Ice Racing

Ice racing, with cars, motorcycles or snowmobiles, takes place on frozen lakes or rivers, or on carefully groomed frozen lots. As cold weather is a requirement for natural ice, it is usually found at higher latitudes in Canada, the northern United States, and in northern Europe.

Ice racing usually involves subcategories for full-rubber and studded tires. These classes are applied to cars and motorcycles, although a greater percentage of motorcycles use studded tires. Studs on motorcycles for ice racing may be as long as 2 1/2 inch with as many as 500 per tire.

Automobile ice races have been most successful in France, with manufacturer-backed entries and international television coverage, with one round also taking place in Canada. Elsewhere, ice racing has proven to be a largely recreational pastime, as lower mechanical wear rates and engine [Power (physics)[power]] requirements lead to lower running costs compared with competing on pavement.