Ice Racing with MIRA: 2010 edition. (pics)

Jason88AllTrac

New member
This year racing with MIRA (Michiagn Ice Racing Association) I decided run my alltrac and to try to start an AWD class (for about 50 years they have only raced fwd and rwd classes). I was largely unsuccessful, but had a lot of fun anyway. The season is over now because the ice is melting, so I figured I would share a few photos and a video for your enjoyment.

First day out on the ice. We need 10" of clear ice to have it considered "safe" for racing.
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Look, it has a V8!
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On track:
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Random beautiful picture from out on the lake:
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See, people race some nice cars too! (not really, we were out there on a weekday having some fun).
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Cold feet about this whole ice racing thing? Too late now!
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My buddies S14 was very fun to drive. Lots of sideways angle. I don't think you could drive it straight if you wanted to.
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Cool corner shot at disk. Need to mount my rallye 4000's for night "practice"; it gets DARK out there fast.
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My brother's new addition to his FWD ice car. Thank you NASA for the free airfloil design:
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In car video from an event a couple weeks ago. They decided to start FWD 1/2 lap ahead of AWD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbHRxWRH-IE
Outside car (short) video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2QXfIENDEU

The celica took its share of abuse... The damages for this season came to two balljoints, two strut mounts, one body panel, one foglight, one alternator belt tensioner and belt, and about 10 tanks of gas. COnsidering the amount of abuse I put the car through and the number of snowbanks I plowed into (not to mention the former abuse rallycrossing it and running on seasonal roads), I'm impressed with how durable the car has been. Next year I hope to have a better suspension on the car and race in the stud limited class.
 

LegacyofDan

New member
I would so do that in a Heart Beat. looks like so much fun. i did that once in vermont when i was young(er)...in a honda accord :(...but still was a blast!
 

Jason88AllTrac

New member
Drowning? LMAO :rofl:
How are you supposed to drown with almost a foot of ice between you and the water? In case you can't tell... I really get a kick out of it when people say stuff like this. Someone obviously has never been out on the ice before. :) You can drive a car on less than 6" safely. People regularly drive 6,000lb+ vehicles with car trailers out on the ice when we have 10+ inches. Nobody has ever fallen through in some 50 years of racing.
 

___Scott___

Active member
At an ice event here, we had a hole appear on the exit of the course. It was warming up late in the morning and a guy in a Volvo wagon dropped a tire through. He still had enough momentum to exit the course though. You can see that the ice in that spot was only between 3" and 4" thick. If it had been colder, that still would have been enough to get away with it. We didn't worry about that particular part of the ice since it's shallow there anyway.

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There are stories of a guy who showed up to an event and wanted to drive, but it was apparent that he had been drinking and was turned away. He helped himself to the ice on another near by pond and dropped it through. No word on how thick the ice was.
 

RedCelicaTRD

Moderator
Jason88AllTrac":2kzabawn said:
Drowning? LMAO :rofl:
How are you supposed to drown with almost a foot of ice between you and the water? In case you can't tell... I really get a kick out of it when people say stuff like this. Someone obviously has never been out on the ice before. :) You can drive a car on less than 6" safely. People regularly drive 6,000lb+ vehicles with car trailers out on the ice when we have 10+ inches. Nobody has ever fallen through in some 50 years of racing.

Doesn't matter. With my luck I would find the one thin spot and down I go!
 
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