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The streets of downtown Houghton were filled with thousands of spectators over the weekend who came from miles around to witness one of the Upper Peninsula’s favorite motor sporting events–The Lake Superior Performance Rally.
Father/Daughter Team Eric and Camille Carlson describe how they got involved in rally racing.
Eric said, “We saw it as a neat way just to get away for a weekend and go stand in the woods and watch these crazy people drive cars and thought we’d never do that and thirty years of doing it we’re still having as much fun. We probably have more fun than most of these guys do.”
“We finished,” Camille said.
Eric added, “We like finishing. I don’t like putting a car together that’s all beat up.”
Races began Friday in Sidnaw on forest roads and continued in Kenton before carrying into the evening, as drivers and co-drivers tackled the night stages of the Ottawa National Forest.
Teammates Cameron Carr and Matt Vaught describe their car’s performance.
Matt said, “So yesterday we started out a little bit rough. Had some brake issues, had a couple issues with the flat, got all that figured out but other than that the car did great. We just took it easy through the stages, stayed smooth, kept everything clean and we came out, no damage.”
Saturday morning, all 50 street legal cars were on display at Waterfront Park in L’Anse before hitting the trails of Baraga County and eventually making their way to Lakeshore Drive in Houghton to conclude the event.
Winning Teammates Justin Prichard and Rachelle Kaltak explain their win, despite a time penalty earlier in the day.
Justin said, “This beats our wildest expectations. We had no concept coming in that we could win. We kept getting faster and faster and faster throughout the weekend.”
Kaltak said, “We overcame a one-minute time penalty for checking into a control too early at a stage, so Justin made up that time.”
“She got angry,” Justin said, “telling me to go faster.”
This year’s rally marks the 23rd anniversary of the event, which is Round #8 of the Rally America National Championship and also included two regional rallies.
