Tip Up Town USA -February 2021

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 For more than a half century, winter outdoor enthusiasts have gathered for the annual Tip UP Town USA Festival in Houghton Lake.

The winter extravaganza typically takes place the last weekend in January, but due to Covid-19, this year’s festival is in a questionable state.

Tip Up Town USA is Michigan’s longest occurring winter festival. Events usually include a premier fishing contest, side-by-side racing, Polar Bear Dip, games on stage in the village, 5-K Fun Run, snowmobile racing, Poker Run, petting zoo and pony rides, and live entertainment. 

The event started 71 years ago by the local chamber of commerce. The idea was to showcase the town and draw much needed visitors to the area in some of the coldest temperatures.

For the first time ever in its history, this year’s festival has been canceled due to Covid-19, but Chamber Executive Director Jay Jacobs said he is hoping to have a more informal celebration on Saturday, February 27.  WUPS, 98.5, is going to dedicate 1 hour to Tip Up Town broadcasting for the informal celebration. We will meet at noon and have a dance party on the ice west of the traditional Tip Up Town site.  Jacobs is encouraging people to “come out and have a good time at this family-friendly event because after all, “You Can’t Stop A Tradition.”He is also encouraging everyone to visit their favorite restaurant or pub as well as social distancing and wearing a mask.

Jacobs is encouraging everyone to plan for the 2022 event. 

Tip Up Town USA has grown through the years, getting bigger each year, with families coming from across the United States to attend.

One of the biggest draws is the ice fishing contest. There are many ways to participate even if you’re not an ice fishing fan.

A parade takes place each year and the honorary mayor, a grand marshal, and the Tip Up Town USA queen are selected and announced. Interested in seeking one of those positions? Contact the Chamber of Commerce. 

The queen used to be selected from area junior/senior high school students but was changed with this year’s festival. Instead, each local queen applicant will represent a local non-profit agency with each organization receiving $1,000 from the sponsor of Kabintree Koncepts. 

The cost of admission for the festive is usually $10 for a badge. Children age five and younger are free. Badges can be purchased at many of the local retailers and the Chamber of Commerce. Parking is available at both the high school and library with free shuttle rides to the event for patrons with a badge.

If you are interested in being a sponsor or a volunteer, please visit the Chamber of Commerce website, www.houghtonlakechamber.netor call (989) 366-5644 for more details. 

See you at the races! 

Mudd bogging has a history that stretches back more than 50 years, but it would take a couple decades before it really took off. 

Rooted in the United States and Canada, it gained popularity in 1970s and early ‘80s. One popular early event was Florida Swamp Buggy Racing, which is really part boat and part dragster. It was about this time when mud bogging became all the rage. 

One benefit of this type of sport is it can take place during any season of the year. Events take place across the U.S. and Canada. 

For those not familiar with the sport, mud bogging is an off-road racing event. The trucks are four-wheel drive with big tires and the bodies are lifted so they can move across an area of mud and water. The driver who gets through the course quickest is the winner. Sounds simple, right? Not always. Many times, trucks get stuck and need to be towed out of the mud, which obviously slows them down.  

Competitors are all ages and backgrounds and are both women and men. The drivers do and will get muddy. This is not something you want to wear your Sunday best to, especially since spectators have been known to wear a little flung mud as they watch.

The first organized events were in the early 1970s. Two of the early promotors were USA Motorsport and USHRA, who built mud pits and hosted events mostly indoors.  American Mud Racing Association and the National Mud Racing Organization (NMRO) were two more early promotors. Today, NMRO is the main promotor still in operation. Founded by Gary Baker of Dayton, Ohio, the NMRO rulebook is used for nearly most of the today’s mud racing competitions. Many local promotors are known in their area however, a person can just host an event. Most areas require the promotor to have liability insurance. As with any racing event, accidents do occur. 

There are several classes including V or Vi, which is a dragster-style, “rail” design with a supercharged engine and/or nitrous oxide injection. The main difference between the two classes are the tire types used. Class V have DOT street legal tires and Class VI use tractor tires. The popular mega trucks have custom chassis, five-ton axles with up to 700 horsepower and use tractor tires. 

There are various types of mud bogs - from Hill and Hole to Flat or Progressive Tracks to Open Bog. They come in several shapes and sizes, ranging from 150 to more than 300 feet. That is exactly what a Hill or Hole is like. Drivers must navigate a series of hills or holes or both. All NMRO tracks are flat or progressive and designed like a drag strip. Open Bogs, or play, are less organized and with its no-holds barred atmosphere, provides plenty of fun for both competitors and spectators.  

Thanks to Michigan’s many natural hills, holes, and fields, mud bogging is extremely popular in the state. 

The open bog, or playbox as it is also referred to, is popular amongst many Michigan boggers. The rules are simple: be respectful. Competitors must run what they bring, and the vehicle must be trailered in and out of the competition area.

Rules require a driver to be 18 years old to participate in mud bogging, however a waiver of liability signed by a parent or legal guardian, will allow a younger licensed driver to participate. 

People can bring their own beverages, but glass containers are now allowed. Drivers are also not permitted to drink unless they are of legal age and finished competing. Spectators and drivers must bring their own food and beverages as well as chairs. Everyone is expected to clean up after themselves; trash cans are available. 

There is no reckless or mudding allowed on the roads, foot paths or restricted areas. Participants must bring their own tow strap, and if they get stuck, they must hook their own strap. Participants must participate in the pre-competition drivers’ meeting where they are instructed on the rules of the event.

A word of warning to those thinking about participating: If they tell you to stay clear of a particular area while competing and you go there and get stuck, you will be there a while. They will be in no hurry to get you out, so listen carefully at the drivers’ meeting. 

So, if you are interested in trying your hand, or just watching mud bogging, head out to see how much fun it can be as either a driver or a spectator. 

An excellent resource for finding scheduled events is www.extrememuddingtour.com.
See you at the races 

They say that when you roll a vehicle it feels like you are going in slow motion. However, the reality is that you are doing whatever or slightly less as you roll, praying you end right side up on your wheels. 

That is what happened to Nic Chapman on a hot July night earlier this year at the Silver Bullet in Owendale, MI. The Waterford native was headed into a turn when he realized he was going too fast for the corner and over he went, rolling over in his Jeep. Luckily, he ended up back on the car’s wheels, enabling him to drive it back to the pit area. Later that night, he went to the hospital and learned he had a slight crack or bruise on his collar bone. The Jeep had a few dents and broken pieces, but like his collar bone, those were also fixable. 

Nic was 16 when he began driving a Ford Bronco on a two-track in his grandfather’s fields. He started mudbogging when he was about 18, and his first mud truck was a 1985 Chevy pickup, adding larger axels, tires, and engine. Then he bought his current vehicle, a 1994 Jeep, the same one he rolled on July 25. He hopes this was his first and last rollover.

There are two types of mud bogs, open and competition. The competition is sanctioned, but Nic prefers the open or playbox- style mudding. That class has just a few rules. Drivers run the vehicle they bring, and they must trailer their vehicle. No driving it in and mudding. Normally spectators see about three trucks per run. Sometimes more and it can get interesting watching the vehicles trying not to collide. Spectators will see everything from Chevys to Fords and Dodges along with Jeeps. 

The cost of mudbogging can become expensive. Unlike many other forms of racing, there are very few sponsors. Most of the sponsoring comes from the driver’s own personal checkbook. Many of the racers do get some help from their families when possible. 

Nic’s cousin, Chris Baker. also runs a mud bog truck. Chris runs a Mega truck with a 572 big block Chevy engine with 900 horsepower and 48-inch tires while Nic runs the modified truck with a 6.0 LS engine with 600 horsepower and 44-inch tires. 

When he isn’t competing Nic enjoys other outdoor sports as well. He is an avid hunter and like to kayak. However, mud bogging “is life” he said.   
 

Many people, fans included, do not realize that NASCAR, NHRA, Formula 1, and other racing series go hand-in-hand with family. 

During the last 60-plus years, we’ve seen multi generations of Petty’s, Frances’s, Earnhardt’s, Andretti’s, Waltrip’s, Wallace’s, Unser’s, Schumacher’s, Force’s, and many more. What makes this such a family sport? The ability to be able to do what dad or a brother seems to be a major factor. 

Following in the footsteps of legends. and the ability to be as good as the legends (well most think they are) is one reason drivers compete. But the reality is that most drivers are only as good as the equipment they get to drive. 

In the early years, very few sponsors, a lot of wrecks, and rivalries were the norm. Today, it’s major sponsors and less wrecks and rivalries are frowned upon. While race fans love rivalries the sponsors – not so much. Why? Because they might not look good on them.  

So, where is the next Earnhardt, Stewart or Busch? When Dale Earnhardt died, Tony Stewart, aka Smoke, became the next one to not be afraid to say or do basically what he wanted. Today we have Kyle Busch and fans well know he is not scared of controversary. 

The sport is constantly changing, and many fans have left. Some tradition is good, and shouldn’t be messed with, but the changing of venues and dates have left some fans behind. Racing is a sport with a fan base that travels with the drivers. But when people base their vacation on a race and it is then changed, it’s the fans that are often left at the starting line. Why? Because they are not always able to reschedule vacations to meet the whim of those in charge of the racing circuit. Then there is the cost. Once upon a time, races were inexpensive to follow and watch. However, today, tickets, hotels or camping, food, gas souvenirs and more have all experienced price increases in the last 20 years. 

That begs the question: What can the racing series do to help curb continuing cost increases? For example, could they persuade the tracks to offer special packages to draw fans to attend or return? If they want to retain their fans, this is just one example of something they should at least investigate. 

To be honest, I know I don’t have all the answers, but I do see racing, in all forms, has having issues and losing more fans within the next 20 years. Seriously, if they can’t afford to attend, rivalries are frowned up, and the cost keeps going up with no incentives for the fans, why go or watch at all. Sponsors are already hard to get with the cost of most teams being over $10 million a year. That’s a lot of money! 

So, if you have any ideas or advice, I would sure love to hear from fans, sponsors, teams, tracks, drivers, or anyone else. No discrimination here! But keep it clean and respectful, because like FACEBOOK, I own this site and want to keep it family friendly. 

See you at the races! 

 Caring and big-hearted are just two ways to describe Tony Stewart, the man behind the wheel of the foundation that bears his name. The Tony Stewart Foundation was formed after the three-time NASCAR champion kept calling his office in Indianapolis to ask his mother to send money to particular organizations to support treatment for an injured animal or child. 

“He was always finding some injured animal or child that needed help,” his mother Pam Boas said. “After a while, she suggested that he start a foundation to help these groups.”  He took her advice and created The Tony Stewart Foundation! That was 17 years ago! 

Since 2003, the Tony Stewart Foundation has awarded more than $7 million in grants to 57 organizations across the United States. The foundation’s mission is to provide support to well-qualified organizations serving children who are critically ill or physically disabled; at-risk or endangered animals, and drivers injured in motor racing. Funding for these grants come from events such as the 2019 Karta Palooza and the Hidden Hollow VIP Weekend, as well as the sales from the #RACR14 license plates and the Lap Leaders, who make monthly donations to the foundation. 

In January, one new fundraiser, the #Donate2Win campaign joined their event showcase along with the TSF Grant Partner Tours. 

#Donate2Win is a fun opportunity for the foundation’s social media supporters. It allows those fans to become involved in the giving process and win some prizes while learning about the foundation. The #Donate2Win campaign takes place once a month on the last full weekend of each month. In the first two months of 2020, the campaign has already raise about $3,000. Some of the upcoming prizes to be awarded include autographed items such as Tony Stewart die-cast cars, Eldora hats and gloves, two of the racer’s personal season ticket passes for his floor seats at an Indiana Pacer’s NBA game (tickets are autographed), and much more. 

The TSF Grant Partner Tours allow donors the get a behind-the-scenes look at what the benefiting organizations are doing to pick up the pace in changes to help children, animals and injured drivers. Since February, Foundation Director Erica Raisor and Natalie Stewart Repenning, foundation board secretary, have visited three of the TSF grant recipients. Those visits have been shared with foundation supports, Raisor said. 

“The TSF Grant Partner Tours offers a much-deserved glimpse into the day-to-day life of the organizations our donors help us support,” Raisor said. “We have received great feedback from our supporters and Lap Leaders.”

In 2019, the TSF awarded more than $500,000 in grants to various causes. The foundation also conducted several raffles at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, which helped to raise more than $186,000 for organizations befitting from the TSF. 

Working to accelerate change through the foundation’s mission is a team effort that includes the board of directors; Raisor, the lone employee, and countless volunteers. In addition to Boas, Repenning, and the racing champion, rounding out the board his father, Nelson Stewart. For more information about these programs as well as how to become a Lap Leader or volunteer, head to the foundation’s website, www.tonystewartfoundation.org. The foundation’s Facebook page, along with YouTube, also provide ways to participate in give away contests. 

Mission StatementThe mission of the Tony Stewart Foundation is to provide grant funding to well-qualified organizations serving children who are critically ill or physically disabled; animals at-risk or endangered; and drivers injured in the sport of motor racing.