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Go Ice Racing !
All content Copyright©2022 D.A.C. |
The Basics for
Getting Started
Updated
2022-11-18
The Why, Where, When, What and How
to's
DISCLAIMER: this is only intended to answer
the most frequently asked, basic intro
questions about getting started in the
sport and should not be considered as
complete in any way. This covers
Rubber-To-Ice (Winter/Ice tires) classes
only
Spread
the word & share this page!
- copy and paste this link ...
https://www.dac1958.ca/icerace.htm
Official Ice Race Minden On. FB
Group
Series sponsored by:
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Important Links
(these same
links are listed at bottom of this page)
Ice Race
Trial Licence Program
- see links at right side of page
CASC Ice Race
Division
- see links at right side of page
CASC
About Ice Racing
- see link on page
PMSC Ice Race Pamphlet -
good source of info
FaceBook
Ice Race (Group/Discussion) - ask
questions, discuss, for sale/rent,
parts etc.
CASC Ice
Race Forum
- ask questions, cars for sale/rent
parts
Forms
- Entry, C Licence, Waivers (see
links right side of page)
Online
Entry/Payment
- event lists only a week or so
prior
Season Schedule
- see links at right side of page
Rules
And Regs
- see links at right side of page
Registration - instructional
covering various registration
procedures
Scoty's Ice Race Journal - A
personal journal of experiences on
(and off) trak in Minden from
1999-2013
Video
Essence Of Ice Racing
- CASC
Playlist of In-car Footage car#24
email additional links to
scoty@rogers.com |
Why
- dramatically
improves your car control skills and
confidence whether on the street or on the
track
- probably the least expensive form
of motor racing
- makes winter enjoyable
and short and improves your driving chops
- no prior race experience necessary
Where
Minden, Ontario
at the Minden Kinsmen Fairgrounds on
Bobcaygeon Rd.
MAP
When
Date:
the 1st of 6 consecutive weekends typically
scheduled towards the end of January weather/track conditions permitting
Schedule:
click
Schedule
(link at right side of page)
then go to the bottom of the page to
"Competitor Information", choose
most recent dated link
- if a weekend is cancelled it is
rescheduled
to the end of the season on one of the 2
"rain dates"
Tech Inspection:
typically available on the weekend
preceding the first scheduled weekend of racing
and subsequently on the Friday and Saturday of the
first weekend of racing.
Entry
Registration: register/pay
online
for your weekend entry fee in advance (note:
not all organizing clubs use this feature).
Typically
available during the week preceding the
race weekend. Alternatively bring your printed entry
application form with
payment (cash or cheque) on
Saturday morning to the timing/registration
trailer trackside at the start/finish line.
Costs - Licence, CASC Membership, Car Club
Membership, Entry Fees etc.
Ice Race
Trial Licence Program
Try ice racing for under
$100 !
Not sure if you're
ready to make the commitment to a full
season of ice racing?
There is now a special one day, one time licence available
for the bargain price of $10.
To take
advantage of the program, you will need to
do the following:
- borrow/rent/buy a
car prepared to the ice racing rules that
has passed annual tech inspection
-
borrow/buy a helmet that meets the CASC Ice
Racing Regulations
- complete a licence
application, a waiver, and a short test on
flag signals and race procedures
- pay
$10 for a one day licence
- arrange an
experienced ice racer to go with you as a
"coach" (if you don't know one, we'll find
you one)
- pay a one day entry fee to the
event (between $65 and $100 TBD)
And you're
racing, wheel to wheel!
Full/Part Season
- if
you want to enter for the season ...
1)
Car Club
Membership: $30-$60 - must join a
CASC recognized
car club to be allowed to apply for ice race
'C' licence.
Annual
club membership fees vary but can be as little as
$30 when you
Join The D.A.C.
(Deutscher Automobil Club)
2)
Ice Race 'C'
Licence: about $85 - you must purchase a 'C'
race licence - no test required - from CASC after
you've
joined a car club -
Ice
Race 'C' Licence Application Form.
You must have a valid drivers licence and
provide a head shot photo.
Login in to Members on CASC site and you can then
pay for membership and licence online
3)
Entry fee:
About $195 per class
per driver per weekend
4)
Typical Budget:
approx. $3000 (as of 2018)
for full 6 weekend season* ...
Rough Cost
Full Season Example 2018
Tips:
-
Share**
the car - one car can have 2
drivers. Each driver is issued a separate registered driver number. This
number is
displayed on the number
board secured to the top of the
car when the driver registered to that
number is driving the car.
Each
driver pays their own separate entry fee, each races the
car in their own
race and class. Points are awarded to
the driver's number, not the car.
Any shared costs
are split 50/50 eg. car, tires,
accomodation, travel
- Car can be left at
the track for the entire season - trailering
costs therefore are just once each way per season or...
-
Store car all year at the "Gravel Pits"
2 kms north of track - about $50/year
- Rent
a car for weekend, (around
$250 +/-) check icerace
Forum
and
FaceBook
for availability
What
What is ice racing?
So for a single class entry, covering
both Sat. & Sun., you get a practice
both days (approx 15
minutes),
a 12 lap qualifying race
Saturday morning,
and a total of four 15 lap races.
Race length averages 12-15 minutes.
Picture street cars racing on a man-made ice track
shaped like a kidney bean
approx 1 km long with 1 meter high by 2 meter wide snow
banks on either side to keep the
cars safely
on the track. Track width is about 6 car
widths on the straight and wider
in
the corners. Cars are gridded 2 abreast
with standing starts.
A typical
weekend's ontrack activity involves a
practice session Saturday morning followed
by a
qualifying race then lunch during
which mandatory rookie school is held where
first time participants
learn the
elements of car control from an experienced
ice racer. The afternoon has 2 races.
On
Sunday there is only racing in the afternoon
starting with a practice followed by 2
races.
How to
You'll need to
do a few things like: get a vehicle,
lights, strip things off the car,
helmet, make/install a
number board etc.
1) Vehicle Drive
Configuration:
Decide on Rear
Wheel (class 1 & 11), Front Wheel (class 2 &
12) or All Wheel
(class 4 & 14) drive and preferably a
manual transmission. Each drive
configuration only competes against cars of
the same
drive configuration/class,
although if a class has a low car count they
be gridded with another class
2) Vehicle
Purchase:
- Purchase a vehicle (or
retire one you own), preferably one that has recently
been driven, requires as little
work
as possible to get it race ready i.e. starts
in cold weather, no leaks, brakes work,
heater works,
seatbelts etc.
- Horsepower
is not so much a factor so stock is fine,
don't worry about rust or wrinkles,
try Kijiji
- Check the Ice Race
FaceBook
and
Forum
for used already prepped racecars for sale
$500-1000
and they usually
come with loads of spare parts, extra rims, tires etc.
- No car insurance required
3) Car Prep:
Read and reference the entire/current
Rules
And Regs
(link at right side of page) for proper and complete car prep!!!
What follows is a very abbreviated and basic
ABC's of car prep to show you how simple it
really is...
a - Breakable Items - remove
them from the outside of vehicle except
mirrors eg. lights, markers, trim etc.
b - Bumpers - intact,
secured/serviceable, not able to hook/lock
with another car, bridge any gaps at
bodywork
c - Lights -
install two rearward facing brake lights
(you can use the ones you removed from the
car) and
one rearward
facing 55 Watt amber fog light either on top of car
(recommended) or inside as high as possible
d - Number
Boards - each driver, not car, is issued a
number when they register for ice racing.
That number has to be displayed on a board
attached to the top of car and a smaller
forward facing board,
preferably
towards driver's side
as it makes it easier to reach for changing
if you're sharing the car,
whichever
driver is racing the
car has to have their number used on the car
- points go to the driver not the car.
e- Exhaust - stock is fine,
must be properly/securely attached, exit
beyond the body aft
the
drivers/passenger doors, meet minimum noise rules
f -
Roll Cage, Side Bars, seatbelts - a roll cage is not
required but vehicle has to have
manufacturers side
impact bars
in doors otherwise install
some, minimum 3 point seatbelts must work
and be worn
g - Battery/Starter/Alternator -
3 things that typically fail in
older vehicles in cold weather. Fix them
now!
h -
Brakes - should work
really well and at each wheel, ebrake free and functioning
well
i - if there is to be a
passenger you need to install a grab handle
j -
Radiator/Heater/Blower/Anti Freeze - replace/repair
in advance rad, hoses, heater & blower motor,
water pump, anti
freeze, these can fail in older vehicles in
cold weather. Fix them now!
k
- Windshield/Windows - no cracked
windshields, all side windows must close or else
install a window net
l -
Install a tow hook or strap front and rear
m - Remove airbags
n - 1st year drivers
(rookies) also need a rearward facing orange
rookie triangle
(slow moving vehicle triangle) on the car
4) Tires:
dedicated ice/winter tires recommmended,
better tires = better grip = more car
control. Choose a soft
compound with tons of
Sipes
and then run the tire on a
tractionizer
which creates even more sipes.
Tractionizers and/or the service are
available for rent through some of the car
clubs and certain individuals.
5) Helmet: manufacturer must be Snell
approved (always check there's a Snell
sticker inside)
and
meet the current minimum race reg's expiry date. Open face type
are
allowed - less expensive
option
6) Tech
Inspection: car & helmet has to pass
tech every season and receive a sticker on
car
& helmet. Make sure you've read,
understood and applied the rules & reg's
correctly!
They're found in the Ice Race Rule Book which
is updated/revised every year and is
typically
available online
on the CASC website after November or you can get hardcopies at the
Annual
Ice Race meeting in November
7) Accomodation:
research and book in advance and consider
bunking with several other racers
which
can help reduce costs. You can ask around on
Facebook's
Ice Race
Discussion Group
8)
Licences/Memberships: See
Costs
above
9)
Registration: A how to guide - click
Here
Who
Anyone from
teenagers to people in their 80's goes ice
racing. From professional road racers to
people with no race experience. The
level of comraderie and help found
in the ice racing community is seldom
found in other motorsports. Help is
usually available from the person pitted right
next to you. Help and advice
is available before the season and anytime via
FaceBook,
the
Forum
or during a race weekend.
There are
people who have been ice racing for decades
and people who are experiencing it for their
first time.
Volunteers: it takes
many able bodied and qualified volunteers to
make the season happen. Volunteers
perform various tasks and functions from
flooding the track, plowing snow to form the
banks,
to the people from the 6 car
clubs that organise and perform the
various duties and responsibilities
of running each of the
6 race weekends on the
schedule.
Important Links
(these same
links are listed at top of this page)
Ice Race
Trial Licence Program
- see links at right side of page
CASC Ice Race
Division
- see links at right side of page
CASC
About Ice Racing
- see link on page
PMSC Ice Race Pamphlet -
good source of info
FaceBook
Ice Race (Group/Discussion) - ask
questions, discuss, for sale/rent,
parts etc.
CASC Ice
Race Forum
- ask questions, cars for sale/rent
parts
Forms
- Entry, C Licence, Waivers (see
links right side of page)
Online
Entry/Payment
- event lists only a week or so
prior
Season Schedule
- see links at right side of page
Rules
And Regs
- see links at right side of page
Registration - instructional
covering various registration
procedures
Scoty's Ice Race Journal - A personal
journal of experiences on (and off) trak in
Minden from 1999-2013
Video
Essence Of Ice Racing
- CASC
Playlist of In-car Footage car#24
email additional links to
scoty@rogers.com
* Based
on a full 6 weekend second season (2018
prices) with the minimum
of car prep/cost and minimal expenses.
Will
vary dependant on many factors whether
upfront or consummable: initial car
purchase, where/if you stay overnight,
fuel, tires, distance from
Minden, number of weekends
entered, if car is shared or not
** shared costs
(2018 prices) - expenses like vehicle purchase price, prep
costs, tires, accomodation, travel
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