racing-ice-it-blew-my-mind-what-it-offered-serious-driver-and-racer

Ice racing is alive and well on both sides of the border, and it’s a relatively inexpensive, accessible sport–provided, of course, that you live near the frozen regions.

“It blew my mind in what it offered a serious driver and racer,” says Phil LePore, a member of the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club. “It was easily solid payback for venturing out in the subfreezing temperatures.”

Most ice racing groups–there are several across the U.S. and Canada–welcome stock and modified cars as well as novice and experienced drivers. “AMEC’s largest car count exceeds 40-plus in the Street Legal class,” Phil continues. “It’s composed of all-wheel-drive and two-wheel-drive, street-legal vehicles running on either a spec street studded tire or an unstudded winter tire like a Blizzak.” That class also features a no-contact rule. “When contact in a race occurs,” Phil explains, “both cars, irrespective of fault, get black-flagged.”

Two realities of ice racing, though: Climate change and the unpredictability of the weather itself can affect the schedule.

Comments

AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/17/19 11:18 a.m.

Ice is a great educator.

Robbie GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/17/19 11:34 a.m.

Tons of ice racing in Wisconsin. Check out maybe fox valley sports car club.

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/17/19 11:59 a.m.

AngryCorvair said:
Ice is a great educator.

Yup. See also: Our piece on the Bridgestone Winter Driving School.

captdownshift GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
12/17/19 12:02 p.m.

Time spent on ice is 4-10x more effective than time spent on pavement. And ice is much cheaper in terms of consumables and lower average speeds means less damage when things stop going sideways.

MotorsportsGordon HalfDork
12/17/19 12:09 p.m.

http://nascc.ab.ca/

for ice racing in Alberta

AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/17/19 12:12 p.m.

David S. Wallens said:
AngryCorvair said:
Ice is a great educator.

Yup. See also: Our piece on the Bridgestone Winter Driving School.

Many years ago, TRW used to hire the Bridgestone Winter crew to come to our northern Michigan test site. Tanner Foust was one of their instructors. He got famous around that time.

Rons GRM+ Memberand Reader
12/17/19 12:14 p.m.

And for something slightly off topic a story about an ice racer 510Z who won Sebring 12 Hours in 83 and some time at LeMans, and Daytona. He's also lives in the same city as SkinnyG.

The link might help https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59ae20e0d2b85742f770954a/t/59b638f18419c20a25dfbbf7/1505114363310/Excellence+Oct-2010.pdf

MotorsportsGordon HalfDork
12/17/19 12:18 p.m.

http://icerace.net/

here is an old website about chevette ice racing here in alberta. Still have lots of cars in chevette class here.

ebonyandivory PowerDork
12/17/19 12:20 p.m.

Imagine you're 18-19 years old, live in a quiet, rural town and have a huge pond nearby that freezes very solid and has a 1,000' straight, paved shot to a boat ramp with almost zero elevation change from the pavement...

Let's just say hitting the ice at 40+ mph was AWESOME. And what a great way to learn vehicle control. Each year, someone would plow a huge oval and a figure 8 track. Memories.