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On Jan 29, 2005
I finally did something I had been wanting to do for a few years
- I made it to the Minden Fairgrounds to see the CASC-OR ice racing.
It was a perfect day for ice racing. The temperature was cold enough
to have ice racing but not too cold to stand and watch.
If you've never seen ice racing, do yourself a favour and go see
it. Fun is the order of the day for everyone - drivers, crews and
spectators alike. Many of the cars even have passengers. If you
have an approved helmet and sign the waiver, you can ride along
in the races. Best of all, the admission for spectators is free.
The races run every year from mid-January to the last weekend of
February or the first weekend of March, weather permitting. The
racing takes place on both Saturday and Sunday. Racing is all day
Saturday and on Sunday afternoon.
The cars are separated into classes by drive train type, wheelbase
and rubber or studded tires. Obviously, the studded tire cars are
much faster and corner like a sprint car. Most of the cars have
only basic preparation for racing. Extra weight (ie much of the
interior) has been removed, lights are removed and the bumpers are
prepared to prevent hooking with each other. Roll cages are basic
and are only required for the studded tire cars.
All in all, ice racing is a blast for everyone. It's relatively
inexpensive to compete and a lot of fun to watch.
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