I'd like to pass along a message relayed from the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club of the upcoming Winter Driving and Ice Race School that some people may like to attend.
start quote from NASCC*****
"A Merry Christmas to all:
As members of the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club (NASCC), or the Alberta automotive community, we want to inform you that the 2011 Winter Driving and Ice Race school put on the NASCC is scheduled to run this January 14 and 15. You might also want to let other friends and family members know about this opportunity to increase their winter driving skills. This could be a great Christmas gift for friends or family. We will also be looking for instructors, and instructing is a great chance to get some early ice time in.
The format for the school will be the same as last year, with a classroom session on Friday evening starting at 6:30, and an on-track session on Saturday on a frozen lake. Registration forms are available on the club website page in the Racing Forms submenu, under racer downloads. Some guidelines and advice are also available under the Getting started, then Ice racing menu options. The race registration form is also used for the school registration form.
http://www.nascc.ab.ca/
We are still waiting for the ice to freeze thick enough, so the exact lake location is not yet identified. Roy's Lake just south of Stony Plain is our preferred choice, but the ice will set the final choice. We anticipate holding the school on Jan 14 and 15, with Jan 21 and 22 as alternate dates. The first race of the year will be held the day after the driving school.
Contact Neill Thompson ([email protected]) or Jed Harrison ([email protected]) for more information, and to submit registrations.
By the way, we just learned that Porsche runs an ice driving school in Quebec for $5000 for 3 days, so at $120 for a one day one evening event, we are offering one heck of a bargain. How can you not take that up?
Hope to see you all there!
NASCC
C/O - Matt Sinfield
NASCC Club President"
***** end quote
In my gallery there are some pics of an informal 'ice dice' timed sessions and races that occur later on in the season usually in the third panel winter sunset pic.
I may not be able to attend the event myself though as the lakes must be freezing up real good now and I just got a call to help make the ice roads north of Fort McMoney!
Ye ha! Enjoy!
Sounds like a lot of fun. Too bad its so far away!
aww i wish i could go to this..
too far.
did it last year with the pulsar after some lady ripped the front off on christmas eve. was a blast the pulsar was great even with all seasons hahaha i even had a second or two on gtir grey if i remember correct! your winter tires were studded were'nt they Grey? lol but it was a real blast and a great forum to throw the car around and have some fun. they even have a spec neon class that is cheap as smoke and still alot of fun [even in a neon] anyone can afford a neon and the racing is all about the driver since the cars are all the same, you can even buy pre-fab cars that are turn key, seat,harness,rollcage,battery and fuel relocate..... cool all the same!
Guaranteed to put a smile on the front of your head!
Yup, it's a bit of a distance! And the schedule is dependent on lake ice conditions so it's tough to figure exactly timewise too and plan the trip.
There may be similar schools put on in your area that aren't advertized a lot, so maybe check with your local sports car club or motorsports groups in your area for something reasonably priced.
The skills learned performance driving on ice are well worth the effort and _sans doubt_ a matter of survival on occasions.
It carries off well thanks to the well qualified road course and ice race instructors and organizers donating their time and not to forget all the volunteers helping stick the orange pylon cones back up in the chicanes and stop boxes. Lots of fun!
It would be cool if these winter performance driving schools were all across Canada and priced where normal people could afford them.
Noticed anything "funny" with the exchange rates and parts prices lately:
New Scarier Insider Information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPg4qTNTP-E
Save Real Money for your Nissan Pulsar Gtir Upgrades!
http://www.canadagtir.com/gallery/user/91gtirgrey/wont-last-long-buy-physical-silver-now
***** "May you live in interesting times."
Yup you're right, tis quite true; twas me at the first go around with studs on the uncarved fresh ice, then you surpassed that time mark with a passenger on-board too! Our awd pulsar cars made a good performance and we were placed reasonably in the top half of the thirty or so others including some real racecars. What a blast at that ice dice. The schools not a timed event for expensive insurance reasons but is a whale of fun too.
The studded tires were great i must say but i'd rather have had some old bridgestone blizzacks or my Michelin X-ice 185/65x16's <<<< ne plus ultra imho.
I bought my first ice race car ['76 toyota sr5] ready to race complete with spare parts for 800 bucks off an older club member who was my instructor and mentor. Great group of competators to be sure. Neons are doing well and Chevettes Class are still running around the course and are very cheap too! Close clean competition! I raced a dodge colt for two years expenses for what the porsche guys pay for three days!
The one type of ice racing i don't think i'll try is the Manitoba style 'bump-to-pass' competition along a winding river, if it's still happening. :)
Noticed anything "funny" with the exchange rates and parts prices lately:
New Scarier Insider Information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPg4qTNTP-E
Save Real Money for your Nissan Pulsar Gtir Upgrades!
http://www.canadagtir.com/gallery/user/91gtirgrey/wont-last-long-buy-physical-silver-now
***** "May you live in interesting times."