|
Innovative 20-Mile
Double Loop Course Set for MotorcycleUSA.com
Snowshoe GNCC
Morgantown, W.Va. (June 19, 2009) - An
all-new, innovative 20-mile race track will
challenge racers at next weekend's
MotorcycleUSA.com Snowshoe GNCC, round nine of
the Can-AM Grand National Cross Country Series.
The brand-new track, twice the length of a
normal GNCC course, will include an amazing 1000
foot climb and a dizzying array of rocks, mud
holes and hill climbs, promising to put the
world's top off-road racers to a true test.
The afternoon ATV (Saturday) and bike race
(Sunday) will use the 20 mile double loop, which
consists of 10 miles on the traditional east
side of the facility, and a new 10-mile loop on
the west side. The pro pits lie in the center of
the two loops, so fans and teams will still see
the racers every ten miles, similar to a regular
GNCC.
"It's difficult to build the right track at
Snowshoe because the terrain is somo steep and
so tough," says GNCC Trail Boss Jeff Russell,
the 1991 AMA Enduro Champion. "Snowshoe has
given us access to the west side of the property
for the first time, which opens up a network of
trails with a great flow to them. I'm really
confident this track will work."
The new track joins the unprecedented $50,000
prize purse and an unmatched setting at West
Virginia's largest ski resort to form an
off-road race like no other in the world.
The event will still start with the
traditional Snowshoe GP-style start in the
center of the Resort Village. Youth and Morning
race GNCC riders will race on the east side of
Snowshoe Resort only. Russell and the GNCC track
crew have redesigned that section of the course
in comparison to last year. Youth riders will
run on an abbreviated track, and five new miles
are incorporated into the morning race, with the
more difficult sections running downhill to
prevent traffic jams, and the faster sections up
the ski slopes run uphill to keep speeds down.
The afternoon races, for Pro, Expert and
Intermediate-level racers, will utilize the
western territory for the first time ever. After
completing the traditional 10 miles on the east
side, riders will cross the finish line and then
wind over to the west. The track will plunge
nearly 1000 feet in elevation on downhill
trails, introduce them to a good flow of tight
trails in the valley, and then climb back up
1000 feet on a rugged, steep, powerline road,
very similar to sections used in the legendary
Blackwater 100 off-road race-the original GNCC.
Snowshoe hotels rooms and the GNCC pro pits lie
at the top of the climb.
"The climb is going to be just an epic
sight," says Jeff. "You have to come up 1000
feet of elevation to get back to the pits, and
it's on rough power line roads up hill, just
like Blackwater. Lots of lines so no one will
get stuck behind slower riders. And the view
from the top will be unbelievable."
The traditional two-hour ATV race and
three-hour bike race times will remain, and GNCC
officials estimate that will make for a 2 ½ lap
ATV race and a 4 ½ lap bike race.
The Motorcycleusa.com Snowshoe GNCC takes
place on June 27 and 28, 2009. Ticket prices for
the event are just $15 for the full race
weekend, including ATV racing all day on
Saturday and bike racing on Sunday. In all, up
to 1500 riders are expected to compete. Children
five and under are free, as is full access to
the pro pits and pro rider autographs. Also,
Snowshoe will keep its ski lift chairs operating
all weekend to shuttle fans down to the more
spectacular parts of the course.
Snowshoe Resort is West Virginia's largest
ski resort, and also offers mountain biking and
golf in the summer months. The event offers
riders a once-a-year opportunity to race around
a resort, with hotels and restaurants all within
site of the track. The event will even start
right in the middle of the ski village. For more
information on Snowshoe, visit
www.snowshoemtn.com
For more information on the Can-Am Grand
National Cross Country Series, visit
www.gnccracing.com.
About GNCC Racing
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series
is America's premier off-road racing series.
Founded in 1973, the 13-round championship is
produced exclusively by Racer Productions.
Cross-country racing is one of the most
physically demanding sports in the world. The
grueling three-hour GNCC races lead as many as
1,800 riders through tracks ranging in length
from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain,
including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and
motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of
both survival and speed. Riders compete for more
than $3 million in prize money, which draws
talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Australia
and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised and
airs every Saturday and Thursday on the Versus
Network. For more information, please visit
www.gnccracing.com.
About Racer Productions
A West Virginia-based motorcycle and ATV event
production company, Racer Productions has been a
leader in the off-road racing industry for more
than 30 years. It's repertoire of events
includes the 13-round Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series, held since 1973; The
Kawasaki/Monster Energy High Point National in
Mount Morris, Pa., held since 1977; The ATV Dirt
Days at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills,
Tenn., held since 1985; The U.S. World Motocross
Gran Prix at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa.
in 1987; The Monster Energy/Kawasaki Steel City
National, held since 1988; The ATV Stampede
National Motocross at High Point Raceway, held
since 1994; The AMA Pro ATV Open at Steel City
in 2007; as well as numerous other amateur
motocross events. In addition, Racer Productions
staffs the prestigious Air Nautiques/AMA
Amateur National Motocross Championship at
Loretta Lynn's Ranch, held since 1982. For more
information, please visit
www.racerproductions.com.
|
