The Sno*Drift Rally

For one winter weekend, closed roads around Atlanta become a stage rally course. Drivers and co-drivers race one car at a time against the clock, following pace notes through snow, packed snow, and ice. It is fast, but it is not a wheel-to-wheel race with traffic coming the other way.

The American Rally Association made SnoDrift the opening round of its 2026 national season. That year’s two-day event was based in Atlanta and covered about 108 competitive miles. The sanctioning body says studded tires are not allowed in Michigan, so crews have to find grip without the metal studs used at many winter rallies. ARA called the 2026 event the world’s only snow-and-ice rally run under that restriction. That is the organizer’s description, not an independently settled world ranking, but it explains why SnoDrift has such a demanding reputation.

The route and public viewing plan can change from year to year. Before heading into the woods, use the current spectator guide linked by Sno*Drift or ARA. It tells you which viewing areas are open, when roads close, and where organizers want cars parked. That little bit of planning matters here: the stages use rural winter roads, and a spot that worked one year may not be part of the next rally.