ICE RACING – How to get involved

The 2019 Ice Racing season is is o that far away. Want to know more on how to get into this inexpensive, “grass roots”, door-to-door racing?

I include a pamphlet we published in 2016 explaining Ice Racing for “Newbies”.

I also have a link to a professionally produced video on the sport.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me, Dan Demers or Tim Fleguel.

Enjoy!

Len Arminio lenarminio@gmail.com

ICE RACING – A Truly Canadian Motorsport *Get On The Ice for High Fun Factor at Minimal Cost*
HISTORY Ice Racing started in Ontario more than 60-years ago, and the Peterborough Motor Sports Club was one of the original organizers of the sport in the mid-1950s.Ice Racing continues as an inexpensive, fun part of the Ontario motorsport scene.The events were originally held on frozen lakes and rivers including, Chemong, Clear, and Bass in Orillia. However changes in weather patterns resulted in the Ontario championships being moved to more consistent and permanent facilities at the fairgrounds in Minden, Ontario provided by the Minden Kinsmen Club. The one km track is laid out and then repeatedly coated with water until here is a thick layer of ice between the snowbanks that delineate the course. The ice race season starts in mid to late January and runs until early March, usually consisting of six two-day events.ICE RACE COMPETITION CARS For competition purposes ice racing cars are divided into classes, all with engines up to 3000cc:RUBBER TO ICERubber-to-ice classes are restricted to un-studded tires. Other than an approved helmet, no other specialized safety equipment is required – the manufacturer’s original three-point safety harness is acceptable. In order to increase competitor participation and to further reduce the costs, there is also a ‘second driver’ series for each of the rubber-to-ice classes. This allows two drivers to compete for the entire season by sharing one race car. overall length as measured at the racetrack. CLASS 2: Front engine, front wheel drive up to 3000 cc CLASS 4: Specials, modified, and 4WD, up to 3000cc SECOND DRIVER CLASSES CLASS 11: Second driver in Class 1 Cars CLASS 12: Second driver in Class 2 Cars CLASS 14: Second driver in Class 4 Cars STREET STUDS For drivers who want to go slightly faster, there are Street Stud classes. Essentially these classes conform to the above classes regarding engine location, displacement and driven wheels, but the regular tires are replaced with studded tires providing close competition while helping maintain Minden’s ice surface. The tires and studs are available through a specialty supplier. CLASS SS1: Cars conforming to Class 1 CLASS SS2: Cars conforming to Class 2 CLASS SS4: Cars conforming to Class 4 STREET STUD SECOND DRIVER CLASSES Class SS11: Cars conforming to Class 1 Class SS12: Cars conforming to Class 2 Class SS14: Cars conforming to Class 4 BUYING YOUR ICE RACER As noted above, any car with an engine capacity of less than 3.0 litres is eligible to compete for a Class Championship. It doesn’t matter whether the car is a sedan, coupe, station wagon or small pick-up, equipped with an automatic or standard transmission, front wheel, rear wheel or all-wheel drive, just as long as it is mechanically sound – and within your budget. A competitor can spend as little as $300-$500 on a car, or as much as $5,000 or more. Most ice race cars are older models. The average is about 12-years old but are still mechanically sound. PREPARATION, MODIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENTS For the rubber-to-ice classes, the minimum car preparation would involve the removal of headlights, tail lights and any exterior plastic trim that could break in a collision. Bumpers must be modified so that they cannot ‘hook up’ with another car and cause a crash. The brakes, steering and safety equipment must be in proper working order. Airbags must be removed. All cars must have a bright running light at the rear and at least one working brake light. The only somewhat pricey safety equipment a driver is required to buy is a helmet that meets the standards outlined in the CASC Ontario Ice Racing Rules. These rules also provide information on roll bar construction, seat belt anchor points and other modifications should the competitor desire them. If you wish to improve the car there are many simple things you can do. The most common is to remove as much weight as possible from the car, particularly in the area of the non-driven wheels. This usually involves the removal of the rear seats, all upholstery panels, and anything else that is not necessary in a racing car. Weight can be added in the area of the driving wheels to improve traction. The amount of weight necessary might be small in the case of a front wheel drive car, or as much as four hundred pounds for a rear wheel drive car. Probably the most important element of ice racing is tires. There is a fine balance between the weight carried over the tire, the power transferred, and the co-efficient of friction of the contact patch. As the condition of the ice can change from lap to lap, it’s a challenge to get maximum power down while maintaining traction. In rubber-to-ice classes, the tire surface can be improved by tractionizing, a process which mechanically chews up the surface of the tire to improve its grip. Many clubs own a tractionizing machine, or you can get it done trackside for a small charge per tire. To stay competitive, the average rubber–to-ice driver spends about $300-$500 a season on tires and/or preparation. GETTING INVOLVED In order to participate in ice racing in Ontario, you must be a member of a CASC Ontario affiliated club. Contact them – they’ll be glad to hear from you. Ask about their club’s philosophy, experience, number of active racing members, and try to attend one of their meetings. Once you’ve identified the club you’d like to join, do so – it will prove to be your biggest source of information and ongoing help as you get started. A COMPLETE RULEBOOK IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.CASC.ON.CA *Information, tips and sources are available on the Ice Race Forum on the* *CASC website and on Facebook- Ice Racing in Minden.*