March 29, 2024

Lakes

Article of the Month

The First Motorcycle Ice Race National Championships (1981)

Organized Motorcycle Ice Racing has been around since at least the 1930’s. Various clubs and race organizers across the country have hosted ice races, race series, and championships.  Bragging rights for different clubs and series were prevalent and people were often comparing champions of one series or club to champions of another series or club.  The age-old question of who was in fact the best racer in their perspective ice racing class or race division was open for debate.  Several people wanted to get an overall racing championship started and one of the best ways to do this was to organize an American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Amateur National Championship.  Several people from Michigan (AMA D-14) had often discussed getting such a race event started, but many of the people that I have spoken to suggested that Jack Mayer Sr, of Michigan really pushed for this event.

The Port Huron Motorcycle Club would ultimately be given the go ahead from both the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the AMA D-14 organizations to organize and host the first Ice Racing National Championship event.  The first Ice Racing National Championship would be scheduled as a two-day event that would run on Saturday February 14th and Sunday February 15th, 1981.  The event was hosted and promoted by the Port Huron Motorcycle Club and the event was held in Port Huron Township just off Range Road and I-94 Expressway.  The track was a ¼ mile oval ice track that was well prepped and ready to host the best ice racers in the country.  Riders came from all over the country to race in studded solo, non-studded solo, studded side car, and non-studded sidecar classes.  The race was officiated by the club referee Bob Garbutt who was well respected by many racers and clubs from around Michigan. The Port Huron Motorcycle Club had a beautiful 24-page program that could be purchased for just $2.00 per program.  The program had several dozen businesses advertised, a class line up of 16 classes that included the names of pre-entered riders, a club history, an ice racing history, a description of non-studded ice tires and tractionizing, ice racing pictures, a letter from the mayor of Port Huron, and more.  I have a copy of this program and it’s probably the nicest event program that I have ever seen in my 40 plus years of racing.  When was the last time that you saw a race program, much less a 24-page program?

The Ice Racing National Championships went very well and would launch the Ice Racing World into a new era as we could now have National Champions named for each class.  Riders would be able to come from all over the U.S.A. to compete against each other to settle who was the best rider for that given year.  As most people would suspect, most of the riders come from the Northern States.  Although we call it a National Championship, they have allowed riders to come from other countries and compete as well.  

Non-studded ice racing is believed by many to have originated in Port Huron, Michigan and it seems fitting that the first National Championship was hosted in Port Huron.  During an intermission at the first Ice Nationals, Port Huron’s own Max Cook Jr. would put on quite a show with his wheelie display on his motorcycle.  After the Championships were over, the club even sent thank you letters to all the participants.  With a lot of planning and hard work, the Port Huron Motorcycle Club was able to promote a great event and set a precedent for future promoters of the Ice Racing National Championships.  Since then, Ice Race National Championships are held every year (that weather allows) in different areas, such as all-over northern Michigan as well as Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, and Colorado.

Story By: Member Stan Prapotnik
Port Huron Motorcycle Club