Ice Racing is Fun

For the past two weekends, I've trekked up to West Salem, WI to play with the Sports Car Club of LaCrosse (SCCLAC). They've been hosting ice rallycrosses and, like most SCCA events, they're supremely affordable ($20-30).

Two weeks ago, the ice was dry and a layer of hard pack snow helped cars that weren't studded. This last weekend, however, the weather was sunny with air temperatures above freezing. Not only did this make for a beautiful day, the ice had a thin layer of water and very little snow on course, which made things quite slick!

I drove my Miata on snow tires two weeks ago and my friend FooBag's Escort on "freshly" (hastily) made studded tires yesterday. The difference in driving styles is really something else and I've never been so obsessed with momentum and how to throw a car around as I was in the Escort.

Do any of y'all play on ice and if so, have any tips? Anyone have any events they want to pimp? Lets talk about ice racing!

Obligatory photo dump:

were any of those guys running the overpriced "Menards" spec studded tires that some places make you run?

i want to do some ice racing, but i have to trek quite a ways to do it... but i did put some almost new Winterforces on the Camaro the other day with the intention of going out and making my own track on the local lake... but i sat around most of yesterday waiting for one guy to show up to buy the tires that i took off the car- "yeah. i'll be there at 8:30am.. no, wait, can't make it until noon. (fast forward to 5pm) do you still have the tires?" then waiting for another guy to show up to pick them up once i gave up on the first guy... next weekend there shall be hooning happening on my local lake..

About 1/2 to 2/3 of the cars were running un-studded snow tires. The remainder were running, more or less exclusively, home-made studded tires. Menards tires are allowed and were used on the grey CRX, but wider is better. Apparently, shorter studs might be better too (we bogged down a lot)!

Ice racing is perhaps the only reason I'm disappointed it doesn't get that cold around here.

Nice. I ran at lake Winnebago (Fon Du Lac) a few times when I lived in madison. Awesome good time. Agree that there are plenty of cars to compete with that are not on studs.

Keep in mind that if you don't run studs, a limited slip diff can actually be a big detriment to turning ability...

mmmm that rx7 makes me happy. Also, I need to stud my tires. Just budget ran dry for those this year :(

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/miata-wintercrosser/97775/page2/#post1720794

With fwd especialy the rear should follow the front anytime the throttle is open or those big ass studs in the rear are just like dragging the ebrake.Getting the car to do just that is the trick

What your doing is without question fun but the way we do it up here is standing start with everyone in your class(some races have 2 classes mixed together to save time)so depending on which class you run in probably around the 20 car mark.1st couple of laps are generally pretty busy,sometimes it all works out and other times not so much.

The Adirondack Motor Enthusiasts Club Inc. (AMEC) holds a series of ice races in the mostly lower Adirondacks.

we have a variety of classes from mild to wild.

These are all wheel to wheel races, however this year we have installed a $20 for 20 minutes track day. all you need are snow tires and a helmet.

Check out our web site: www.icerace.com It has videos, rules, tentative schedule.

We will be doing a two day event at Tupper Lake NY on Jan 31 and Feb. 1. Pits on solid ground, heated rest rooms, Mac Donalds just across the road ad more.

In reply to iceracer:

I'd love to go to that event, but it's four and a half hours north of me.

Before I ventured below the Mason Dixon line, I had the chance to play around at an unstudded ATV race. Sure learned pretty quickly how to be smooooth on and off the throttle. One tiny hickup and away you go. Jeez, that was lots o fun. Also learned a ton about studding tires. Some guys just run special screws from the outside in, but it's more popular to run bolts from the inside out.

In reply to ncjay: Most of our modifieds are using Kold Kutter studs and are limited to 30 per foot.

Our series runs on a man made track built in a field,top class used menards which was a downgrade from our homebuilts to save the track wear but even those are now cancelled forever apparently.

Non studded and street studded tires only now.

Bolted tires and high horsepower cars are big fun, but really, really hard on ice. Back in the early 80's we ran 5/16 bolts, no protrusion limit, 25 bolts per foot, on various rear drive cars. At the end of a days racing with 8 cars, we would be down into the ice upwards of 18 inches where the outside rear tire was driving. Recently, we ran 12 bolts per foot, 6mm fender bolts, on radial temporary spares. They were fast, but much easier on ice. We still had to go out between heats and plow, because the track would go to one groove really fast- get out on the powdered ice, go nowhere. We ran the temps because they would bite down through the snow, where the wider ones would float. Windstar vans had a 130/80R15 that worked well for me.

In reply to Woody: it' a little over two hours for me. Drive up Friday afternoon. There is gathering at the VFW Saturday night with a buffet dinner.

What are Menards Ice tires? Going to the Menards site and searching studded tires doesn't find anything?

In reply to Adrian_Thompson: They are an especially made ice race tire. Recapped with special tread and studs.

They may or not be associated with "Menards" anymore. They go by a different name.

I'm pretty sure there are pictures and ifo on our web site.

www.icrace.com

One of our members has developed a studded tire using trailer tires and Kold Kutter studs.

In tests, they have worked vey well and they seem to hold up very well.

bgkast wrote: Ice racing is perhaps the only reason I'm disappointed it doesn't get that cold around here.

This is what I was going to say. It looks like a crazy amount of fun.

These are the guys who have replaced Menards.

http://www.prymetire.com/

In reply to Adrian_Thompson: The Menards tires are now produce by Pryme Tire. prymetire@gmail.com

Whenever I move north, I need to check out ice racing.

I'd like to try it. My daily is an s2000 on snow tires and I'm in Milwaukee. Any of you run at Lake Poygan?

turtl631 wrote: I'd like to try it. My daily is an s2000 on snow tires and I'm in Milwaukee. Any of you run at Lake Poygan?

Depending on who hosts it, make sure they're fine with convertibles w/o hard-tops or roll bars. SCCLAC is cool with it!

With studs if your in the snow your goin' slow!