Question & Answer

Protests are the way we ensure a fair racing environment; they allow drivers to have a voice.  There are 2 ways in which a protest can be filed.

The first is to protest an Our Gang error. Only those involved may file a protest. To do this, you must go to the Head Official involved ASAP (i.e. right after your heat), as this ensures the best decision will be made. The Center Ice Official, if you’re protesting a call made on the track, The Head of Staging Official, if you’re protesting a staging decision, or The Tech Committee, if you’re protesting placement in a division. The officials will only talk with you if you’re calm and in control; you will be held responsible if you act inappropriately. They will investigate your protest and if all the rules were followed and the officials involved stand behind the decision made, the decision will be FINAL. If you feel your Protest was not handled appropriately, you can then escalate to the President (who acts as Our Gang’s head official) and they can decide to let the decision stand or investigate further with the Board of Directors.

The second type of protest allows you to protest another driver or vehicle. You must go to the President ASAP. At this time, a $50 cash deposit is due. Protests can only be made by the individuals involved and you can only protest rule book infractions and cheating. The claim will be investigated and if it’s upheld the cash will be returned. If the claim is denied, the deposit will be retained by Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Inc. for defrayment of costs. Every driver is governed by the same set of rules and method of officiating. We strive to keep it as fair as possible no matter your division, experience, or relation to Our Gang.

Yes! We recognize the top 5 drivers in EVERY class at a presentation each race day. They receive a certificate and a small prize. If you finish in the top 5 you also receive points that can be accumulated for the division point championship which is awarded at the end of the season.  More information about this can be found on this page.

We put on this fun, non-competitive event on the third Sunday of our schedule each year. Kids who are under driving age can participate and we have kids of all ages, from infants to teenagers.  The appeal of the Kid’s Race is it is our only event that allows the kids to drive a lap. Smaller children sit on their parent’s laps and steer the vehicles, while older children – who are able – can actually drive themselves. Every child that completes their lap gets a trophy. If you’re interested in getting your kids involved, we ask that kid participants be related to or a guest of adult racers and the vehicles be the same that are entered in the ice racing events.  There are no additional fees and you enter your kids at your own risk. Thanks to Rich Mulvey who supplies us with trophies each year! More information on this event is posted on the website in the weeks leading up to the event.

The Cheater Invitational is the BIG Championship race. All season long we run cheater events. Drivers compete in these events to earn a position in the Invitational. If you finish in the top five you earn points towards the Invitational. The top 8 drivers from the Women’s class and the top 8 drivers from the Men’s class at the end of the season are invited to participate in the Invitational. These 16 drivers pick numbers and are placed into a single elimination bracket. Winners advance and continue racing until there is only one driver left. Drivers get a plaque and hold onto the traveling trophy until next season. The Invitational is run the morning on the last Sunday of the season. Since drivers earn their positions, invitations are extended and there are no additional fees to pay. This is a great race to watch because cheaters is very fast paced and the best drivers of the season are competing against one another.

• 1st Place – 5 points
• 2nd Place – 4 points
• 3rd Place – 3 points
• 4th Place – 2 points
• 5th Place –  1 points

1. The driver with the most first place finishes.
2. The driver with the most second place finishes.
3. The driver with the most third place finishes.
4. The driver with the most fourth place finishes.
5. A tie breaker race between the drivers in the tie. The winner gets top position.

Gang Members are all volunteers who join Our Gang 4 Wheelers to help put on the ice races.  Members take care of all aspects of the races: planning, promotions, rule revisions, track set up, tech inspections, registration, assisting drivers, flagging, staging, safety and sponsorship. They work hard to put on the events and put in extra time and attend meetings. Therefore, members, especially Officers, have perks available to them (discounted race entry, the ability to vote on issues, and members only events and merchandise). You do not have to be a member to ice race.

Everyone is welcome to join Our Gang. We have members from all divisions and levels of experience. Members do the heavy lifting of organizing the event details, registering drivers, checking vehicles, setting up tracks and equipment, filling in gaps at flagging positions and more. We need all the help we can get!  If you can volunteer at any level, please consider doing so.

In past years, competitors wishing to become Our Gang members had to apply for membership before the beginning of the race season, which caused some confusion for those who were interested in becoming members in the middle of the season, so we have expanded the membership application window to encompass the entire season.

• Competitors may apply for membership once the application is made available through the end of the race season. They must compete in races on at least two separate weekends before they are eligible to become members (this includes prior season).
• Members joining mid-season are not eligible for member discounts until the following season.
• Friday Fun Days and certain merchandise may be reserved for members only.
• All regular meetings occurring during the race season will be held online. The Annual Meeting, which is typically held in April, will continue to be held in person.

Yes, you can attend an Our Gang Meeting even if you’re not a member or if you’ve never competed before. We welcome everyone to come and see what goes on and how Our Gang operates. If you have questions, concerns or an idea you’d like to present, the meetings are the best place to do it. Some topics may be tabled (i.e. rule changes) to a future meeting. Also, it’s important to note that only current Our Gang Members may vote on issues brought up. See the schedule page for meeting dates and locations.

The ice is a natural surface and the track committee has similar considerations that other “off road” track officials do. They base their decision each day on a couple of factors.

1. What is the ice surface available? Is there a lot of snow on the ice, is the ice rough in areas from frozen snow banks, and are there other undulations in the ice? Is there better traction on one side of the track versus the other?
2. What is the condition of the ice on the day of the race? Are there areas where the ice is unsafe because of ice fishing holes or springs? This can limit their layout options. Also, the surface of the ice can change day to day, is it slick, is it grippy, has it melted and refrozen (meaning it will be slicker as the day goes on)?
3. They also need to consider the classes being run that day. Rough tracks are ok for race vehicles being trailered home, but not so much for street legal vehicles who don’t have oil pan protection or safety equipment like roll cages. Also, different tracks work better for fast, high grip Cheaters compared to Studs or Bare Rubber.
4. They also consider variety, so they try to set up different tracks throughout the season. Some drivers prefer tight, technical tracks and others prefer fast, open designs. We can’t please everyone, but we try to have a mix that appeals to most.

Also, it is worth mentioning that the track you practice on in the morning MAY be different then the one your class runs. Usually we change tracks because of ice conditions. Final track decisions are announced at the Driver’s Meeting each morning, so make sure you listen up. Here are some basic tracks that we run and that we base some of our more complicated tracks on:

“Rough” or “fast” tracks are the tracks used from cheaters the day before. There are two reasons the Street division typically doesn’t run these tracks. The first reason is safety. The grooves and burms in these tracks along with faster speeds increase the risk of injury and roll-over. The second reason is equipment. These tracks can be really tough on equipment. The lower profile cars that run Street can get stuck, damage can occur with low hanging parts, tires can get knocked off their bead, and sometimes more serious equipment failures occur because of the rough tracks.

Our Gang 4 Wheelers originated from a group of people who were 4 wheel drive enthusiasts and the first races happened at ponds that were only accessible by 4 Wheel Drive trail. The sport, as it is today, has evolved from that beginning. This includes the rule that vehicles must be Four Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive to participate in any of our events (races, practice, etc…). At this time, we are limited on time (only 5 weekends per season) and current volunteer and sponsorship levels do not support the successful addition of the extra classes and drivers that opening the vehicle classifications would bring.  As an alternative, you can check into other clubs in Colorado that put on races or ice driving classes for non four wheel drive vehicles.

No. For safety and insurance purposes, only vehicles running in the organized events can be on the ice.  Even then, those not running in an event must remain parked until it’s their turn. There are other clubs in Colorado that run ice races, you can check around to find events for your vehicle.

No, Our Gang runs a full schedule with our current classes and events.  We appreciate your interest in ice racing, but we have decided to stay with full size Four Wheel Drive vehicles in our events.  There are other clubs in Colorado that hold ice races special for some of these vehicles, so we encourage you to contact them and get involved with their events.

Yes, you can enter just one race. You can attend any one race, whether it’s the first or last weekend or one in between. For those of you wondering about Championship Weekend, yes you can come up that weekend even if you’ve never raced before. We call it Championship Weekend, because it’s the weekend we run all of our extra Championship races and finish out the points races.

No. Jeeps have been popular in our group, but you do not need one to race. Even most of the Competition vehicles, while they look like Jeeps, are not really “Jeep” other than the drive train and maybe the body.  You do need to have a vehicle that is Four Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive to participate.  In our Street classes, we’ve had just about every 4×4 make of sedan, wagon, SUV, light truck and full size truck.  If you want to race, bring it up!

All race competitors are required to help run a class that they are not participating in by flagging corners, helping stage, or any other duties necessary to safely run the event. As such, participants are reminded to dress warmly, as they may need to stand outside for extended periods of time.

It is usually cold, and often windy. We recommend you wear, at a minimum, a heavy coat, gloves and a hat. Most veteran racers wear a few layers of clothes, something to cover their faces and warm shoes too. Also, remember you are walking on ice, so you may want to wear ice traction grips (Yaktrax, Kahtoola, Korkers or similar) on your shoes, so you don’t fall down. They are available at REI, but there are similar products on Amazon for less.

The quick answer is, it could be.  Keep in mind this is considered off road racing, so you should probably have at least 6″ of ground clearance and more for snowy days or bumpy tracks.  The ice is a natural surface and can freeze with undulations and bumps in the surface.  We try not to set up tracks that have big bumps in them for all classes, but sometimes it is unavoidable.  Also, a large amount of snowfall on the ice can be a deterrent for lowered vehicles.  We do not plow snow or manage the ice surface in any way as it is expensive, time consuming and bad for the quality of the ice.  If you are concerned at all, attend a race first to decide for yourself what is best for YOUR vehicle.  We are not responsible for any damage to your vehicle.

Our Gang has 3 divisions Street, Pro Street and Competition. Your division placement has to do most with your tires and your vehicle. You can compete at any division you wish as long as the vehicle is compliant with that division’s rules. You can also enter different divisions in different classes.

Street is the most basic of divisions. All vehicles are licensed and registered and their makes/models vary widely. The tires must be DOT approved for use on public roads.

Pro Street is also a division for licensed and registered vehicles, but more aggressive studded tires are allowed. Winter rally ice racing tires produced with the studs installed and/or molded into the rubber at the factory and custom-built studded tires are still allowed as long as they meet the requirements specified in the rules. Please read the rule book for full details.

Competition Division is for purpose built ice racing vehicles and tires. Studded tires are all handmade and studs can be up to 20mm in length. Bare rubber tires can be almost any tire. And this division is the only one that runs cheater tires, which have 1 1/2″ bolts sticking out of the tread. This division requires Snell helmets in all classes and has the most safety equipment requirements as well.

No, we do not.  The best advice for new drivers is to watch the other drivers. See how they drive the track and what is working best. Then go out and get as much seat time as possible either practicing or racing.

We always check the ice depth and quality in 4 different areas before we let anyone enter the lake.  The ice in Georgetown averages 12 to 22 inches throughout the two months we race.  We need to have 12 inches to hold a race, 18 inches before we allow trucks and trailers onto the ice and 20+ inches before we allow large RVs out.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when you’re on the ice:

1.  We need to maintain even weight distribution. We ask that everyone park 20 feet apart in the pit area. Even individual vehicles need to park with space around them.  Don’t park all in the same area like a parking lot or cluster around the trucks, trailers or RVs that are in the pits.

2.  It is very important that you stay in our area of the lake, which is marked at the boundary. We share the lake with other outdoor enthusiasts (like ice fisherman). Also, there are natural springs around the lake (which don’t freeze as deep as the rest of the ice), most of which are outside our racing boundary.

3.  Pay attention to where you are driving and what the surface is like. We will try to mark old bolt tracks, ice fishing holes and other areas of ice that are healing, so you can drive around them.

No. Heats are run with only 2 vehicles on the track at the same time. Each vehicle starts in their own gate, on opposite sides of the track, so no contact is ever made. No wheel to wheel racing is allowed at any time. Also, we do not have any solid barriers (walls, barricades, tires, bales, etc…) on the track to slide into. Anytime you are driving off the race course at our events you need to be at idle speed. This includes staging, the pit areas, the parking lots and after crossing the finish line. This is so crucial because we are on glare ice and there are lots of other drivers, spectators, pets, kids and equipment around you.

Bare Rubber refers to a class of tires. These tires must not have any traction modifiers in them. Just the bare rubber on the ice. Street division drivers run tires that are DOT approved for use on public roads, which are typically studless winter tires, but could also be all-seasons or other daily driving tire compounds. Pro Street and Competition Divisions are allowed to run tires that are designed for ice driving or tires that have a very soft rubber compound. You can check the rule book for more specifications on these classes.

Studs refers to a class of tires that is raced in all 3 divisions. Street Studs are studded tires that are DOT approved for use on public roads. Pro Street Rally are winter rally ice racing tires and Pro Street Studs are custom-built according to the specifications in the rule book. Competition studs are 20mm and all of the tires are handmade. The traction from the studs adds more speed than the bare rubber classes. You can check the rule book for more specifications for these classes.

Cheaters refers to the type of tires we run on Saturdays in the Competition Division only. These tires are also referred to as “bolts”. These tires have 1 1/2″ bolts protruding from the tread that have been sharpened to a point. These classes have a lot of traction and speed. You can check the rule book for more specifications about this class.

It may look sunny in Georgetown, but it still often quite cold and usually windy. It is very tolerable if you dress properly. We pretty much hold our events regardless of weather, so be prepared. You will be out of your vehicle and away from the heater at least a few times during the day (Check in, Driver’s Meeting and for any flagging or staging shifts you volunteer for).

Yes!  There are several hotels in Georgetown; the Microtel Inn & Suites (720-741-8989) is closest to the lake and often offers special rates for our club and drivers. Georgetown Mountain Inn (303-569-3201) has also worked closely with our club and drivers in the past. If you have an RV or camper you can park with our group in the Clear Creek County Annex parking lot (across the creek from The Alpine Restaurant & Georgetown Mountain Inn), but you must sign a waiver and be registered with Our Gang to park there overnight. Please e-mail us to obtain a waiver or see the Registration Trailer. Parking is limited and other parking may be in the event parking. There are several restaurants in town, and on Saturdays we meet as a group to catch up with other drivers. We will announce where at the Driver’s Meeting.

On Saturdays, we will be having our award presentations at a local restaurant in Georgetown. These are always family friendly and all of our participants are invited to attend; just RSVP when we count at the Driver’s Meeting on Saturday Morning.  

On Sundays, we have the presentations on the ice after the events have finished.

To enter the race, you need a valid Driver’s License and you need to show it at check in. If you have a Learner’s Permit, it must be valid and you must have a parent, legal guardian or other licensed driver over the age of 21 in the passenger’s seat while you’re driving. If you have a permit, you cannot run Cheaters. All drivers must sign a waiver and those that are under 18 must have a parent or guardian present to sign their waiver. You will also need to show current proof of insurance at the time of check in. Drivers also need to be familiar with their vehicle, so they are able to drive safely.

Yes!  Practice time is very valuable and we do our best to offer ways to obtain practice in bare rubber class or studs class (there is no practice for Cheaters).

Morning practice takes place every race day. After the driver’s meeting, you can head out to the courses and practice for 30 minutes to an hour.

We also offer a Sunday Fun Day Track, which provides a 4-hour window dedicated to practice. You can register for this event instead of competing in the brackets. See the registration form for more details.

Safety is our club’s top priority. In our 45 year history we have never had a serious injury associated with the racing. A big part of this is our due to our participants. YOU are responsible for your safety and the safety of others at the event. We expect drivers to be familiar with our rules and procedures before they register to compete. We strongly urge you to read a CURRENT copy of the rules and get any questions you may have answered (a copy of the rule book is available on this site along with contact information for questions). Drivers should be aware of their surroundings and in control of their vehicle at all times, even during the race. Safety equipment should be properly worn, we require it for a reason. And finally any directions given by club members should be followed, especially in an emergency. Our Gang members are pointed out at the Driver’s Meeting and often wear shirts or jackets to identify themselves. Any problems you encounter on the lake should be brought to our attention as soon as possible. We will not tolerate any action that threatens the safety of drivers, passengers, spectators or officials/volunteers.

Race Entry: $26.50 per driver per class

Sunday Fun Day Track Entry: $59.99 per vehicle (up to 4 drivers)

Occasionally we hold special events or unique races and pricing may vary for these, so check the website for more information.

You must register and pay online.

Here is the process to check in at the event:

1. When you arrive at the lake, head to the registration trailer to pick up your packet.
2. Head to the Tech inspection line, which is right outside the registration trailer.  The tech inspector will look at your car and tires. If you clear inspection, they give you a tech sticker which proves your car passed the inspection for the season.
3. Last step is to go back to the registration trailer to turn in your paperwork and show your driver’s license and proof of insurance.

A Tech Inspection makes sure that all vehicles that compete in our events are mechanically safe and that they comply with the rules. Formal inspections are only done once a season (vehicles may be re-teched at any time at the discretion of the officials). Inspections take about 5 minutes and you must get them done before you register for the first time each season. An Our Gang Member will go over a checklist with your vehicle before giving you an inspection sticker with a number on it. This number identifies your vehicle in our records, so keep the sticker and remember the number for the season. The members at the Registration trailer can direct you to the Tech line. Tech will open at 7:30 am and will be available until 8:30 am every Saturday and Sunday.

For Street Studs and Street Bare Rubber, you will not need a helmet. For Pro Street Rally, Pro Street Studs and all Competition classes you will need a good fitting helmet for both the driver and passenger.  Check the rule book for helmet specifications.

Our Gang has a limited number of helmets available to rent at the Registration Trailer.  You will need to leave your Driver’s License with us in exchange for a helmet.

This is entirely up to you. The majority of bare rubber drivers do air down their tires, although the tire pressure you use each weekend will likely change. Please keep in mind there is a minimum tire pressure allowance and that you can be disqualified if your tire loses its bead during the race.

We pair drivers together using staging numbers. We may run double-elimination brackets in all classes except Competition Cheaters when time permits.

When we are unable to run double-elimination, we run single eliminations until we have eight or six drivers who have all raced an equal number of rounds or five drivers. This changes each race depending on the number of entrants. These remaining drivers will now race off to determine who is placed in the top 5 bracket.

* If there are eight drivers, we run a “fours” bracket.  This means the eight drivers are paired to determine 4 winners and 4 losers.  The four winners race off for 1st through 4th place.  The four losers race off for 5th place.

* If there are six drivers, we run a “sixes” bracket.  This means the six drivers are paired to determine 3 winners and 3 losers.  The three winners race off for 1st through 3rd place.  The 3 losers race off for 4th and 5th place.

* If there are five drivers, we run a “fives” bracket.  This means we pair 4 of the first drivers, to determine 2 winners and 2 losers.  The losers now race off for 4th and 5th.  The remaining driver will race one of the winning 2 to determine their spot in the top 3.  Then they all race off for 1st through 3rd place.

* Note there is also a bracket used for seven drivers, but it is only used when there are only seven drivers entered into the class to begin with.

You will be paired to race another driver. When you go on track, you both will drive out to your individual start gates. The Center Ice Official will line each of you up at the start line using hand motions. Once you are set, the Center Ice Official will point the flag at you, if you are ready give them a nod. They will do so for the other competitor before placing the flag on the ice, once they lift the flag off the ice GO! Do not move before the flag leaves the ice or you will be disqualified! The objective is to navigate the course without hitting any pylons and be the first to return to your start gate. Flaggers are positioned around the course to watch for DQs. Two officials watch the finish line to determine who crosses first. The Center Ice Official will point the checkered flag at the winner for everyone to see. Always finish your lap, even if you make a mistake you may still win your round. And always stick around after the heat until staging dismisses you; you may be eligible for a run-off.

If there is a tie (the race was to close for the finish line flaggers to call), you will see the course flaggers circling their flags over their heads.  At this point, the heat will be re-run.  Drivers will SWITCH start gates and line up again. If you need a cool-down or to take a mechanical allowance you need to let the Center Ice Official know. Ties are almost always re-run until there is a winner.

If you register to race in a competitive bracket, you are only guaranteed one lap (or two laps if we are running double-elimination). Otherwise, you must win to advance in the bracket in order to race additional heats, so it’s up to you to get more laps. Your lap count can increase if you practice, race in more than one tire class or sign up for the fun or Championship races we have planned throughout the season.

However, we understand that some people just want the experience of driving on ice without the pressure of competition, so we have added the Sunday Fun Day Track that will be set aside specifically for drivers who want dedicated seat time without the constraints and stress of competing in a tournament-style bracket. The track will be structured like a standard practice track, so participants will take turns running head-to-head races, but the results of the races will not be recorded. In short, drivers will be able to practice for hours on end without the threat of being eliminated. 

• Take as many practice laps as you can make within a 4 hour window
• Entry fee of $59.99 per vehicle (up to 4 drivers allowed per vehicle)
• Limited to 32 vehicles
• No brackets, no awards, no pressure
• All vehicles must be licensed, registered, and insured for use on public roads, including current license plates.
• Tires must be factory produced and DOT approved for use on public roads. Tires that came studded and have been de-studded are permitted.
• Length of time period, entry fee, and number of vehicles may be adjusted as needed throughout the season

Participants must register for either the Sunday Fun Day Track or one of the competitive brackets. Once checked in, participants will not be able to change events. The Sunday Fun Day Track will be reserved only for participants who sign up specifically for this event and will not have to worry about competitors who were eliminated from the competitive brackets coming over and taking time on their track.