The Pittsfield Winter Carnival, under the auspices of the Pittsfield Department of Community Services, Parks and Recreation, presents...
Saturday Feb. 10, 2001 - ICE TRIALS - Sunday Feb. 11, 2001

Sanctioned by the Mohawk Hudson Region of the Sports Car Club of America as a Rally Cross
on the frozen (12" minimum) surface of ONOTA LAKE, in PITTSFIELD Massachusetts

Runs start at 11:00 AM, maybe EARLIER on Sunday! -- Be there early for a drive around (~9-~10:30AM)
Number of entrants will be limited (to between 50-100)!  Get there early to ensure participation.

Registration begins at 8AM both days. No pre-registration

This event is not scored as part of any other series.

If you plan to attend, please read the notes to entrants at the end of this flyer!

To be held on Onota Lake at the end of Lakeway Drive in Pittsfield Massachusetts. Registration & Headquarters at the Controy Pavilion on Lakeway Drive (500 Lakeway Drive, Pittsfield, MA 01201, enter from Pecks Road end!)
Various directions here. Event Status here. Rallycross rules here.¬ note hyperlinks!

That's right, it's another busy two-day, two events Ice Trials weekend. Classes for any type of 4 wheeled vehicle with any type of tires. Front engine Rear wheel drive, Front engine Front wheel drive, Rear engine Rear wheel drive, or Four-wheel drive. Whatever moves you. If you're in doubt, call. Jeeps and dune buggies must have roll bars or hard tops. Open vehicles such as dune buggies must have a roll bar and face protection for the driver and may not carry a passenger on course. All classes are duplicated for studded snow tires (standard commercial studding). All vehicles MUST have and drivers MUST use SEATBELTS! Helmets are also required (per SCCA General Competition Rules) and must have the proper SNELL 1990 or newer certification. A small number of approved loaner helmets will be available. A passenger is allowed if wearing a helmet and seatbelt.

While this event is designed for your everyday streetcar, a special class for modified vehicles also exists. This class is for any vehicle equipment such as ice racing vehicles, dune buggies, vehicles with locked differentials, and any vehicle with non-standard studs in the tires (such as longer than normal, more than normal or otherwise different than normal). Cars may be placed in this class at the decision of the event chairman or safety inspector. Go-carts, motorcycles and ATV's are NOT allowed to enter. Again, all vehicles must have and drivers (and passengers) must use SEATBELTS and HELMETS!

The ICE TRIALS consists of a defined course on the surface of the frozen lake. The length of the course will be between 1.0 and 1.5 miles (depending on snow conditions) and cars will be started approximately 1 minute apart to eliminate the risk of collision. The object of the event is to complete the course in the least amount of time. Runs will be timed to the nearest thousandth of a second. Penalties will be assessed (time added) for hitting course markers (pylons). Approximately one third of the entries in each vehicle class, as defined above, will be awarded trophies for their performance. A minimum of three (3) cars must enter any class for a trophy to be awarded in that class. Bring your friends to drive your car if it is an oddball. Seperate classes may be created if a large number of vehicles of any one type enter.  This is at the discretion of the event chairmen. Trophies are presented at the end of the event and will not be mailed.

REGISTRATION: Saturday and Sunday opens at 8:00 AM and continues till 11AM (note that the timed runs will have already started by 11AM and you will not have a course familiarization run) or until our entry limit is reached. Missed runs will not be made up. Timed runs will (hopefully) start at 11:00 AM sharp Saturday, perhaps earlier on Sunday. Cars run in numerical and timed run order whenever possible. We try to have 5 timed runs or more but 3 is considered minimum. Entrants may enter more than one vehicle. The different vehicles may be in the same or different classes. It is the entrant's responsibility to have the cars ready to run in order. More than one driver may enter the same vehicle. Numbers for the same vehicle will be issued at least 4 apart to allow for driver changes. Event entry fee is $20.00 per day per entrant. Loaner cars are anticipated to be available for a gasoline user fee. Just show up early, enter and run! 

A limited number of entries will be allowed based on the weather and lake conditions. 100 will be the maximum limit, which will be adjusted down (lowered) accordingly the day of the event.  First come, first entered. Saturday's entry may be limited to 50 if we need significant time to plow the course.  We may try to prepare the course on Friday, but that's a major maybe.  If you have a plow and would like to help, let Dave know and be there when the sun comes up.

Event status? PLEASE call Clark's answering machine the Friday and Saturday nights immediately prior to events the following day to check status of that day's event. Each morning when I leave for the lake (~7AM) I will update the message. Please be aware that we may need to postpone or cancel the event, for whatever reason. If you are traveling any distance to this event, please call the answering machine for an update. I will most likely NOT be able to return messages due to a busy schedule. E-mailers: Please subscribe to the Ice-Trials mailer for up to the minute updates prior to the event. To do so, send a message "subscribe ice-trials" to majordomo@digest.net and read the instructions in the reply messages to authenticate your subscription!

Pictures from previous events are on the web at: ITpict.html the Winter Carnival website is at: Pittsfield Winter Carnival

ICE TRIALS EVENT CHAIRMAN:
Dave Kosla DKosla1023@aol.com 50 Maryland Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201 413-443-6152 - or-
Clark W. Nicholls CWNicholls@aol.com 65 Hartwood Road, Lee, MA 01238 413-243-3433

Some Notes to Entrants:

The overwhelming number of entries in the 2000 event will make the 2001 event a critical event.  If it does not go smoothly, we may not have more events in the future.  This will require cooperation of all entrants. Dave and Clark take care of virtually all the pre-event preparation and have only a handful of people they can count on for help at the event itself.  We need as much help making things go as smoothly as possible.

We will have a food concession at the lake again this year.  I didn't notice it last year as it wasn't part of the plan, but he's invited back this year and we should try to patronize him.  In the past when we had a concession in the pavilion it was not patronized and therefore we had none for several years.  If you want continues service, give them some business!

Points to remember:

Fill out your entry form completely and so it can be read.  Results are mailed after the event and flyers are sent for the next event.  Some entry forms haven't had a proper address, believe it or not.  If we can't mail you the results, we can't mail you the flyer for the next year's event.

Know what your car number is!  We had a couple of screw-ups last year for the first time ever and hope to avoid a recurrence this year.  The starter will have a list of entrants to double-check each car/driver before starting.  There is paper available at registration to write your number on.

We will run in timed run order and as much as possible, numerical order.  That means that while we're in the process of doing run #1, don't get in line if you've already had your first timed run.  If you're not in line for a timed run, move your car away from the line-up area so others can maneuver their vehicles.  If we're just starting a run and you have a high number, don't get in line yet.  We have a sign indicating what run number we are currently running and we may have a sign for car numbers that should be in line (< 20, < 30, < 40, etc).  Do you get the idea? 

If we're in the process of running timed run #2, #3 or higher and you're a run or 2 behind (mechanical repairs, whatever the reason), come to the front of the line and catch up!  Other entrants please cooperate.

Penalty: If you come up to the start and are on your 3rd run and we're still on run 2 (and the run 2 sign is still up), you will be sent away and lose your third run. (or 2nd on the 1st, 4th on the 3rd, etc…). 

If you are told you have a re-run because something happened on course or we made a mistake, proceed directly to the start line and cut-in ASAP (not to go right away, but maybe 2nd or 3rd in line to go again).  Above rule is waived for you as you are on a re-run.

Be aware that there are several cars with 3 or more drivers.  They will be allowed to "cut" in line for obvious reasons.  If you pay attention, you will be able to recognize these cars, please let them in for 2nd or 3rd start position if they are ready to go (driver has been switched).

Return the loaner helmets to the start position as soon as you have completed your run.  They are needed for other contestants. 

Remove all loose objects from the trunk and passenger compartment of your vehicle.  This is part of the technical inspection and will be observed each time you come to the start line.  Make sure your helmet chinstrap is secured.  Hubcaps must be removed.  No added weight is allowed in the vehicle (cement blocks, sand bags, whatever).

Depending on conditions, don't drive your car on and off the lake repeatedly.  The access to the lake can degrade due to this traffic and by the end of the day we may have a problem getting off the lake.  If you can park on the lake, please do so and walk to the pavilion. Last year we didn't have any problems, this year may be different.  If we ruin the access on Saturday, the Sunday event may suffer or even require cancellation.

Help out!  Help line up cars for the start, return loaner helmets to the start line, whatever. 

Be courteous to everyone! If someone isn't courteous to you, remind him or her of this rule.

Stay away from the timing and scoring vehicle(s).  Don't even go near them!  Times will be posted near the starting position as often as practical (on the blue Buick wagon).  Hopefully after each run.  We hope to post a "class" list for all entrants to inspect and confirm we haven't made a classing mistake.  Please check it closely.  We will break the entry into as many classes of 3 or more similar cars as we can. More trophies awarded is good.

Don't block the time display from the view of others (don't stand around it, either!).

Don't get close to the course, especially on the outside of a turn.  We will try to notice this and yell at you.  Please help police this rule and help us out.  Non-entered spectators haven't read this and don't know what's going on.

Do not leave any trash of any kind on the lake or in the parking areas.  There are plenty of trash receptacles for this.  Last year I had to pick up several coffee cups and bottles in the spectator area, just a few yards from a trash can.

If you have some large debris to dispose of (major car parts or cars) we can help you make arrangements for their disposal (ask the Formels).

If the Winter Carnival Queen contestants come by to sell their buttons (2 for a dollar) we expect everyone to purchase some and wear them.  This is part of a contest for them and helps raise money for the Winter Carnival. The Carnival is what makes this event happen, not SCCA.  This event has been going on since the 50's as a Pittsfield Winter Carnival event.  Without the Pittsfield Winter Carnival, we would not have the use of this lake.  Thanks to the SCCA for sanctioning this year's event.

Don't hot rod around the lake paddock or shore areas.  The Pittsfield Police will be around watching our conduct. Any speeds in the double digits (greater than 9MPH) will be frowned upon.  Cell phones can bring help quickly.  Actually, over the years we have had police officers as participants in this event and I know of at least one Deputy Sheriff that will likely be in attendance.

Please note that the Lakeway Drive inhabitants have commented that we drive faster than we should on their normally dead-end street. Please drive very, very slowly when coming to and leaving the Pavilion. This is a community-supported event and we don't want to loose that support!  I know some of the complaints were due to non-associated drivers horsing around, not us, but we should behave anyway.

If you want to drive to other areas of the lake, be careful and don't fall through. The course area has been used for many years now and we know where we are.  We know where the springs and streams are and we avoid them.  We also know areas where it's not safe to drive.  Please don't drive in those areas.  It's very expensive to retrieve a vehicle that's gone thru the ice and the vehicle will not be useable afterwards.

If you and your organization would like to put on your own Ice Trials type event, please let us know.  We would love to attend!  No, Onota Lake and the Controy Pavilion are not available for your event.

Speaking of which, the Boston BMW club tries to put on an event in New Hampshire. Check out  http://www.boston-bmwcca.org/