I raced my Disco last year in Georgetown. Guess what... didn't roll it.
Couple things IIRC:
1. Vehicle must be AWD or 4WD - no 2WD allow. And yes, your vehicle has to pass a tech inspection.
2. If you install studs, you will be placed in the stud class - you won't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the stud class with a street Disco. Stick to the street class using street tires - and (again, IIRC) Blizzaks and other specialty snow tires aren't allowed in the street class.
3. All the vehicles I watched that made it to the final rounds all drove their vehicles like they had stole them. I don't drive my Disco enough (second vehicle = toy) to drive it like I stole it. I tried and managed to spin out.
4. Get there as early as possible to get as much practice in as you can. I only got 1 or 2 practice runs in before eliminations - I could have used a lot more practice!
Will you go sideways - of course! You're on ice!!! The spot that I went sideways on was void of any snow - bad news! As the eliminations progress, more of the snow gets pushed off the course and exposes more of the ice.
One last thing - being that my experience last year was my first experience there, I was surprised how small the course is. This isn't a course that covers the whole lake. It's quite small in my opinion. As such, you aren't developing high speeds. If you do get sideways, you aren't going too far before you come to a stop. In fact, on the dogbone (my name for it) course, I was on the gas so hard (since I thought I still had a shot of winning) that when I crossed the finish line I began a full-on sideways slide into the deep snow off the course. Even the speed I generated didn't allow me to slide very far and there was no chance of rolling it, even though I did have the fear at that moment.
Have fun!
