Preview: 31st annual Michigan HPV Rally - June 13-14, 2015

Action on Sunday morning at the 2014 rally.

The rally will be held at the Waterford Hills sports car racing track on the Oakland County Sportsmen's Club grounds in Clarkston, near Pontiac - the location since 1986.

The oldest such event in North America is open to riders of all human powered vehicles — recumbents, regular bicycles, tandems and handcycles.
There are classes for streamlined, unstreamlined cycles, tandems, women, youth and tricycles. The rally is conducted using Human Powered Race America rules (www.recumbents.com/hpra). Note: HPRA rules require all vehicles to have a mirror or mirrors enabling rear vision to both sides.
The track is 1.4 miles around, with nine turns and one hill. Sunday races use a shorter course without the hill.
Note: The information posted here is subject to change, so checking back on occasion is advised.
ENTRY FEES:  Register in advance and save money by going to http://register.bostonandpop.com. One day only, $30; both days, $40 (includes $10 MHPVA membership). "Day of race" registration is an additional $10. Additional vehicles raced by the same rider cost $10, whether for one or both days.  ($1 of each entry fee will go to the League of Michigan Bicyclists.)
For teams, defined as any group in which multiple riders may compete in the same vehicle over the course of the rally, every unique combination of rider and vehicle must register separately in order to participate in any event.  Every such combination will be charged $15 for the weekend and have its own unique number, consisting of the vehicle number (appropriate to the competition class) and a letter suffix.  Registrations must be complete and paid for by Saturday  morning for all participating combinations, to prevent a rider deciding just before the start of a race to participate.  It will be the team’s responsibility to prominently display the correct number on the vehicle for every event. 

For example, the same vehicle would display the number 305-A when raced by Joe Smith, then 305-B when raced by Celia Jones, even if it is in the same event (such as the sprints).   Then observers don’t have to record names at the starting grid.  All such numbers must be traceable to a registration sheet that has the proper rider name on it.  At the discretion of the treasurer or race director,  additional team registrations may be accepted on Sunday morning for that day's events.  

Test ride pass, $10, which includes MHPVA membership. Spectators free. Even if you don't want to compete, come and see some unusual and some very fast bicycles and tricycles. Prize money will be awarded to top finishers in each class.

Schedule of events (subject to change):

SATURDAY, June 13
Registration and technical inspection starts at 8 a.m.
One-hour time trial (streamliner, streetliner classes) - 9:30-10:30 a.m
One-hour time trial (stock, junior, women, tandem) - 11 a.m.-noon
Lunch
Hill climb/coast down (all classes) - 1:30-2:30 p.m.
LeMans start road races (or other event, depending on consensus of competitors)  - 3 p.m.
Urban transportation contest - in afternoon.  
6 p.m. (approximate) – Eat at local restaurants.
8 p.m. – Meeting to discuss future of Michigan HPV Association and Michigan HPV Rally.
SUNDAY
200-foot sprints, flying start (all classes) - 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Tricycle race - 10 a.m.
Road race 1 (faster vehicles, 20 laps, 12 miles, no hill) - 10:30 a.m.
Road race 2 (slower Vehicles, 15 laps, 9 miles, no hill) - 11 a.m.
Awards ceremony by 1 p.m. (hopefully).

Location: Oakland County Sportsmen's Club: 4770 Waterford Road, Clarkston,
MI 48346. For a map of the track, visit
http://www.waterfordhills.com/downloads/facilitymap.pdf or
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/179549320/ For additional information, contact: Mike Mowett, 586-863-3902 or
mowett@aol.com, or Mike Eliasohn, 269-982-4058 o rmikethebike@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:

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.
Clarkston - Olde Mill Inn of Clarkston, 5835 Dixie Hwy., 248-623-0300. Across Dixie Highway from Waterford Road leading to track. This is the closest motel to the track.
Hartland - Best Western of Hartland, 10087 M-59 at US-23, 844-804-4607, 61 rooms. About 18 miles west.
Waterford – Comfort Inn, 7076 Highland Road (M-59), 844-840-9293, 111 rooms. About 3 miles southwest.
Waterford – Waterford Motel, 2201 Dixie Hwy. at Telegraph Road, 248-338-4061, 50 rooms. About 6 miles southeast.
Waterford – Holiday Inn Express, 4350 Pontiac Lake Road, 800-345-8082 or 888-465-4329, 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.michigan.gov/dnr, then click on "camping and
recreation," then "camping and harbor reservations." Reservation can be
made online.
Highland Recreation Area, 5200 E. Highland Road (M-59), White Lake, 248-889-3750. Two miles east of Highland.
Holly Recreation Area, 8100 Grand 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, Waterford, 248-666-1020. Closest to Waterford Hills track, about 4 miles west.

OAKLAND COUNTY:  Groveland Oaks County Park, 14555 Dixie Hwy., White Lake, northeast of Holly, 248-634-9811.

PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS (www.michcampgrounds.com):  Detroit Sportsmen's Congress Horseshoe Lake Campground, 10150 E. Oakwood Road, Oxford, 248-628-3859, e-mail dscoffice@gmail.com, www.d-s-c.org