THUNDER BAY – With race-day fast approaching, it remains unclear if a popular ice racing event will be able to go on.
Due to January’s unusually warm weather, the ice on Mission Bay might not be thick enough to allow for the Thunder Bay Autosport Club’s annual ice race season to happen this year.
Gary Adomko, Thunder Bay Autosport Club president, said the club held a general membership meeting Wednesday night to review whether or not ice levels were adequate for racing.
“At this point in time, we don’t have the ice thickness that we would prefer or that we require to build the track and conduct the events,” he said.
“The decision was to do ice checks this Saturday, then we’re going to do another set of checks on the Feb. 14. That will be when we’re going to make a gate decision on whether or not we will hold our long weekend, the Don Kettering Memorial.”
The club needs the ice to be at least 18 inches, which in normal years was an easily obtainable goal. This year’s El Niño winter has caused the ice to be varied in both texture and thickness.
“We’re just not getting the cold temperatures we require to build that ice,” Adomko said. “We have had growth over the last 23 weeks but we’re just not there yet."
The ice racing season hasn’t been cancelled in Thunder Bay since the El Niño winter in the late 80s. Adomko said the club will be very disappointed if they are not be able to hit the ice this year.
“We had some new cars that were being built and those people are gung-ho to get out there and try them. And other teams were doing improvements as well,” he said.
“Myself, I would have just loved to get back behind the wheel and have some fun because it’s a family-based sport. It’s very disappointing but you can’t fight mother nature.”
The final decision on whether or not the season goes on will made on Feb.14 and updates can be found by visiting the club’s social media page.
