Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128145
Two-time ICE Speedway Champion Anthony Barlow is again showing the speed and consistency that earned him his previous titles. He now leads the series with five wins In six races. Just 20 years old, he started riding motocross at 3 and speedway at 7, and he turned Pro at 14. FaFard is again looking to expand his horizons, however, as he hopes to go dirt speedway racing in England next year. By contrast, 1999 and 2000 ICE champion Anthony Barlow, who stands a good chance of taking the 2002 title as well, comes from the opposite end of the spectrum. From Merseyside, England, the 29-year-old didn't even start racing until he was 19. ICE bikes are basically normal speedway bikes. Weighing approximately 170 pounds, they are powered by methanol-burning, single-cylinder engines. Most common are the Jawas, but there are also Weslakes and GMs and the occasional Godden. All engines displace 500cc and feed their power through a dry clutch and one gear. They use a 23-inch front wheel and 19-inch rear, and there are, of course, no brakes, nor is there suspension at the rear. The front end has a simple suspension with around two inches of travel, assisted primarily by what amounts to a big rubber band. Densford believes that the evolution of ice racing is closely tied to the development of the ice screws. Unlike the spiked-tire ice racing seen in Bruce Brown's classic film "On Any Sunday," these racers use special screws that produce traction with their sharp, cup-shaped hex heads more traction, they say, than you get on dirt or even paved racing. For this series, the riders are required to use the Silver Rocket Ice Screws. Now in their third generation, they were developed by and for this series and are designed to provide the best possible combination of optimum traction and minimum ice wear. Each racer has his own pattern and technique for installing the screws, but some common traits emerge. A backing is generally used inside the tire to provide more grip for the screw threads to bite into and to add strength and rigidity to the knobs. There can be as many as 800 screws in the rear tire alone, and they are checked between races to see that they are tight and that the slots are oriented properly. Care is taken to protect the screws, which will last indefinitely (or until the spec is changed). Boards are laid down in the pit areas, and the riders have fashioned covers to put over the tires when the bikes are rolled in and out of the arenas. Flashback to Boise, where it is now Friday. Armed with firehoses and a Zamboni, crews have been working in round-the-clock shifts, building up the ice one-eighth of an inch at a time, from the three-quarters of an inch inch normally maintained for skating and hockey to the 4-inch thickness required for racing. They will finish just in time for the bikes to take the ice, and as soon as the promoter and racers have left the arena on Saturday, they will begin the process of returning the ice to its prerace condition, hauling off truckload after truckload of ice shavings in the process. On Friday night, the racers and the ice are ready. The doors open to spectators at 7 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m. the good seats are gone. The announcer gets the show started as the riders, led by two Americans carrying the Stars and Stripes, parade onto the ice. Flags of England, Scotland, Canada and Wales also wave as the riders are introduced. The first time the bikes hit the ice, pull a wheelie and then pitch it sideways into the corner, the crowd goes wild. Many of the cities visited by the World Cup Ice Speedway Championship have never seen live speedway racing before, and they show their appreciation. A dozen or more riders follow the entire series. Others just catch the ones in their region, and there are a usually a few local riders who can't resist trying it. For all of the racers, though, Friday is an exhibition race. They get paid a flat fee for racing that night, but they don't earn series points or cash prizes. However, they must race Friday to qualify for Saturday, when the prizes and points are on the line. (Top) A rider double-checks his screws to make sure they are tight and free of debris and that the slots are oriented In the proper direction for optimum traction. There are as many as 800 screws to adjust. (Above) Reigning ICE Speedway Champion Nick FaFard signs his fair share of autographs. ICE speedway riders are treated as heroes In the towns where they compete. Saturday night, the intensity increases as they progress through four-lap heat races and a last-chance qualifier. By the time the main event rolls around, it's almost 10 p.m, and the spectators are pumped up. They've got their favorites picked out and they are ready for the final races. Once again, it appears as though it is going to be a shootout between Barlow and FaFard. In heat-race action, Team ProGrips-backed Barlow has dominated the early, easily qualifying for the main. The other rider to watch, defending champ FaFard, also shows the form that earned him the numberone plate in 2001, by taking his heats and pulling long, one-handed wheelies down the back straight, to the delight of the crowd. When they take to the ice for the main, Barlow is on the inside and FaFard is in his favorite spot, on the outside. When the lights go green, Barlow grabs the holeshot while FaFard dices with James Mann for second. Barlow holds his pace while, in spite of some hard charging by FaFard, Mann hangs on to the runner-up spot. At the flag, it is no surprise to see Barlow in front, taking his fifth win of the year. Mann is second, followed closely by FaFard and then Neil Painter, Bobbie Richards and Robbie NcNeil. The win extends Barlow's margin over FaFard in the points to 46. .. U D I • Regardless, the crowd appears to love what they saw. After a one-year hiatus from Idaho, the "Greatest Spectacle on Ice" has returned to tear it up in downtown Boise. Near-sellout crowds on both nights suggest that this won't be the last time the series visits here. Now in its 26th season, ICE promoter Densford predicts a rise in the popularity of ICE speedway in the next two or three years, with cabletelevision coverage and greater series sponsorships playing a key role. The 2003 season should include 12 to 16 events, and if one comes to your town, then it might be worth checking out. ICE speedway could be the hottest and coolest motorcycle race you'll ever see. .... Bank lmerla Center I"'' '. Boise. Results: FeIIl'Ullry 8-8, ZOD2 l.....nd I of 10J MAIN: 1. Anthony B~!lrlow; 2, Jemes MllInn; 3. Nick FlIiFl!lrd; 4. Neil Pelnter; 5. Bobble Richardson. ICE NATIONAl CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 10 rounds): 1. Anthony Berlow (267); 2. Nick FoFord (221); 3. Jome. Mann (198); 4. Neil Pointer (104); 5. Ronnie Kemp (75). n .. _ . • MARCH 13.2002 51