A cross country snowmobile race will come to Nisswa in February, with headquarters at Grand View Lodge.
The Nisswa 100 will be part of the Cor PowerSports national cross country snowmobile race circuit, the largest cross country race circuit in North America, said Ross Krautkremer.
Growing up, Krautkremer enjoyed watching snowmobile races that took place in Nisswa. So when a co-worker at Nisswa Marine approached him and half jokingly said Krautkremer - as a city council member - should bring a snowmobile race back to Nisswa, Krautkremer thought, “Why not?”
Justin Olson is the co-worker who brought up the idea. He’s raced the circuit in the last 10 years and plans to participate in the Feb. 26-27, 2022, event as well.
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"We’re really hoping it’ll become an annual thing. We’re going to make it family-friendly."
— Ross Krautkremer
The race will start and end both days at Grand View Lodge. The 100-mile race will take place on ice, in ditches and in the Pillsbury State Forest. A race that’s a mixture of ice, ditches and woods is unique to the circuit, Olson and Krautkremer said.
If the area doesn’t have much snow that weekend, the race will take place on the ice only.
“The bottom line to that is we have a unique race because no matter what, we can race,” Olson said, noting the event draws up to 150 racers.
Local snowmobile racers can participate in the race as well. And it’s just as fun for spectators.
“We’re really hoping it’ll become an annual thing,” Krautkremer said, noting it would be a fun family event in winter and good for the community. “”We’re going to make it family-friendly.”
Though Olson and Krautkremer admit the idea started as a pipe dream, both men believe Nisswa is an ideal location for this type of snowmobile race.
“We truly feel this is the best location for the race,” said Olson, who has raced in many locations.
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Pam Dorion, Nisswa Chamber president, said in an email: “The Nisswa Chamber is happy to be able to have the member support and resources to provide another premiere event for Nisswa. We look forward to this becoming an annual winter tradition.”
More information about the Nisswa 100 will be available through the Nisswa Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy Vogt may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.
