ATTENTION SPECTATORS!!
NEW THIS YEAR: is a very cool gravel pit spectator stage behind the mall on Green Acres Trail Road will highlight the first stage on Friday. Great high viewing of a half-mile section of road.
Please dress for the weather and bring a flashlight for night stages.
Look for white reflective signs with L.S.P.R. and an arrow directing you to the stages.
—Dean Rushford, Spectator Coordinator |
New Rules for Your Safety:
- Spectators are only allowed at Designated Spectator Areas
- No walking in from Starts or Finishes
- No walking down the Stage beyond the Designated Spectator Area
- Spectators anywhere along the stage that is not a Designated Spectator Area will cause the Stage to be CANCELLED.
In a Performance Rally the cars are started at one minute intervals with the fastest cars first and the slowest cars last. This starting order
is based on the drivers "seeding" which reflects their previous performance. To ensure that you see the top drivers in
action, you should make sure you arrive at your spectating spot early. While the early drivers will be fastest, they may not appear so as they
usually are very smooth. It's not until you see some of the back markers struggle to get around the corners at a much lower speed, that you
will really appreciate the skill of all the competitors.
To make spectating even more interesting you can try checking the times that the cars arrive at a point. Pick a place where you can
time a car each time and read the seconds off your watch. Remember that all cars leave at the top of the minute, so if the first car arrives at
21 seconds, the next at 28 and the next at 25. The first car is 4 seconds faster than the third and 7 seconds faster than the second. You
will be amazed at how much quicker the front runners are over the others. After a serveral cars you may get times where the seconds
are around 20 seconds again, these are over a minute slower than the first car.
A word of warning to you when you are spectatingdon't assume the driver will see you if you wander on the road. Often when
the driver is listening to the co-driver calling the corners and mileages down to an upcoming corner, he or she will be concentrating on
that and may not see you at the side of the road. I have driven through spectator areas where 1000 people are and not noticed them
because of watching for an upcoming tricky corner.
Performance Rallying is called the most exciting and demanding of motor sports. It has also been one of the most difficult for the spectator
to get to and watch..
While some of the LSPR spectator points are not in your backyard, you can be assured of seeing real Rally action, not something staged in a parking lot or industrial park just to attract a little publicity.
Instead, we give you exciting stages within a short drive of Houghton, called by many the best spectator spot in North America.
Safety at these spectator points is all important, especially with the large crowds expected this year. It really is just a matter of
common sense, but for you folks who have never viewed a Performance Rally before, here are a few helpful tips.
- Please follow the Spectator Marshals' directions at each spectator point. While spectating is free, we do have control over these areas. Our marshals are specially trained to recognize potentially hazardous areas and keep will people out of them for their own safety.
- Please follow the marshal's directions when parking your car at these points. We must keep a clear access on one side of
these narrow roads for emergency vehicles. All cars should park on the same side of the road and be heading in the proper direction to leave
the area. If you follow the next rule you shouldn't have to walk too far.
- Plan your spectating. Travel time to get to each of the three spectator points is listed in this program.
- Pick your vantage point carefully. High on a hill or behind the tree line is best. The worst place to stand is on the outside of a
corner or in the ditch. Rally drivers make creative use of the whole road. Again listen to the marshals. They know the safe spots. You must
remain behind the Banner tape at all times.
- Be wary and alert at all times, particularly at the daylight spectator points. The cars make far less noise than they once did. At
night, their lights will warn you they are on the way, but in daylight, you might now know until it's too late.
Welcome to the Lake Superior Performance Rally from the organizers, workers and the competitors.
LSPR continues our tradition of an exciting and safe event, with even more emphasis on safety for you, THE SPECTATOR. You
will be closer to the rally cars than in any other form of motor sports. The job of the SPECTATOR CONTROL CREWS is to let you enjoy
LSPR and yet maintain your safety as well as that of the competitors and everyone else involved.
We would urge all of you to view LSPR only from the designated spectator points. These areas have been selected because
they provide exciting and safe viewing. Any other out-of-the-way viewing area may not be safe. If Rally Officials are not satisfied with the
safety of your location, you will be required to move.
You will not be able to speculate at every area. You
must choose those where you wish to go and allow ample transit time to get to them. If
you are short of time, we suggest you GO to the next spectator point.
As always, parking is a problem on the forest's narrow roads and steep
hillsides. Please do not block these roads. They are used as access routes for
EMERGENCY VEHICLES. Please obey the SPECTATOR CONTROL MARSHALS.
They work very long hours to ensure your safety and viewing enjoyment.
Thank you for making this the largest spectator Performance Rally in North
Americas. HAVE A GREAT TIME!
The LSPR Organizers