Ice Racing in Ottawa

Around the end of February I had the privilege of joining some of Ottawa’s most rough and tumble automotive enthusiasts. Every Saturday in February, the good folks over at Calabogie Motorsports Park (about 40 minutes from Ottawa) organize some absolutely mental homebrew ice racing! The requirements are simple, bring a car (there are AWD, RWD, and FWD classes), bring a helmet, bring your entry fee, and if the organizers give your team the ok, you’re in. Aside from that, rules seemed to be few and far between, just keep the car contact to a minimum (crashing meant starting from the back in the next round), and keep your car parts off the track. The gallery below will show in detail that many parts would get hastily reattached.

There were about 7 or 8 contestants on this particular weekend (depending on which car kept running), as you can tell from the gallery below, all the cars were in immaculate condition. The cars can really be described as battletanks, most had been stitched together and resembled something out of an Arctic Mad Max film. After talking to a few of the drivers and their crews I learned it’s because all the money goes where it counts, the tires. Bridgestone Blizzak tires are the most popular, with some drivers swearing up and down that they were the only way to go on ice. One or two teams had opted for some more affordable options from Nankang and Antares, but 90% of sets were definitely from the Japanese powerhouse. This was a day which came right after one of the largest blizzards Ottawa had experienced that winter, so beneath the snowy track a thick layer of ice kept traction to a minimum. While most competitor cars were “gently” used Subaru WRXs, there was also the occasional Legacy wagon, but the real star in my eyes was the 1988 Toyota Corolla Wagon All-Wheel-Drive. Imported from South Africa, this wagon was as far removed from the Griswolds as possible, its skinny fitment paired with some skilled sideways drifting saw it leading multiple rounds.

All in all the event was an absolutely exhilarating experience, and we here at CanadaWheels can’t wait to see everyone next year. Perhaps we’ll even build an entry of our own. For more opportunities to lay down your horsepower, visit the Calabogie Motorsports Park Race Events page. Many thanks to Jane and Greg for helping us get in and out unharmed.