New Layout Offers Improved Trails, Pitting and Parking

SNOWSHOE, W.Va. (September 4, 2008) -- Competitors in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series will find a new race course and improved pitting and parking at next weekend’s Moose Racing Snowshoe GNCC. The revised track will still feature the most challenging terrain on the GNCC circuit, but also alleviate the biggest concerns from last year’s inaugural event at West Virginia’s largest ski resort.

The GNCC track crew spent the entire month of July cutting new trails for next weekend’s race. This year’s track will pass near more Snowshoe hotels and condos than before, allowing more racers to pit and park right next to their rooms. This year, the trail will connect from the Silver Creek complex through Camp 4, Powder Ridge, Shamrock, Whistlepunk, Powder Monkey and finally at the Top of the World.

The crew also worked to eliminate high-speed gravel road sections of last year’s course.

"This year we will not cross over the road by Silver Creek, and we will not have two miles of gravel roads off the start," said GNCC Lieutenant Trail Boss Buren Hamrick. "When we cross the road after the start, we will turn right, and hit woods and trails. Then we will zig zag across the ski slopes. But we won’t be in the gravel."

Last year’s event quickly garnered a reputation as one of the toughest on the circuit, and Hamrick says the new track will still offer a significant challenge while offering a better overall variety of trail surfaces.

"We took most of those gravel roads out and replaced them with good, technical trails," says Hamrick. "You’ll have roots and rocks. It will be tough."

In addition, the redesigned Youth GNCC Track will offer more woods than last year’s course, which ran through several high-speed sections. The Youth track will run between Camp 4 and Top of the World.

GNCC Racing recommends large self-contained camping vehicles park at Silver Creek, which offers more room, a limited number of hookups, and a shorter drive then heading all the way to the Top of the World section of the resort.

Racers must be guests of the resort in order to access parking and pitting from that area. Those pitting and camping from self-contained vehicles are welcome as well, and three parking areas will be open exclusively for them. Tent camping is prohibited at Snowshoe. For reservations, check out www.snowshoemtn.com

About GNCC Racing:
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series is America’s premier off-road racing series. The 13-round championship series is produced exclusively by Racer Productions and has run since 1973. Cross country racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The nearly three-hour long GNCC races lead as many as 1,800 riders through tracks ranging from eight to twelve miles in length. With varied terrain including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. GNCC Racing will air weekly television shows on the Versus network starting August 2. GNCC featured sponsors include Can-Am, Parts Unlimited, Moose Racing, Maxxis, Pirelli, Wiseco, Acerbis, Elka, Geico, Klotz, FMF, ITP and Weekend Warrior, and riders compete for over $3 million in series prizes and contingency money. Associate sponsors include Alpinestars, Cometic, HiPer Technology, Laegers, Moose Utility Division, The National Guard, Powersport Grafx, REM, Scott, Thor, Tire Balls, Twin Air, Ogio, Rekluse, and MotoTee’s. For more information log on to www.gnccracing.com.