www.recumbents.com/hpra/rulesand.htm). Note: HPRA rules require all vehicles to have mirror/mirrors enabling rear vision to both sides.

This is the 25th year of the Michigan rally, conducted by the Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Association. It is the longest-running HPV event in North America and one of the oldest in the world. Please join us to make the silver anniversary rally the best ever!

We are looking for many of the "old-timers" we haven't seen in recent year to get your HPV out of the garage, storage shed or basement and remember the fun you used to have. Also, if you are one of those "stud" racers in the West, East, overseas, etc. who has never come to Waterford, we'd love to have you come and race! You don't know what you've been missing! (Non-stud racers also welcome.)

Here's the schedule of events:

SATURDAY

8-9 am - Registration, vehicle Inspection, practice.
9:30 am - ONE HOUR TIME TRIAL 1 (streamliner, superstreet clases. Multirider vehicles can race in either 1-hour).
11:30 am - ONE HOUR TIME TRIAL 2 (superstock, stock, women, junior, tricycle classes). Contestants pedal for 60 minutes around the track. While not really racing against each other, each contestant's final distance will be computed and compared to others. Drafting not allowed in this event.
Lunch - Bring your own food or eat at nearby restaurant.
2 pm - HILL CLIMB/COAST-DOWN. Contestants timed as they pedal to the top of the hill (28 feet climb); then they stop pedaling and coast as far as possible, with scoring based on how far they coasted compared to competitors in their class. The best streamliners have coasted over a mile!
2 pm – URBAN TRANSPORTATION CONTEST. Test your vehicle in a variety of activities, including carrying cargo, stop-and-go and tight turning. Note: You can run in this event and the hill climb/coast down and scores in that event will be included in the UTC score.
3:30 pm - STANDING START KILOMETER: Contestants are timed as they pedal 1 kilometer (0.621 mile) as fast as they can from a standing start on a flat part of the course. There are three turns.
6 to 9 pm - DINNER at the track: The Oakland County Sportsmen's Club will be serving a steak and pasta dinner for only $10 at its lodge, just outside and within walking distance of the track. Cash bar is available with $1 draft beer and $2 mixed drinks. This will be a public event, all are welcome, pay at the door. Music and entertainment after 8 pm. This replaces the previously scheduled Saturday evening barbecue at the track.

SUNDAY

8-9 am - Registration, vehicle inspection, practice.
9 am - SPRINTS (top speed runs). Contestants start on top of the hill on the course, then pedal down and speed through a 200-foot section of the back straightway, where they are electronically timed.
10:30 am - TRIKE ROAD RACE - Short course race, 10 laps through the S-bends and with a hairpin turn thrown in just for fun! Race distance: about 4 miles.
11 am - 25-LAP ROAD RACES. 25 laps (15.6 miles) around the track (one for each year of the rally) on the flat section. First race for the fastest vehicles in the sprints and second race for everyone else. Note: Probably not a HPRA series point race.
1 pm - Awards ceremony for both days' races. Cash prizes! Can't stay? We'll mail certificates and prizes to you.

ENTRY FEES: One day only, $30; both days, $40 (includes MHPVA membership). Test ride pass, $5. Spectators free.

For more information: Contact Mike Eliasohn, 269-982-4058 or e-mail mikethebike@acd.net .

TO GET TO THE RALLY
From I-75, get off at exit 91. Take M-15 south to Dixie Hwy. (US-24). Turn left, continuing south about 1 mile and turn
left onto Waterford Road, then proceed to track.
If coming from the west, take U.S. 23 north (or south) to M-59 (Highland Road). Go east on M-59 to Airport Road, then left
(north) to US-24. Turn left, then immediately right onto Waterford Road. Go about a half-mile to track.

PLACES TO STAY ON YOUR WAY TO MICHIGAN HPV RALLY. Calling in advance to make a reservation is suggested.

MOTELS (with approximate distances/direction from Waterford Hills track)

Clarkston -- Clarkston Motor Inn, 6853 Dixie Hwy. (US-10), 248-625-1522, 12 rooms, 2 miles northeast.

Hartland -- Best Western of Hartland, 10087 M-59 at US-23, 810-632-7177, 61 rooms. About 18 miles west.

Waterford -- ConCorde Inn of Waterford, 7076 Highland Road (M-59), 248-666-8555, 111 rooms. About 3 miles southwest.

Waterford -- Highlander Motel, 2201 Dixie Hwy. at Telegraph Road, 248-338-4061, 50 rooms. About 6 miles southeast.

Waterford – Holiday Inn Express, 4350 Pontiac Lake Road, 248-674-3434, 83 rooms. About 7 miles southwest..

Whitmore Lake -- Best Western of Whitmore Lake, 9897 Main St. (off US-23, exit 53), 734-449-2058, 61 rooms. About 33 miles southwest.

CAMPING

Free camping available overnight Friday and Saturday at the Waterford Hills Sportsman Club, site of the HPV rally, starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Restrooms, showers available and possibly electrical hookups.

STATE CAMPGROUNDS (www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails)

Highland Recreation Area, 5200 E. Highland Road (M-59), White Lake, 248-889-3750. Two miles east of Highland,

Holly Recreation Area, 8100 Grange Hall Road, Holly, 248-634-8811. Five miles east of Holly.

Ortonville Recreation Area, 5779 Hadley Road, Ortonville, 810-797-4439. Four miles northeast of Ortonville.

Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, 7800 Gale Road, 248-666-1020. Closest to Waterford Hills track, about 4 miles west.

PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS (www.michcampgrounds.com)

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park of Holly, 7072 E. Grange Hall Road, 248-634-8621, or 800-442-9644. About 12 miles northwest of Waterford (I-75, exit 101).