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Colorado winter storm is opening salvo for cold weather and icy driving ahead

As snowfall leads to messy roads across Colorado, some drivers intentionally drive on ice
As snowfall leads to messy roads across Colorado, some drivers intentionally drive on ice 02:45

Colorado's Front Range began a weekend slide into sub-zero temperatures Friday with snow and slow travel. Plows were out to attack freshly fallen snow and road crews worked to prevent ice from forming as warm road surfaces turned to cold ones.

There were no major accidents reported Friday night as drivers learned once again how to deal with snowy weather.

The greatest snowfall along the Front Range was in Boulder with 7.7 inches.

Not everyone was loathing the cold temperatures and potential of ice driving. On Georgetown Lake drift car drivers tore around a loosely laid out course to shouts of excitement from the shoreline.

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CBS

"This is pretty fun to watch," said Sarah Hunter. "I'm from Alabama and I run rodeo back home, so I like really exciting things."

The rear wheel drive cars are outfitted for fun, with manual transmissions and for ice driving, extremely modified tires.

"It's 200 bolts per tire. The rears are like 250 per tire," pointed out Levi Wait, owner and organizer of Drift Colorado. Tires are drilled and bolts are applied as extreme studs.

"When the ice is smooth like it's the glassy part over there it's like it was this morning, driving on dry asphalt," he said.

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Levi Wait, owner and organizer of Drift Colorado, explains how tires are retrofitted with bolts and improvised lugs to help gain traction while driving and drifting on ice. CBS

Drift car competitions are, "Synchronized swimming in your car," said Wait. Cars will go in tandem, fishtailing and revving, occupied by gleeful people finding joy in machinery. Judges rate their ability to perform the indelicate dances.

Wait runs a BMW shop and is also a chiropractor, which seems convenient for those whose backs are twisted by being thrown around.

People brought their own cars that looked, on the inside, partially disassembled.

"Runs amazing, looks terrible," said James Ford.

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James Ford shows off his car, which he tuned for performance on ice, the interior gutted. CBS

Ian McDougall, who runs Colorado Drift School rented vehicles to others.

After a day of tearing around on the ice, no one among them feared the cold weather and rough roads ahead. But Wait said they calm down a lot after loading up their cars and getting back onto public roads.

"It's not fun anymore, so you drive like a normal average citizen because you can tear it up all weekend on the track."

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