Winter is coming, there’s no doubt. Don’t you worry though, insane snowfalls won’t stop us from experiencing a full roster of exceptional automotive events. These ten great winter events will keep our wheels turning all the way into Spring of 2016.
10.) Winter AutoCross
Winter autocross events like the ones held on Lime Rock Park’s autocross track are a great way of exploring your car’s limits, without risking serious damage and the chance to not make it home. And best of all, you don’t have to worry about getting a reckless driving or trespassing ticket for getting sideways action someplace you shouldn’t be.
Suggested By: Brian Silvestro
9.) Rally America’s Sno*Drift
The 2015 Rally America season may have just come to an end, but Sno*Drift 2016 is just around the corner. The first event of the Rally America season is always a great display of what’s to come for the rest of the year. It’s the first opportunity for many teams to really put their skills and their car’s limits to the test. Also, it’s one of the only chances all year round for teams to perform at the limit on snowy and icey rally stages.
The sound of anti-lag on a cold winter morning and the smell of unburnt race fuel, now that’s something to look forward to.
Suggested By: Wagons-Midwest
8.) The Start Of Auto Show Season
Tokyo, Los Angeles, Detroit. These are the early season auto shows where you can really begin to see what next year’s new car dealership lots will be filled with. The shows where automotive journalists listen to executives and PR representatives ramble about how their new facelifted models will be an “industry changer” and “will deliver a truly dynamic and emotional driving experience,” and then we all go drink in the desperate attempt to kill off enough brain cells to somehow keep on living.
Or maybe they’ll just try and speak to you in Emoji. It’s always a fun time.
Suggested By: Jarod Rose, Photo Credit: Getty Images via Jalopnik
7.) Indoor Wrenching
Maybe you’re afraid that your car will catch rust cancer, or you’ve just been delaying the mods and fixes needed after all that performance driving you’ve done. Either way, the off-season is a great time to put your car up on some jack stands, turn that space heater on, and get to work.
Suggested By: crowmolly, Photo Credit: James Craig via Flickr
6.) Ice Speedway
Whether you’re spectating one of these absurd events or you’ve found a way to get your massive steel balls sitting comfortably on top of a bike at a race, you’ll quickly learn how intense ice speedway racing is. But it would be nothing if it weren’t for the huge tire spikes, knee scraping ice, oh and yeah, the sheer intestinal fortitude necessary to put a lap down on one of these machines.
Suggested By: Ladymopar, Photo Credit: Steindy via Wikipedia
5.) Uphill Ski Slope Drag Racing
It doesn’t matter how redneck this event is. Watching those huge tires struggle for traction while soot flies out of these crazy ski slope climbers is just awe-inspiring. This kind of event needs to spread to every single person you know, and probably a few you don’t.
Suggested By: Earl Junior
4.) RallyCross
Sure you can race around cones and put some times down on a dry dirt or gravel RallyCross course, but that’s nothing compared to the fun you can have over snowy mud, or on solid ice. As the snow begins to fall, better keep an eye on MotorsportReg. And be especially thankful if you live in an area that throws RallyX events like the SCCA’s New England Region.
I dare you to find a more exciting way to get around a set of strategically placed cones.
Suggested By: banjo cat, Photo Credit: Michael Roselli
3.) Ice Racing
If rallycross or Winter autocross don’t fulfill your adrenaline hunger, or you’re dying for some low-cost wheel to wheel racing, ice racing is your answer. Ice racing usually requires very little vehicular modification (if any) to compete, and if you live near the Capital Region of New York, you can do it for extremely cheap.
At just $50 per race day and $20 for an annual membership, each winter the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club hosts some of the cheapest wheel to wheel racing known to the motorsport community. And trust me, it’s worth every penny. Even if you only make use of their track day-like 20/20 session.
Suggested By: ElanaA
2.) Winter Demolition Derby
This is just straight up batshit. Watching completely beat up hoopties narrowly avoid destruction is already an incredibly entertaining event. But throw a slippery surface into the mix and you really have a show.
These cars really do die for a truly great cause.
Suggested By: POD
1.) Red Bull Frozen Rush
All the sideways, jumpy awesomeness of Stadium Super Trucks, but on snowy ice. Why hasn’t Red Bull expanded this series? Come on guys, don’t make me beg.
Suggested By: opposauruswrxless
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Top Photo Credit: Red Bull via YouTube