Watch an Ariel Atom Drag Race a Snowmobile on Ice

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC.

 

 

Posted by Zach Doell

 

 

 

Summer is just around the corner. That means pulling off the tarp, backing the roadster out of the garage, and letting it see the sun for the first time in months. But Massachusetts’ Ace Performance isn’t quite ready to give up the wintertime fun… or keep their performance cars cooped up for that matter. 

Ace, the northeast US dealer of Ariel Atom track cars, put together a chilly drag race between one of their racy Atom lightweights and a high powered Polaris snowmobile. The pair met on an even playing field – the Alton Bay, New Hampshire runway, the only FAA approved airport on ice in the lower 48. Take a look to see who grabs the win.




 



Closer than you thought, right? While at home shredding tires on the world’s race tracks, the Atom is a bit out of its element on ice, even with the grippy studded snow tires. The Polaris 800 on the other hand comes from the factory with the perfect layout for applying speed over snow. Both performance vehicles vie for the lead, back and forth, but it’s the Ariel Atom that takes it home.

The Polaris 800 Rush Pro-S is motivated by a 795cc two-cylinder with 160hp on tap and only 431 pounds to haul around. The Ariel Atom packs a free-breathing 2.4-liter Honda K24 engine, good for 230 horsepower, but has to shift a more substantial 1,315 pounds of heft… though still quite the featherweight.
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