Today in motorcycle history, January 15, 1999

  The "British Bulldog", Anthony Barlow, of Merseyside, England, wins his third ICE race in a row. This time he totally dominates at Rapides Coliseum in Alexandria, Louisiana.

   Motorcycle ICE racing is the equivalent of Speedway Racing on ice. Bikes race counter-clockwise around oval tracks between 260 m (0.16 mi) and 425 m (0.264 mi) in length. The tracks and the scoring is also similar to that of Speedway Racing.

   The bikes bear a slight resemblance to those used for Speedway, but have a bit longer wheelbase and a more rigid frame. The sport is divided into classes for full-rubber and studded tires. The studded tire category involves competitors riding on bikes with spikes up to 1.2 inches in length screwed into each tread-less tire, each bike has 90 spikes on the front and 200–500 on the rear. The use of these spikes in this discipline necessitate the addition of special protective guards over the wheels which extend almost to the ice surface. The spiked tires produce an incredible amount of traction and this means two-speed gearboxes are also required.  And as with speedway, the bikes do not have brakes.

   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's ice surface.  With speeds approach 80 mph on the straights, and 60 mph on the bends it takes some balls. The safety barrier usually consists of straw bales or banked-up snow and ice around the outer edge of the track.  All make for nice soft landings.  Yeah, you bet.

  The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme sanctioned teams and individual meetings are held in Russia, Sweden and Finland, but events are also held in the Czech Republic, Germany and since 2000 in Hungary.

   By the way, in case you're thinking about building a bike for the next ice race in your neighborhood and your wondering what to use, the Czech-made Jawa 4-strokes have dominated the sport for years.  But, that doesn't mean your H2 won't work, I'm just sayin'.