Travel Tips & Trends

Georgetown's ice races

Looking for a new winter sport? Consider racing your car across a frozen lake—or just watching other people do it.

There are several ice racing clubs in Colorado. One of the longest-established is Our Gang 4Wheelers, a family-friendly club that has held events in Georgetown for more than 30 years. You can find them on Georgetown Lake most weekends in January and February.

Anyone with a valid driver's license and a four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle can participate. The club charges a small fee for event registration and onsite vehicle inspection. Drivers are timed around a course marked out on the frozen lake. Only two vehicles race at a time, widely separated so there is no risk of collision, and absolutely no alcohol is permitted on the ice for spectators or participants.

The group hosts three race divisions—Champion, Pro Street and Stock Street—and three tire classes—bare rubber, studs and cheaters. Cheaters are specially designed ice racing tires with sharpened bolts sticking out of the tire tread.

The club recommends that novice ice racers start in the Stock Street division, which is for street-legal vehicles with bare rubber tires. Anything from a Jeep to a family SUV can be seen racing in this division. The Pro Street division is for more experienced racers in street-legal vehicles with either bare or studded tires. The Champion division is for the true diehard and allows all three tire classes and customized vehicles that are not usually street legal.

Ice racing is fun, safe and a great way to enjoy your 4x4 during the winter months. If you'd rather watch, spectating is always free!

For more information, visit www.ourgangiceracing.com or call the club at 303-331-2886.