Q&A with Alaska Ice Racers Club President discussing first race of 2021 season

WASILLA— The Alaska Ice Racers are gearing up for the 2021 season, with the first race scheduled for Jan. 3.

Alaska Ice Racers Club President Jesse Wilson recently participated in a question and answer interview to discuss the upcoming season and keeping the spirit of racing alive in the Valley.

Q: How long has the Alaska Ice Racers held races like these?“I’d say they’ve been racing on Big Lake for over 30 years, that I knew of. When I was a kid, we used to go out and watch them race. That was 25 years ago or so.”

Q: How long have you been racing with them?“I think 2018 was my first full year racing…they gave the club to me to run basically. It’s all volunteer stuff for me and our flaggers and our lap counters. It’s all volunteer help… 2019 was my first year as club president.

Q: What drew you to the club?“Racing, basically. I like all sorts of racing… My dad and I, we used to plow our own track and race our 4-wheelers and dirt bikes with each other. After he passed away, I got my buddy Cody into it… and we said, ‘lets go do this for real and play with the big boys,’ and we did.”

Q: So the club is a nonprofit?“Yeah. Basically all the money paid in is for payouts and to pay for plow trucks, maintenance, and fuel for plowing the track, and to pay for the outhouse and different club supplies that we need.”

Q: What’s the club’s core mission?“Just to have fun and go racing; get people outdoors, and put on a show, and just have good, clean fun. That’s why we do it… Just the thrill of racing is one thing and then just the camaraderie and friends you make through racing is a good thing.”

Q: What about this appeals to you and makes you want to be involved with them?“Racing basically is the main thing. I’ve been racing involved with racing my whole life. I race cars in the summertime and race bikers and wheelers in the winter. I don’t want to see it die, so somebody’s gotta step up and keep it going so we can all have fun. That’s why I do what I do, just keep it going, keep it alive, and keep having fun.”

Q: Do you feel like this club helps keep the racing spirit alive?“I think so, yeah. I think all the tracks out here, it all helps. We’ve got us and the snowmachiners and the sports car club. There’s a little something for everybody. I think all that all of us do to keep it alive and keep it going all helps. I think all the organizations are helping to do that… Getting more people into it. It’s something to do, especially this year. Get outside and breathe some fresh air… The more people that see it, I think the more people will like it.”

Q: So it’s all on a set track then, you have the same place for all your races?“Yeah. So, we plow the track. We go out and lay it out and put it in basically as early as we can just to kinda mark it out on the lake so the ice fishers know… We’ll race on that track for the whole season. Each year we kind of make the track kind of different since it’s not like an actual landmark made in the ground. It changes every year.”

Q: That’s just out there on Big Lake then.“Yeah. It’s just basically right off the shore of the North Shore Campground. It’s right there in the north part of the lake.”

Q: So it’s going to be dirt bikes and ATVs out there?“Yes.”

Q: How many races do you normally have throughout the season?“Generally it averages out to be about seven races. I believe this year we have 10 races scheduled for this season. So, we’ll see if we can make it.”

Q: What’s your favorite part of the atmosphere at these races?“Everyone’s in a good mood… It’s just a great place to be, a great place to spend a Sunday.”

The first race of 2021 is Jan. 3. All races take place at the North Shore in Big Lake at noon. Racers can register prior to the race or at the event from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

For more information, visit the Alaska Ice Racers Facebook page or call 907-841-3634.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com