Ice speedway

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Ice speedway

Swedish 2007 national championship
Highest governing body	FIM
Characteristics
Equipment	Speedway motorcycle
Venue	Frozen motorcycle speedway
Presence
Olympic	No
World Championships	Yes
Paralympic	No

Ice speedway is a developed form of motorcycle speedway racing, featuring racing on frozen surfaces. The sport uses bikes enhanced for the terrain. Participants can compete at international level.

Outline

The bikes race

Ice speedway is an evolution of dirt speedway racing, which first started in 1923. Staten Lorenz of Michigan is generally credited with the invention of the sport, in 1975. The first ice speedway event was organized and promoted by a local motorcycle dealer in Huntsville, Alabama. The third ever event was hosted at the Kent State University hockey field house, which speedway rider Gary Densford was invited to attend by his friend Bob Hetrick. At this event, Hetrick finished first and Densford finished second. Densford went on to promote this new sport, forming the ICE (international Championship Events). ^[1][2]

Studs

Later, in 1982, studded tires were made mandatory. Specially designed studs were used, the first design was the "Ice Getter", a single track of studs which increased traction on the ice but didn't significantly increase wear on the ice (important to consider for indoor racing). Later, a new design was used, the "Kold Kutter", had dual tracks of studs, which increased traction further but increased wear on the ice. The performance gains from the Kold Kutters was so significant, however, that supposedly some of the older racers decided to retire. Lastly, in 1991, the ICE mandated a new type of racing stud, the "Silver Rockets Racing Studs", which had the most traction and least ice wear out of any design so far.^[2]

Bike construction

The bikes bear a passing resemblance to those used for speedway, but have a longer wheelbase and a more rigid frame. As with speedway, the bikes do not have brakes.

The sport is divided into classes for full-

The use of spikes on the tyres makes the sport more dangerous with fallen riders running the risk of being run over by other bikes. Ice speedway riders have often been described as both the bravest and craziest of all speedway riders.^{[citation needed]}

Technique

In the studded tyre class there is no broadsiding around the bends due to the grip produced by the spikes digging into the ice. Instead, riders lean their bikes into the bends at an angle where the handlebars just skim the track surface. Speeds approach 80 mph (130 km/h) on the straights, and 60 mph (100 km/h) on the bends. The safety barrier usually consists of straw bales or banked-up snow and ice around the outer edge of the track.

Since the riding style required for studded ice racing is different from that used in the other track racing disciplines, riders from this sport rarely participate in speedway or its other variants and vice versa.

Competitions

The majority of

• Ice racing
• Motorcycle speedway
• Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
• Icetrack cycling

References

• Raby, Phillip; Nix, Simon. Motorbikes. First Avenue Editions; 1999.
  ISBN 0-8225-9854-X