Zell am See Ice Race Returns 27 January. Aspen Debuts

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Zell am See Ice Race Returns 27 January. Aspen Debuts.

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F.A.T. Ice Racing in 2024 starts on 27 January in Zell am See (formerly GP ICE RACE). Debuting on 8-10 February 2024, Ice Race Aspen Driven by Mobil 1 will take place in Colorado, promoter F.A.T. said today. The winter-fest of speed goes back to the 1950s when it was run on a frozen Austrian lake; now it’s on a frozen track.

In both events both amateur and professional will  compete across multitude of classes running on ice. At Zell am See, there are Touring 4-wheel-drive and 2-wheel -drive cars, Buggys, Skijöring,* Skijöring Elektro, Side-cars and Classic cars. With about 100 competitors, entries are now closed. Event sponsors, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, Red Bull and SIXT will provide supporting programs, including the Red Bull Flying Bulls air show. MotoGP star Dani Pedrosa will also be making his debut on the ice.

Ticket holders can see a diverse starting line-up comprised of vehicles from 22 different manufacturers, eight different buggies, as well as 30 teams of two in the legendary skijoring event, which sees daredevil skiers being dragged across the ice by the vehicles. From a 75-horsepower Porsche 356 built in 1956 and classics such as a Lancia Delta HF Integrale, a Subaru Impreza 555 – Colin McRae won the 1994 Rally New Zealand  in it – and the 600-horsepower Audi S1 WRX through contemporary super sports cars, some with more than 1000 horsepower, there is a lot of racing action planned. Alongside the competitive races, show drives along the 600 meter-long ice track, will see vehicles such as the colorful and agile Meyers Manx dune buggies refitted with studded tires playing on the ice.

Newer technology in these global warming times appears via QR codes affixed to the vehicles to provide insights and highlights into each vehicle’s history.

  • Porsche enthusiasts will be able to take a transcontinental journey through the history of the brand in a specially designed hangar.
  • In another hangar, Audi will be exhibiting contemporary and historic racing cars, the highlight being the fully electric S1 Hoonitron. The entirely electric prototype was developed by Audi Sport as an exclusive collaboration with US drift artist Ken Block, who passed away last year. The Audi quattro S1 will also be seen running at Zell am See.
  • To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Golf, Volkswagen will be offering programs, both on and away from the ice, going back to the roots of the front drive vehicle.
  • The Bulls airshow will have a BO 105 C aerobatic helicopter and an Edge 540 aircraft – a familiar sight from the Red Bull Air Race World Championship and piloted by Dario Costa – who will be performing maneuvers in the skies above Zell am See Airport.
  • With what is described as “a breathtaking ice show,” Red Bull MotoGP star Dani Pedrosa will be setting the pulses of motorbike fans racing on his MotoGP bike equipped with spiked tires.

AutoInformed on

*Skijoring

Skijoring is an ancient sport, where a person on skis is pulled with high speed over snow. From 1928 on, horses without a rider were used. Soon after, motorsport enthusiasts followed. In 1938, for the first time the skiers were pulled by motorized vehicles. Ice races for motorbikes and cars then followed.

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