Fun on the Ice

General chat that fellow COM'ers may be interested in.
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skivittlerjimb
Rookie Driver
Rookie Driver
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:59 am
Location: Williston, VT

Fun on the Ice

Post by skivittlerjimb » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:21 am

A few of us VT COM folks finally got out on the ice the last few weekends for some low traction, high grin-factor laps. Much fun was had by all except for a poor high school kid who went out with his buddies all by themselves last Monday after our two-day event, using the track we'd plowed, and drove into a fisherman's auger hole. :shock: They're fine but the 3G Eclipse that got yanked face first through some ice and very cold water has probably seen some better times. Next time we'll make sure the plow the course shut after the event... lesson learned.

That odd footnote aside, here's some video and photos for your amusement. The owner of the 325 iX is none other than ST4 Miata driver Dave G., and the guy giggling at the steering wheel in the beginning of the video is yours truly. The other guy who drives my car a bit later and then is shown driving his Mini is Jason, an Instructor in training with BMWCCA, and participant at the Tremblant COMSCC event last year.

Anyhow, I found my first real experience ice driving to be incredibly educational, very addictive, and a ton of fun. It's a great environment to try new techniques out (left foot braking, for instance) at much lower speeds and grip levels so you can get a feel for exactly what your moves do to the balance of the car. The effects of trail braking, lifting mid-corner, and of course power-on oversteer are all incredibly magnified on ice, especially if you're not on those cheater screw or bolt tires. All the in-car in the video is from cars on normal studded snows. My Galant is on Nordman 1s and the BMW 325 iX and the Mini are on studded Hakkas, not sure which model.

Never mind that I spun Dave's car at just about the fastest point on our little 9-turn oval, nor that I beached my own car in the heavy snow off course a couple of times, nor that both our cars lost some trim pieces and my car left with a fat-lip bumper bruise. Ice driving/racing is da bomb-diggity. Now to get ready for track and hillclimb season...
-Jim B.
GVR4 280/1000

enjoythemusic
Speed Racer
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Posts: 618
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:51 am
Location: New Hampshire
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Re: Fun on the Ice

Post by enjoythemusic » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:35 pm

You rok!!!! Looks like everyone had a great time.
Enjoy the Track,

Steven R.
http://www.EnjoyTheTrack.com

paultg
Speed Racer
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Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 9:28 pm

Re: Fun on the Ice

Post by paultg » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:26 pm

Is there a website with an event schedule and more info? I have been waiting patiently for the BMWCCA events to start in NH; maybe next weekend. Always nice to have other options. :D
Paul G.
#12

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