I-500 Legends Ride

Win this T shirt at the 2025 I-500
Legends Ride!!!!
Lots of Polaris Legends and Past
I-500 Champions signatures on
this T shirt from the Polaris 70th
anniversary celebration!!! I can’t wait for the 3rd annual I-500 Legends Ride!!!!

Having some fun in Roseau Minnesota for the Polaris 70th anniversary celebration with Soo I-500 announcer Spanky Robinson and Soo I-500 production man Dave Johnston!!!

Went on a road trip last week and decided to get off the highway and drive through the town of Farwell. Don’t know much about the town except there is a group that comes to the race every year from Farwell that are a class act. On my way I stopped and took these two picture honoring them and the race. Nice job by all involved.

I am not a racing legend, but for my Birthday and Valentines Day, Sheri McFarlane got me the NASCAR DRIVING EXPERIENCE. This was a bucket list item for sure. So, Friday morning while in Florida we headed to Daytona Speedway. I ran some laps on the speedway turning my fastest time of 145.85 mph. Thank You Sheri McFarlane. One of the greatest gift a man could ever get. Might try it again to get a better speed. Not bad I thought for a guy that has never driven a race car before.

We lost another legend, as Lyle was one of the founding fathers and board member of the I-500. Lyle was also a supporter for many years after he left the board. He operated the grader on race day for years and brought many city workers into the mix of keeping the race going for years.
RIP Lyle you earned your place in heaven and will be remember and missed by many.

Lyle Erman Jenks
June 17, 1932 - Mar 22, 2024

Lyle Erman Jenks, age 91 of Sault Ste. Marie, passed away Friday March 22, 2024 at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born in Pickford, Michigan on June 17, 1932 to parents Erman and Margaret “Cassie” (Crawford) Jenks.

Lyle was a life-long resident of Sault Ste. Marie and graduated from Sault High. He met his wife of 59 years, Vera Mae Beacom, on a blind date arranged by his good friend Bert McKiddie. Lyle and Vera were married on April 11, 1953 at the Pickford United Methodist Church. Lyle served overseas in the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War. Once he returned home, Lyle went to work for the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s street department, initially shoveling snow off of the city’s sidewalks and bridges. Lyle worked for the city for 42 years, eventually retiring as the City Street Superintendent.

For many years, Lyle was a part of the I-500 Snowmobile Race Committee. He and Vera were long-time members of the First Baptist Church of Sault Ste. Marie, and he later attended Rosedale Community Church. Lyle also enjoyed volunteering at the Cedarville Post Thrift Store in Cedarville, MI.

Lyle loved spending time with his family and friends and regularly attended his grandchildren and great-grandchildren's sporting events and livestock shows. He also enjoyed playing golf, fishing, mowing grass on his lawn tractor and doing word-search puzzles while watching old Westerns on TV. On Saturday afternoons, Lyle also enjoyed listening to the live music of the Pickford Pickers. After retirement, Lyle and Vera spent the summers at their cabin in Cedarville. During November, he spent every deer season at hunting camp, The Happy Hour, south of Pickford.

Lyle is survived by his daughters: Cheri Shagena and Lori (James) Campbell, both of Pickford; grandchildren: Cheri (Ben) Bush, James “Big Jim” Campbell, Chrissy Campbell, Jeffrey Shagena, Jennifer (Ronnie) Mota, and Pam Jenks; great-grandchildren: Matthew Bush, Laura Bush, Dylan Jorgensen, Melanie Jorgensen, Sorelle Mota, Azaryah Mota, Zoe Mota, Kingsley Mota, Tadashi Mota, Daniel Mota, and Brayden Butler. Lyle is also survived by his sister, Helen Jenks, of Sault Ste. Marie.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents: Erman and Cassie, wife Vera, son Dennis and sisters: Dorothy Ferguson, Isabelle Alexander, and Barbara Kinghorn.

A visitation will be held on Saturday April 6, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM with a funeral service to follow at 3:00 PM at Family Life Funeral Home in Pickford, Michigan.

A graveside service will be held after the funeral at Cottle Cemetery in Pickford, followed by a gathering at the Pickford Global Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the EUP, 308 W. 12th Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

Upcoming Events
Visitation

APR 06. 1:00 PM (ET)
Family Life Funeral Homes - Pickford
24549 S. M-129
Pickford, MI 49774
[email protected] https://www.familylifefuneralhomes.com/

Get Directions

Home Family Life Funeral Homes - Pickford, MI

We lost another legend. We lost Lou Madonna. He will be missed by many, but remembered by all that ever got a chance to meet him. I had my first chance to meet Lou and his family about 35 years ago and became friends that day. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Obituary of Lou Madonna | Northwood Funeral Home It is with broken hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Lou, on Saturday March 9, 2024 at the Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH). He will be dearly missed by his children, Frances Barrett (Terry), Anthony (Clara), Terry (Anna), Jackie Blair (Bill), and John (Jenn). His grandchildr...

Let’s show this Legend some Love!!! In my opinion he comes from one of the greatest racing families ever!!!

A couple really good guys!! I wonder what they are up to?

One of my favorites🥰
Burt Bassett, Mike Staszak, and Leroy Lindblad in front of the #16 hauler with Corey Davidson Racing’s trailer next to it.

Thanks to Stacie DeShano-Staszak for this pic.

The Mayers are back at the track, and it is great to see them.

Todd Krikke, A Giant in our Sport!!! Hopefully Todd can join us on the I-500 Legends Ride sometime!!!

I would love very much to see more than just me posting on here as I know there is a lot of old photos, videos, and posters and stuff. Sure would love to have some shared here. Even tell some odd facts. I bet some have some news paper clippings tucked away. How about some old hauler pics.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2o6hmN5zn1W8fHmE/?mibextid=WC7FNe

We would like to remind all you I-500 family members that with the weather condition we will meet at the track around 9:30 AM. We will be traveling by auto to Bay Mills Resort for a gathering and old story telling. Please take time out to attend. We have some prizes to give away, along with some other items as a fund raiser.

Well, as you can see we are lacking snow here in what we call the great white north. So here is our latest plan. Meet at the track on Friday morning at 9:30, and have some social time, then travel to Bay Mills Resort and Casino where we will have our own room to visit and have lunch. Lunch will be pizza and wings. If anyone has anything, they would like to bring and share that would be great. If anybody has anything they want to donate for a raffle we will do another informal, like last year. Let’s have some fun and share some story telling with no rules. Lies are allowed with no
Black Flags.

The one and only Iron Man, No Myth, and for sure an I-500 Legend and a guy that has become a friend of mine.

John Wicht III | Snowmobile Hall of Fame One of the most durable and successful drivers to ever throw a leg over a racing snowmobile.

I knew Art for a long time, I worked jobs with him, I drank with him, rode sleds with him and became friends. Art donated to the I-500 and loved the place. When i found out we had lost Art, I thought we lost a good one, and we lost some good laughs too.

Art LaVigne Fighting the Big "C"

Former oval track enduro racer Art LaVigne of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is in the toughest battle of his life as he fights to defeat Stage Four Lung Cancer

A dependable steady driver LaVigne ran Yamaha and Polaris entries on the enduro circuit from the early 1980's to mid 1990's. Here he pours on the power on board his #125 Polaris in 1991 action during a MIRA race on Munising Bay in Munising, Michigan. Please keep Art and his family your thoughts and prayers.

99 days and counting until the great race happens again for the 55th time. It will take something special to top last years finish, but hang on, every year we see something we never thought we would see.

It is great that a town honors people that represent there community like Tommie Bauer Racing #19.

Congrats to all

Four new inductees entered International Snowmobile Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 16, 2023, in Eagle River, Wisconsin. The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame Class of 2023 includes, from left, Frank Dusek, William Jeans, and Steve & Sherry Landon.
https://www.ishof.com/inductees.html

I just received a package containing the April 1970,14th Edition of the Heath Hot Line. This small magazine has an article about the I-500. I also got some other historic documents from the family of Robert J. Snider. Mr Snider was the Treasurer and first Race Chairman, which by looking at document in that time was what is now known as Race Director. Photos are in reverse order and I cant fix it

Well, how many of you old guys remember these. New billboard going up and this is what is coming down. Wish some of you would start making some post on here and adding some pics.

I know everybody is thinking we have a long time to plan our ride for this year. Wondering if we would like a ride where we could stop and chat and tell some lies by a fire in the woods somewhere? Then we could ride on, have lunch and back to the Soo.
Please chime in on this as we want it to be fun and grow.
If you went this last year and had a good time, pass the word.

Here is a couple of Legends from the 1st Annual Ride. Stan Shunk from Team Chippewa’s winning team and John Wicht III(The Iron Man).

This a few pics from lunch at Strongs, Mi. We need to THANK ALTA for the donation for the lunch and all they do for the ride and the race.