Ice racing
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Ice racing is a form of motor racing. It utilizes cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, All-terrain vehicles, or other motorized vehicles. Ice racing takes place on frozen lakes or rivers, or on carefully groomed frozen lots. As cold weather is a requirement for natural ice, it is usually found at higher latitudes in Canada, the northern United States, and in northern Europe. Tracks in North America are typically 1/4 mile long.[1]
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[edit] Motorcycle ice racing
Ice Racing includes a motorcycle class which is the equivalent of Speedway on ice. Bikes race anti-clockwise around oval tracks between 260 and 425 metres in length. The race structure and scoring being similar to Speedway. Artificial ice tracks (usually speed skating ovals) are used where it is not possible to construct natural ice tracks.
The bikes bear a passing resemblance to those used for speedway, but have a longer wheelbase and a more rigid frame. The sport is divided into classes for full-rubber and studded tires. The studded tire category involves competitors riding on bikes with spikes up to 30[mm] (2.5 inches) in length screwed into each tread-less tyre, each bike has 90 spikes on the front tyre and 200-500 on the rear. The use of these spikes in this discipline necessitate the addition of special protective guards (similar to mudguards) over the wheels which extend almost to the ice surface. The spiked tyres produce a tremendous amount of traction and this means two-speed gearboxes are also required. As with speedway, the bikes do not have brakes. Historically Czech made 4-stroke Jawa motorcycles have been the dominant force in this sport.
In the studded tyre class there is no broadsiding around the bends due to the grip produced by the spikes digging into the ice. Instead, riders lean their bikes into the bends at an angle where the handlebars just skim the track surface. Speeds approach 80 mph (130 km/h) on the straights, and 60 mph (100 km/h) on the bends. The safety barrier usually consists of straw bales or banked-up snow and ice around the outer edge of the track.
The riding style required for studded ice racing is different to that used in the other track racing disciplines. This means riders from this discipline rarely participate in Speedway or it's other variants and vice-versa.
The majority of Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme sanctioned team and individual meetings are held in Russia, Sweden and Finland, but events are also held in the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, and occasionally other countries. Canada's national touring series is sanctioned by the Canadian Motorcycle Association.
[edit] Automobile ice racing
Automobile ice races have been most successful in France, where the Trophée Andros series, sponsored by an industrial jam manufacturer attracts ex-F1 drivers like Alain Prost or Olivier Panis, manufacturer-backed entries of sophisticated 4WD cars and international television coverage. In fact the Trophée Andros races mainly use damped snow (that is not very different from ice regarding car handling) tracks in French ski sations with a final race on artificial ice in Paris Stade de France. The 2006 trophy includes one round in Andorra. On several occasions a round also took place in Canada. Elsewhere, ice racing has proven to be a largely recreational pastime, as lower mechanical wear rates and engine power requirements lead to lower running costs compared with competing on pavement.
There is a new class called SS (street studs) where a car can run with the same modifications as a rubber to ice class, without the need for a roll bar. [1]
Conventional rallying also takes place on ice. Most notably, the tarmac of the Monte Carlo Rally is occasionally covered with snow and ice.
[edit] Race vehicle
There are many classes of racing vehicles. The racing vehicles are frequently divided into studded or non-studded tire classes. Nearly all dirt track racing vehicles could be raced on ice.
[edit] Ice racing in film
Ice racing was featured in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service with George Lazenby and Diana Rigg as they attempted to evade their pursuers. The track was in Switzerland.
Motorcycle ice racing footage can be seen in the Bruce Brown documentary On Any Sunday.
[edit] Reference
- ^ "Weekend Warrior: Motorcycle Ice Racing - The Boys of Winter" Mitch Brown; Dirt Rider Magazine; Retrieved February 1, 2007
