What
is "Ice Racing"?
Purpose-Built
rigs like this are loads of fun! |
A hundred years
ago, ice racing was probably what kids did with big blocks of ice
and a steep hill. For Our Gang Four Wheelers, the last twenty-five
years have meant something entirely different. They have been holding
annual races on a frozen lake near Georgetown, Colorado. The Georgetown
Ice Races are a tradition in Colorado. Since the lake is right next
to a major highway (I-70) leading to the ski areas, it draws all
kinds of spectators and participants. The lake freezes to 20+ inches
thick. That is thick enough to hold hundreds of Jeeps and motor
homes on the ice. The races cater to all kinds of drivers and skill
levels. There are basically three different classes to chose from.
These factors make for plenty of excitement for all levels of racers
from mild to totally wild!
The
Basics!
All vehicles
must be four wheel drive! This includes everything from all wheel
drive sports cars to Jeeps and trucks. The courses come in various
shapes but always include two start/finish lines at opposite sides
of the track. Two vehicles are on the course at a time racing against
each other. The racers start at opposite sides of the track traveling
in the same direction (this keeps them on opposite sides of the
course at all times). The first driver to finish one complete lap
first wins! This is not always the guy that has the fastest vehicle,
though. This may just be the guy that stayed on the course or did
not hit a cone.
The
Classes
Bare
Rubber!
Cole's YJ
in last year's races |
The bare rubber
class is the most intense slow speed racing that you will ever do!
I have done complete races that did not exceed four miles per hour,
and won! The bare rubber class is the most popular class since it
is the easiest to get into. All you have to do is drive your rig
to the lake, pass a tech inspection, pay your entry fee and you're
ready to race. Recently, they have divided the bare rubber class
into men and women's classes. This has made things a bit easier
on the men's egos. We men seem to have a testosterone flow to the
gas pedal problem that the women do not. Since ice racing requires
a bit more finesse, the women do very well. Too much of the stupid
pedal can get you nowhere in a hurry in the bare rubber class.
Studs!
Here is where
the racing and the fun start to get serious. The rules start to
get more serious at this point in the game. Roll cages are now required
equipment, as well as helmets. The studs class is divided in to
sub-classes, just like the bare rubber. I am only going to cover
some of the basics here.
Studs range
from 17mm to 20mm in length. There are classes for street legal
and competition vehicles. Here is where the aggression level with
the throttle starts to pay off! The competition rigs even run steering
brakes to make cornering more effective. I took a ride in a fiberglass
bodied CJ-2A with over 400hp in this class. YEEEEEHAAAA!!!!! This
was a serious kick in the pants!
Cheaters
Class!
Long spikes
like these let the rigs have traction like nowhere else! |
Here is where
the big boys play! This is the true meat of ice racing! The Jeeps
that compete in this class are no joke. We are talking about purpose-built,
custom tube chassis Jeeps with hundreds of horsepower, steering
brakes, full cages, five point harnesses and much more.
The rules allow
for bolts of any diameter up to 1 1/2 inches out of the tread. Talk
about traction! I wish I could get this kind of grip on the rocks.
I have seen these guys do wheelies across the ice. This is one of
the most impressive forms of racing to watch. I have never seen
anything accelerate or corner as hard as these Jeeps with the bolts
do. It is a must see!
For more information
and a schedule contact "Our Gang Four Wheelers at: 303-331-2886
Click
Photos for Larger Versions
|