(Words and photos by Jacob Marshall) – As a Midwesterner, I’ve always hated winter. Those vile white flurries mean salted roads and the end of gearhead fun; no more cruising, no more racing, and no more events to attend. Or at least that’s what I thought, until last year when I first attended the Merril Ice Drags. The smell of high octane fuel, and the sound of open headers cackling across an eighth mile track of ice, slowly made me forget that I could no longer feel my toes or use my fingers to change lenses. Strangely, in terms of ice racing, this year’s season ended on a rather hot day, adding yet another challenge for racers; standing water. While the track crew did an admirable job clearing water, it was a losing battle, and watching cars skip through water at 120+ mph was more reminiscent of rally than drag racing.

While even a drizzle can shut down a dragstrip, Merril racers know how to read the ice and push harder. For veteran racers Perry and Ruth Redeker, it’s just another day on the ice. Their sinister 1965 Mustang named Nitemare II, has popped up on our Bangshift radar more than a few times, and some of you may recognize it as the car that recently tried to become an airplane at the big end of the lake WATCH THAT HERE.

Their 540 cubic inch monster is all blue oval power, with a very large shot of spray for motivation. While Perry was tight lipped about exactly how much nitrous was running through the veins of his Stang, he did make it clear that it was making four digit horsepower. Crazier still, this car sees almost exclusively ice action, they don’t test it on an asphalt eighth or quarter!  Both husband and wife race the car, and RPM Racing Engines out of Wausau built the engine. The best news however, is that Perry and Ruth are some of the most chill racers on the ice, and let us mount some of our Bangshift gear on their beast! But we like to build up anticipation, so stay tuned for the on car video as well as video of the other racers as well! We promise it will be up before all the ice melts.

The Merril Ice drags have been around for more than 60 years, and show absolutely no sign of slowing. Even with temps above freezing for this year’s final race, there was still fifteen inches of ice to work with, and plenty of horsepower on tap. If you’re anywhere near Merril Wisconsin, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to see this event, there’s really nothing else like it. And while you’re there, let me know if you find my toes, because I’m pretty sure they’re still frozen in ice.

Click the photos below to expand them and then scroll to see ’em all!