sledRacer.com hit up the WSA Pro-Ice race held at Raceway Park in Shakopee, Minn., this past Sunday, Dec. 20. We learned that no one runs stockers anymore because it costs just as much to run one as it does a Champ sled. All the top names were running the big iron and as a result the race featured 15 Champ sleds. You won’t find this many Champs anywhere else but Eagle River, so we were pretty stoked. You also won’t find any more World Champions anywhere else short of Eagle River. On the track there were three: Gary Moyle, Brian Bewcyk and P.J. Wanderscheid and in the pits there were two that we saw. But mainly we confirmed that, yeah, ice racing is alive and well. Read on as we take you inside an ice race.
Former World Champ Mike Houle was helping the Chartier Motorsports team. He looks fit enough to get back on the sled, doesn't he?
Your first lesson in ice racing is you will end up in the bales at some point. Tuck and roll, people.
The second thing you need to know in ice racing is even the best riders end up in the bales. Here's the carnage from Dustin Wahl's crash.
Former World Champion Dave Wahl was on hand making sure his stuff was running at the front.
We hung out in Joey Fjerstad's trailer. The place was a beehive of activity all day as they worked to keep their Champ at the front.
Clutching in ice racing is crucial. Here Fjerstad's crew ginds tiny amounts off the weights to fine tune the sled.
After each heat the Champ crews load the sled into the trailer to make adjustments.
Just because you're a World Champion doesn't mean you don't do any work. Brian Bewcyk helped load his teammates sled onto the drag sled.
Gary Moyle's Champ is unique in that it is a tube chassis, kinda like a mod hillclimber.
P.J. Wanderscheid watches the start of the Champ heat before his to see what's working.
This guy brought out his vintage racer and was surprisingly fast.
Sunday Champ 440 results: 1. Dustin Wahl, 2. P.J. Wanderscheid, 3. Joey Fjerstad.
