It’s full skid ahead for Minden Ice Racing this weekend.
The longtime tradition sees competitors race regular cars around an ice-covered track at the Minden Fairgrounds. The races normally kick off in January, but uncooperative weather pushed back the start by a few weeks.
Brad Elkins, Director of Ice Racing for the Canadian Automobile Sport Club, says cars are once again allowed passengers, and racers are anxious to get going.
“The track was all ready to go between Christmas and New Year’s, and then about three weeks ago the track was green,” says Elkins with a laugh. “Normally we’d have been into it at least a week by this time, but we’re optimistic we’re going to get our season in.”
The Minden Kin Club is responsible for shaping and maintaining the track, and Club President Andy Rickard says they’ve had trouble getting safe levels of snow and ice on the kilometre-long track.
“It requires a lot of ice, eight or more inches over the entire track,” says Rickard. “So it’s many, many truckloads of water, a lot of snow plowing, surface preparation. And it’s made much more difficult with the warm weather. We haven’t had until today, really, an opportunity to get out there and flood continually.”
According to Elkins, they usually get about 70 competitors per weekend across a handful of categories, and a few hundred spectators to boot. “I think a lot of businesses are glad to see us, it helps them have a little bit more of a customer base during a relatively slow time in the tourism season,” he says.
Elkins, who has participated on and off since 1978, says his car won’t be ready for the inaugural day, but he looks forward to starting next weekend. He says part of the appeal is that anyone can join, as long as they’ve got a car and some courage.
“It’s on ice, so it’s more fun-oriented than summertime racing,” says Elkins. “It gives people a chance to get involved with motorsports and get a taste of competition without having to spend a whole lot of money.”
The races run every Saturday and Sunday starting Feb. 4.. Although they might not get the full six weekends this year, Rickard is optimistic they’ll operate for at least five. Proceeds from the event go towards local initiatives through the Minden Kin Club.
