KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Icing on the lake
Welcome to Stake Lake, where racers match skill and speed on a sheet of ice
by KELVIN HARRISON
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| IN THE GROOVE: Studded tires help keep the bikes on the track. |
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A SHARED PASSION: Dan MacKenzie (second from left), competitor and local ice racing guru, poses with fellow racers.
—Kelvin Harrison photos |
The 2008 Greater Kamloops Motorcycle Association (GKMA) BC Ice Racing Series, held at Stake Lake just south of Kamloops, was a great success. After a couple of years of warmer than normal conditions, this season’s weather couldn’t have been any better. The deep freeze in early December froze a 20-inch block of ice covering the entire lake, creating the perfect conditions for the oval track layout.
Dan MacKenzie, the local ice racing guru, did his organizational best this year, attracting 32 sponsors. The 2008 season began with a play day on January 6. This is a day to get the bikes out of the garage, put the studded tires on and do a little test and tuning. The racers themselves have to get into the winter groove and get a feel for the bikes hooking up and biting into the ice.
I have been following this race series for about six years now and it still amazes me how these riders can keep the bikes upright. There is a real art to this style of racing, and the speeds are impressive.
The Western Canadian Championship weekend of January 26 and 27 saw some great racing action, from the pro open final through the intermediates and the vet class. In the open pro and the 250cc pro classes, U.S. National flat track champion Joe Kopp came on up to take a run at the Western Canadian Championship purse. This led to some wicked racing and a great rivalry between Dan MacKenzie and Joe.
These two fought hard all weekend and it all came down to the final races on Sunday to settle the score. In the 250 pro final, Joe edged Dan at the finish line for the overall win. In the pro open final, Dan had the holeshot and led throughout the race but on the last lap in the straightaway after turn two, Dan missed a shift and Joe flew on by to pick up the checkered, and win the overall weekend series.
The ice racing action for 2008 was the best in years. It’s nice to see some young kids out racing: Ryan Durkee, Marcus and Josh Allan, Tyler Bumby, Michael Molnar, Kirsten Orr, Jillian Omasta, Taylor Moore, Clint Hawkings, David Lewis and Shane Merkosky. These kids are the future of the sport, and they are fast!
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