Innovative 20-Mile
Double Loop Course Set for Snowshoe GNCC
GNCC Racing Round 9 - Snowshoe, West Virginia
Morgantown, WV (6/19/2009)
- 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 ? lap ATV race
and a 4 ? 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
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, competing
for more than $3 million in prizes. With varied
terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks
and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests
of both survival and speed. GNCC featured sponsors
include: Can-Am, Parts Unlimited, Moose, Maxxis,
Pirelli, Wiseco, Acerbis, Elka, GEICO, Klotz,
FMF, ITP and Weekend Warrior. Associate sponsors
include Alpine-stars, BRP, Cometic, HiPer Technology,
Laegers, Moose Utility Division, The National
Guard, Ogio, Powersport Grafx, Rekluse, REM, Scott,
Thor, Twin Air, and MotoTee's ATVRiders.com.
For more information log on to www.GNCCRacing.com.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-0084
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