POSTED: Thursday, March 11, 2010 -- 6:15 p.m.

Normally a car sitting on the ice this time of year would be cause for alarm. But it's just local residents trying to make a little fire out of all that ice.

The Rock River - Lake Koshkonong association was trying to find a way to raise money for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display. That's where the Sunset Bar and Grille and Jason Rusch stepped in.

"We purchased the car from the shop," says Rusch, owner of North Shore Customs just west of Fort Atkinson. "One of my customers had it and had some issues so decided to purchase it. We spent a week on it in the shop, had the sticker guy come and put all our sponsors on it, dispose everything, get it environmentally friendly and bring it out here."

After getting permission from the D-N-R, the 1999 Ford Contour was pulled onto the ice. For now, the car sits on about a foot thick sheet of ice and as the temperature climbs, it's only a matter of time before it sinks to the bottom of the lake.

A special timer has been installed in a secret location on the car to let organizers know the exact time the 1999 Ford Contour plunges into the lake. If you would like to make a guess as to when the car will fall through the ice, you can buy a guess for $5 or three guesses for $10 at Sunset Bar and Grill on the north shore of Lake Koshkonong, just west of Fort Atkinson. The winner will receive half of the money raised, with the remainder going to the annual Fourth of July fireworks display.