ICE RACING IN ONTARIO
Ice Racing In Ontario:
This article is intended to provide you with an introduction and overview of ice racing in Ontario; official rules and regulations detailing the categories, classes, and car preparation requirements are available from the CASC-OR office at very little cost.

Ice Racing started in Ontario more than forty years ago, and it's an inexpensive, fun part of the CASC-OR motorsport scene to this day. Originally, all the events were held on frozen lakes and rivers, but in the late seventies the central Ontario series moved to more permanent facilities at the fairgrounds in Minden, Ontario. Here a track is laid out, then repeatedly coated with water until a thick layer of ice is built up between the snowbanks that delineate the course. The ice racing season starts in January and runs until the end of February or early March, usually consisting of seven two-day events.

Understanding Ice Racing:
For competition purposes, ice racing cars are divided into four basic classes:

Class 1: rear-wheel drive up to 3,000cc
Class 3: four-wheel drive up to 3,000cc
Class 5: front engine, front-wheel drive up to 1,400cc
Class 6: front engine, front-wheel drive from 1,401 to 3,000cc
These four are also known as 'rubber-to-ice' classes because they are restricted to unstudded tires. Other than an approved helmet, no other specialised safety equipment is required - the manufacturers original three-point safety harness is perfectly acceptable. In order to increase competitor participation and to further reduce the costs there is also a 'second driver' series for each of the 'rubber-to-ice' classes; this allows two drivers to compete for the entire season by sharing one race car. For drivers who want to go faster there are 'metal-to-ice' classes; essentially, these classes conform to the above class requirements regarding engine location, displacement, and driven wheels, but the regular tires are replaced with studded tires. Although manufactured studded tires are allowed, most competitors create their own using self-tapping screws inserted through the tread of the tire, secured on the inside with a washer.

The driving skills required in 'metal-to-ice' racing are quite different from those needed in the 'rubber-to-ice' classes, because the additional traction provides tremendous improvements in acceleration, turning, and braking. With the increase in speed comes a need for additional safety equipment in the form of a roll-bar and a four-point safety harness. It is also in these classes that horsepower becomes a significant factor in the success of the car.

Buying Your Ice Racer:
As noted above, any car with an engine capacity of less than 3.0 litres is eligible to compete for a Class Championship. It doesn't matter whether the car is a sedan, coupe, or station wagon, equipped with an automatic or standard transmission, front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel drive, just as long as it is mechanically sound - and within your budget.

A competitor can spend as little as three or four hundred dollars on a car, or as much as five thousand or more. Most ice racing cars are older models which no longer meet highway safety standards, but are still mechanically sound.

Preparation, Modifications and Improvements:
For the rubber-to-ice classes, the minimum car preparation would involve the removal of head-lights, tail lights, and any exterior plastic trim that could break in a collision. Bumpers must be modified so that they cannot 'hook-up' with another car and cause a crash; this is usually accomplished by bridging the area between the bumper and the fender with sheet metal, or a strip of tire tread. The brakes, steering and safety equipment must all be in proper working order.

The only safety equipment that a rubber-to-ice driver is required to buy is a helmet that meets the standards outlined in the CASC-OR Ice Racing Rules. These rules also provide information on roll cage construction, seat-belt anchor points, and other modifications necessary to compete in the metal-to-ice classes.

If you wish to improve the car there are many simple things you can do. The most common is to remove as much weight as possible from the car, particularily in the area of the non--driven wheels. This usually involves the removal of the rear seats, all upholstery panels - and anything else that is not necessary in a racing car! Weight can be added in the area of the driving wheels to improve traction. The amount of weight necessary might be small in the case of a front wheel drive car, or as much as four hundred pounds for a rear wheel drive car.

Probably the most important element of ice racing is tires. There is a fine balance between the weight carried over the tire, the power being transferred, and the co-efficient of friction of the contact patch. The coefficient of friction is a combination of the tire's rubber compound, the tread design, the surface area of the tire, inflation pressures, and the surface condition and temperature of the ice. As the condition of the ice can change from lap to lap, it is a challenge to get maximum power down while maintaining traction.

In rubber-to-ice classes the tire surface can be improved by tractionizing, a process which mechanically chews up the surface of the tire to improve its grip. Many clubs own their own tractionizing machine, or you can get it done trackside for a small charge per tire.

To stay competitive, the average driver spends between five hundred and a thousand dollars a year on tires, repairs and maintenance, and improvements.

Getting Involved:
In order to participate in ice racing in Ontario, you must be a member of a Canadian Automobile Sports Club - Ontario Region (CASC-OR) affiliated club.Such as P.M.S.C. and M.C.O.


CASC-OR

Peterborough Motor Sports Club

Motorsports Club Of Ottawa

Motorsport Club Of Ontario's Slush And Slide Series
The Motorsport Club of Ottawa continues its tradition of racing cars in the winter months. The "Slush and Slide" (or sometimes called "Ice-Dice") series is the annual series that brings racecars and street cars to the snowy landscape of Capital City Speedway. A curvy track is plowed in the snowy parking lot, we groom the track for great conditions, and to help maintain the snow, but ultimatly the track conditions are left up to Mother Nature. During some of the thaw/freezes we can get some excellent conditions for some wild slippery racing. The snowbanks get high and wide, protecting the other competitors and onlookers.

The MCO Winter Slush 'n Slide Series is a four (4) event series held in January and February every year. The events are held in the parking lot of Capital City Speedway. We plow a complex course in the lot, and groom the track to ensure a good surface for the competition. This is also the same facility which we use for our winter driving schools - if the students taking one of our classes wants to participate in the competition, we give the student free entrance to their first Slush 'n Slide event.

The series is governed by set of regulations, the Winter Solo II Rules. All competitors should have read and understood the rulebook prior to the competition. Helmets are required by all competitors and passengers - helmets are required to have a rating of Snell M90 or newer.

Check the schedule for date and times of upcoming events.

Events are held on Sundays, it is recommended that one arrives early for technical inspectioon if you are participating. Racing usually starts between 9:00 and 10:00am. Entry fees are for club members and for non-members per event.

Also, it is very important to call the club hotline at (613) 788-0525 prior to every event as it is updated on the status of the event if it is being held or not.

Motorsport Club Of Ottawa

Info is from M.C.O.