34th Annual World Championship ICE Racing Series- Round 2
November 28, 2009- Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre
Abbotsford, BC - (CANADA)
By: Woody Doogan

JR LOVES CANADA!

The World Championship ICE Racing Series traveled across the United States and up into beautiful British Columbia for the first leg of ice racing's six city "Big Go West". The enthusiastic Abbotsford crowd was treated to some great racing by the sports finest riders.

Each rider would compete in two 4 man Heat Races. The riders are scored 10 points to win, 6 points for second, 3 points for third and 1 point for last place. The Heats are critical because they determine who winds up on the front row of the Main Event or where they line up In the Last Chance Qualifier.

To fill row 2 of the Main an 8 rider, 6 lap LCQ is run.

Tonight I.C.E. debuts the inaugural Motion Pro Challenge Program for all main events this season. It works like this - Any rider earning the pole starting position may choose to give up that spot and start at the number 8 position, outside back row. Should he take the Motion Pro Challenge and win the race he receives a hefty *Bonus* check for his effort. The rider who earned the 8th spot would move to the front row pole. If the pole sitter refuses the challenge the #2 rider gets the option to take it. If the number 2 rider refuses the #3 gets the option and so on until the Motion Pro Challenge has been accepted or the rider starting in the #8 spot gets it by default should everyone else refuse it. Tonight Schnabel refused, then #2 position Anderson turned it down, #3 McKenna declined, but outside front row starter "Captain" Kirk Cheney was thinking it over when he asked the race fans what he should do. They voiced their feelings loud and clear! - TAKE THE CHALLENGE! Cheney did and became the first rider to wear the bright yellow Motion Pro Challenge vest from the outside back row starting spot. In doing so, Kopp was gifted the outside front row position. The riders were given the command to start their engines and come to the line. The gate was released and they blasted off for 8-Laps. JR took the early lead and stretched out over the field every lap. Early on Kopp had second place but was soon overtaken by hard charging Anderson who set out to catch Schnabel. By the 7th lap he was right on JR's rear wheel but that's as far as he got. Schnabel had a perfect night by winning the Main, he was followed respectably by Anderson in 2nd, Kopp in 3rd, then Mataya and McKenna. The Motion Pro Challenge rider Cheney moved up two spots to 6th, then McGrane and MacKenzie completed the standings. Next week it's south to California for a weekend double header in Bakersfield Friday night and Fresno Saturday night. We'll see you there! www.icespeedway.com

34th ANNUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ICE RACING SERIES - ROUND 3
RABOBANK ARENA - BAKERSFIELD, CA 12/4/09
By: Woody Doogan

"JAMMIN" JARED MEES MAKES MOTION-PRO HISTORY IN BAKERSFIELD!!

ICE Racing's "Big Go West" rocked Bakersfield's Rabobank Arena tonight for the first of three consecutive California Rounds of the 34th Annual World Championship ICE Racing Series. A big enthusiastic crowd greeted the 17 rider field of Pro Manufacturers World Cup Bike ice racers. None of them went home disappointed as the battle for Bakersfield was almost unbelievable to watch, a spectacular event with a Hollywood ending.

The 8 rider, 8 lap Main Event was going to be the race of the night. The big question was whether any of the front row qualifiers, Mees, DeRuyter, Anderson or Mataya would give up their spot for the #8 outside back row position and accept the Motion Pro Challenge for the night. The hook is a big Motion Pro Challenge bonus check for winning from the #8 spot. "Jammin" Jared had first right of refusal by earning the #1 pole position. He got on the mic and asked the 5,000 race fans what they wanted him to do; "Should I take the Challenge?" Well, there wasn't one person in the house who wasn't shouting; "Take it! - Take it! - Take it!" And so he did!! The immediate benefactor of Jared's choice was good guy Chris Bunch who went from 8th to the pole before the race even started. Everyone was up on their feet for this one as ICE Head Official Robert Arms released the gate turning this stellar group of racers loose. Mees had a perfect start and took advantage of it by diving down to the pole ahead of the rest of the back row going into turn one. There was a bit of a log jam stacking up the front row guys allowing Jared to knock off two more spots down the back straight on just the first lap. By lap two Mees already had his sights on the 2 leaders and as they were battling the "Jammer" shot by on the inside to take the lead! From that point on it was lights out on this one. A great battle for second took place with DeRuyter finally taking it on the last lap over World Champion Anderson. A very impressive first ever ice race for road racing cross-over O'Hara finishing 4th followed by McGrane, McKenna, Bunch and Mataya. It was a very special and popular victory for "Jammin" Jared Mees tonight who also collects the first ever Motion Pro Challenge bonus award. WOW! It's only Round 3 and we're already seeing the wildest, craziest, most passing racing ever!! Fresno tomorrow night, then Ontario next week - can't wait! www.icespeedway.com

34th Annual World Championship ICE Racing Series - Round 4
Save Mart Center - Fresno, CA 12/5/09
By: Woody Doogan

"JAMMIN" JARED MEES ON A ROLL IN CALIFORNIA!!!

World Championship ICE Racing set records with a history making performance by Jared Mees in Bakersfield last night and tonight with over 5,000 excited fans showing up in to check out what all the hoopla is about. Now they know and they liked it! 

The Main Event positions were filled with big dogs Kevin Anderson, Jared Mees, Tyler O'Hara and Jeremy DeRuyter up front. It was decision time to see if anybody wanted to go for the Motion Pro Challenge Bonus Award tonight. By earning the pole Anderson had first right of refusal. His thoughts were - I'm fast tonight, got a good chance to win, need some money & points, gonna stay right here. Mees, who won the Challenge last night, was up next for the option. He got straight to the point saying: "Ah, why the heck not!" The crowd loved it! So as Jared put the bright yellow Motion-Pro Challenger vest on 8th place starter Cheney was moved up to the second starting position. The riders were pumped and so were the fans as the machines were fired up and staged. The gate went up and immediately it was obvious that the "Perfect Storm" wasn't shaping up in front of Mees tonight. Anderson took off like a jackrabbit being chased by greyhound dogs that had names like Cheney, McKenna and O'Hara! While the lead pack was out there doing their thing, Mees was methodically working his way through the field when suddenly, just over half way through, Rickman crashed hard coming out of a turn leaving himself and his machine in harms way. Referee Robert Arms had no choice but to red flag the race. Fortunately Rickman was able to shake off the cobwebs without any obvious injuries. After the scorekeeping was double checked the race was lined up for a single file restart. At the time the red flag was thrown, the "Jammer" had worked his way up to 3rd place! So after building himself up a comfortable 6-8 bike lead over Jared, Anderson was now feeling Mees breathing down his neck just 8 feet behind with only O'Hara sitting between the 07 & 09 World Champions. Kevin knows all too well when Mees can see the lead in sight he's like a pissed off, hungry cheetah on the hunt to kill anything in sight. The command was given to fire 'em up, they all took their respective starting positions in single file, nose to tail, the gate was released, and off they went chasing Anderson into turn one. Kevin got a god start and was still fast. It only took one lap (the 5th) for Jared to deal with O'Hara. Everyone was out of their seats as the excitement grew when Mees throttled up knocking off a bike length from Anderson's lead every lap until by the white flag he was ready to pounce. And Mees did just that with an incredible last lap last lap contact pass that shook the Save Mart Center almost to its foundation! The crowd went crazy!! "Jammin" Jared Mees wins the Motion Pro Challenge Bonus check two nights in a row in spectacular fashion! Ontario So-Cal here we come! www.icespeedway.com