Snowmobile Races on 600-Foot Track Draw Dozens to Newport Ice

Engines cut a sharp line across the ice behind the Eastside Restaurant in Newport as the annual Fire & Ice Radar Runs brought riders to the waterfront for midwinter competition. The event took place Saturday, Feb. 7, and used a temporary 600-foot track with a 1,000-foot cooldown lane for competitors, organizers reported.

Organizer Ken Wells said this year's races included about 41 competitors. Riders came from across New England, with many from Vermont, creating a regional draw that concentrated machines, crews and spectators along the shore. The format and the cooldown lane allowed organizers to run heats and manage the flow of machines onto and off the racing surface.

Local waterfront businesses and property owners were in the view of the event; the races unfolded on the ice immediately behind the Eastside Restaurant. Using public or privately controlled ice for motorized events raises logistical questions about permits, ice safety and emergency planning for future events as more groups look to stage off-season attractions on town waterways.

The Fire & Ice Radar Runs fit a broader pattern of winter recreation in the region, where organizers balance the appeal of cold-weather events with safety rules and contingency plans. FJ Ritt, leader of the Newport Yacht Club Frostbite Series, put winter participation in blunt terms: “When it’s really cold out, you do have to have a screw loose to be out there.” Ritt described how freezing spray and slick gear can complicate racing, and recalled sailing in 25-degree weather with 10 to 12-knot winds. Another participant, Alyn, noted: “The human body can withstand almost anything for 20 minutes.” A safety standard used by local sailors, summed up by Grimmitt, is clear: “We have a 20-20 rule. We will not sail if it’s under 20 degrees or blowing more than 20 (knots).”

Those practices point to how community groups approach risk for winter sports, though snowmobile racing requires its own ice-thickness checks, marshal positions and medical access. The available reporting focused on turnout and track dimensions; event officials provided competitor counts but did not release detailed race results or an official spectator tally in the material available to this outlet.

For Newport residents, the Radar Runs underscore both opportunity and responsibility: these events draw visitors and commerce during slow months, but they also put pressure on municipal oversight of ice use, safety planning and neighbor relations along the waterfront. As winter events continue through the season, local officials, property owners and organizers will need clear permits, ice-safety protocols and public communication if the community is to keep welcoming regional competitions without compromising safety.