2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Driver Chris Galecki Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
2015 Feb 11 Interview with Chris Galecki Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC) RallyCross Director
Velocity said, “Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC) Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” has been extremely successful this year.”
Chris Galecki said, “Yes I was really overwhelmed with the number of entries we received for each event. Historically we were set for 50 cars; it is pretty hard to handle this many cars in an auto cross style event. For each event we have 25 cars on the waiting list, so it’s very popular.”
Velocity asked, “So is every event sold out now, or is there spots available in March?”
Chris Galecki said, “Even the March 8th event was sold out back in January.”
Velocity asked, “That’s great! Has it been this successful before, last year & the year before that?
Chris Galecki said, “When we 1st started 3 years ago we received a decent amount of cars. Last year we got an average of 35-45 cars per event: 1 event winded up being 55 cars. So this year if we accepted all the entries we would have 75 cars per event. It got very popular and it was nice to see a lot of new faces. Sure we had some regulars that came to the other events & are very really quick.”
Velocity asked, “So with this success did you have to take the school to be in the event or could you just show up?”
Chris Galecki said, “No, it’s an Autocross event anyone can just show up, sign-up & take part. The school that we organized back in January was to get the new people up to speed. Instead of them just trying to figure it out on their own, we did a classroom session with some fast rally drivers, including National Champion Eric Grochowski CSCC Rally Director. After we did the classroom we did a session on the ice, then helped them out at getting up to the speed and having fun.
Velocity asked, “How long has the club being doing RallyCross on Ghost Lake?
Chris Galecki said, “When I took the position of RallyCross Director, we did not have a venue because previously we were using Race City Parking. When Race City closed we did not have a place to race, so I thought lets try it out on a lake. We have been using Ghost Lake since 2013. Afterwards I was going through some books at the clubhouse & found the club was on the Ice in 1954, not much information but they did call it “Ice Dice”. That is why we changed the name from “Ice Cup” to “Ice Dice”. When we were at the Race City Parking lot it was called the “Dirt Cup”, so when we went to Ghost Lake we called it the “Ice Cup”.
Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
Velocity asked, “How long have you been doing RallyCross?”
Chris Galecki said, “I started my 1st RallyCross with the Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC) in 2004. In 2005 I did my 1st Rally as a driver & now I Co-Drive for Polish Mafia Rally Team. It was back in 2012 when we didn’t have a director & I said to my friend we have been coming to these events for so many years, maybe it’s time we step in. So that’s how I volunteered for the position of RallyCross Director & it was up to me to find a venue to go racing.
Velocity asked, “What would you suggest for anyone new getting into this? I know this year is sold out but can they come out & watch?
Chris Galecki said, “Yes they can come out to watch & they can ask to go for a ride. Even though the events are sold out we usually have a couple no shows, so if someone shows up in the morning there is a good chance there might be a spot open for them. The last event 3 people showed up and there was room for them. People paid & registered; sometimes something comes up and they are not able to make the event. But if someone shows up and wants to catch a couple rides to see what it is all about; we have loaner helmets & it would not be hard to put them in a car as a passenger to experience what it is like racing on the ice.
Velocity asked, “So for next year a new person getting into it should take the school?”
Chris Galecki said, “Yes it really helps, it speeds up the process to getting familiar with the ice. Especially if one has not done any type of AutoCrossing. At the school they would learn how the formats are run & how it’s all set up. We also talk about car preparation, tire pressures, tires stats, driving techniques; I think it is really good for the beginners. They get to learn in a few hours in the classroom & a few hours on the ice, what we have been learning for 15 years RallyCrossing & Rally.
Velocity asked, “Are you using an Ice Race Studded tire?
Chris Galecki said, “We use a street tire that conforms to highway regulations. So we have Studded & Non Studded street legal tires split into different classes. Studded class needs to run Street D.O.T. tires, with street D.O.T. studs in them, with maximum length of under 3.5 ml. We lined them up with the Rally West rules, which are the B.C. Highway regulation.
Velocity said, “So I hope you have the same great success next year that you have had this year”.
Chris Galecki said, “I am really happy, especially since we have so many new faces, new drivers that want to try it out & compete. At the last event I had this girl come in 3rd in All Wheel Drive Non-studded Class. It was so nice to see the progress she had made, from when she 1st showed up at the school January 11. Then she was at our 1st race event January 18th & then she placed on the Podium February 1st. It was really nice to see the progress & I am sure the skills she learned there on the track will be with her for years to come & used on the street as well.
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” presented by the Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC).
RallyCross is a recreational off-road Solo2/AutoCross event in which participants compete individually against the clock on a temporary pylon course set-up on a gravel parking lot. “Ice Dice” is a form of Rallycross that takes place on frozen lake.
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Events
Jan 18: Event 1 Ghost Lake
Feb 1: Event 2 Ghost Lake
Feb 15: Event 3 Ghost Lake
Mar 8: Event 4 Ghost Lake
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
LOCATION
Our regular location on Ghost Lake just west of Cochrane, a 45-60 min drive from most places in Calgary. Head west on 1a till you get to Ghost Lake, exit to the parking lot on the left, the boat ramp is right there on the left, once you drive down to the ice, turn right and drive south/south west to the south shore, most of the time we are by that little island.
CLASSES
DOT studded tires: all wheel drive (AWDSTUD), front wheel drive (FWDSTUD), rear wheel drive (RWDSTUD)
DOT non-studded tires: all wheel drive (AWD), front wheel drive (FWD), rear wheel drive (RWD)
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
COMPETITION FORMAT
Double Heat format
4 timed runs in both the morning and afternoon heats.
Result is based on the cumulative total of participants two (2) fastest laps, one (1) from the morning and one (1) from the afternoon.
Run in two classes, each broken down to three classes according to drive configuration.
DOT studded tires as per Section 10 of CSCC Ice Dice program: all wheel drive, front wheel drive, rear wheel drive
DOT non studded tires: all wheel drive, front wheel drive, rear wheel drive
2015 Winter RallyCross “Ice Dice” Photo by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA
Full Race Results
http://www.cscc.ab.ca/rallycross-ice-cup/cscc-2015-winter-rallycross-ice-dice/2015-ice-dice-results/
Events are based on weather permitting & ice conditions.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1535510013355440/
Calgary Sports Car Club:
http://www.cscc.ab.ca/
Photos by Shawn Bishop 2015 of RALLYSPORT.CA