THUNDER BAY – The weather was warm, but not too warm, which suited Jordan Kiiskila and Rob Dawe just fine on Sunday afternoon.
The duo had just put the finishing touch on their Thunder Bay Autosport Club ice racing entry, and were getting set to test the car out in its first competition.
Kiikila, who spent four years racing in the rubber-to-ice category, and Dawe, who is new to the sport in 2023, said it was something they wanted to do together, the former saying his past racing career is what sparked interest in joining forces.
“(Rob) decided to build a car and come join me,” said Kiiskila, ceding the driving responsibilities to Dawe in the studded car category.
“I’ve been racing for four years, minus four years for the pandemic when we had only a couple of races. It’s been great fun and I’ve really enjoyed it. The ice definitely adds another element to it when you’re out sliding around trying to avoid snowbanks and other cars. It’s just a lot of fun.”
For Dawe, it’s a new experience altogether.
“The last lap that we went was the first time I’ve ever driven a car around an ice track, let alone a studded car that’s got some horsepower to it. It was great fun,” he said. “It’s a little intimidating, for sure. You’re coming into the corners and you don’t know the track all that well initially, so you’re trying to figure out where the corners are and how quickly to apply the brakes
“There are definitely some challenges. I would say there’s a little bit of an intimidation factor to it.”
The pair haven’t set expectations too high, which is probably a smart plan, given their Audi had to be towed off the track after taking the first corner of Sunday’s first studded-car heat.
“It’s just to get through it,” Dawe said.
“I thought it was to win,” Kiiskila interrupted.
“It’s a brand-new car, so I expect there will be some gremlins to deal with, so just getting through it and having a blast.”
Veteran racer Gary Adomko, who also happens to be president of the Thunder Bay Autosport Club, said it’s great to have the weekly races, which run through March 12, back in full force, with pandemic restrictions in the past.
A year ago the club did run a weekly series, but because of crowd limits, decided to do it without an audience. This year, more than a hundred people lined the shores of Lake Superior near Chippewa Park to watch the afternoon action.
“We’ve got a fantastic group of people who have shown up for our first ice race of the season,” Adomko said. “Sometimes we’re delayed due to Mother Nature, but today we’re right on track opening up on the 15th of January. It’s beautiful temperatures and it’s a great group of people.”
Adomko said 12 racers took part in opening weekend, with the expectation of more joining the fun once parts for the cars come in. He added they plan to do a two-day series of races on Feb. 18 and 19, with several American teams confirming entry for that particular weekend.
Racing begins on Sundays at noon.
