When this mix of low-key riders and high-horsepower machines take the ice, the arena resonates with a raw mix of four-cylinder exhaust howls and two-cylinder two-strokes on the pipe. The racers blast from corner to corner in short drag races and come out of the tight turns with the machines twisted up and lifting the inside front wheel in a drag race to the next corner.
Racers get no practice on the circuit, only one quick blast down a straight to determine the state of the ice. That lets them figure out whether the ice is hard or soft-it varies from rink to rink-and then they are sent to the starting line.
A big part of a win is the start.
"If you get the holeshot and don't screw up, you are probably going to win," said the younger Berquist, one of the top racers in the Open Pro class.
After that, it's all about hooking up and cornering smoothly. At the Xcel race, the Banshees ruled the day with solid acceleration in the straights and higher corner speeds. The big, modified Hondas gained a few lengths on the straights but lost time in the corners.
In the end, Banshee racer Steve Palmer took home the win with a mix of smooth cornering and a couple of good breaks in a pileup-filled main event. Horsepower was not the determining factor, at least on this Sunday night.
Daniel's father, Don, said that this is more than just a winter escape for him and his family. They find ice racing to be their preferred form of racing.
"I have no desire to race in the dirt or anything like that," he said. "I lovedoing this."