Welcome to Quick Fill. Nothing like a week at Snowshoe.
Seriously, nothing compares to the MotorcycleUSA.com Snowshoe GNCC. Our crew has been hanging at the mountain for quite some time, with Yamaha's all-star off-road team providing lessons for bike and ATV riders via the second-annual GNCC University. The golf tournament is packing quite a few great giveaways and prizes, including:
- $10,000 Hole-in-One
- $500 Visa Gift Card
- Nike golf equipment
- Bose Wave Music System
- And each registered golfer will receive a $50 gift card
Photo By: Matt Ware
The Snowshoe GNCC starts right in the middle of the ski resort village.
Check out the full golf story here.
Tomorrow the ninth-annual GNCC Golf Tournament tees off. And finally on Saturday and Sunday, we go racing, with $50,000 on the line for the podium finishers overall, and $10,000 for the overall winners. We remember well last year how the money created two big upsets--XC2 Winner Brian Wolf in the ATV class, and David Knight, who showed up at exactly one race last year and won it.
Big thanks to our new intern, Mitchell Bogges, who chatted with a bunch of the top GNCC stars this week to get their thoughts on Snowshoe. This is a tough race for the title contenders, because going after the money could lead to crashes and mistakes. Take a chance on points to win the big cash? Hmmm. Check out the story here.
This year, we'll add one more lucky winner to the pile when the FMF Makita Suzuki team gives away Josh Strang's GNCC points-leading RM-Z450. This is a huge deal, and major thanks to the Suzuki folks for doing it. Next week, we're going to put together a very special Tuesday Toolbox for this giveway--and it's not what you would expect. Be sure to check for that next week!
The University, the setting, the golf, the track, the purse, the bike giveaway...no other race is quite like this one, and it should be an awesome weekend. Here's Rodney Tomblin with the full scoop.
Thanks Jason! It amazes me how much of an event the Motorcycle-USA.com Snowshoe GNCC is becoming. I know when we began making our way up the long and winding road to the Snowshoe Village afew years ago that many were leery of coming to Snowshoe for many different reasons. One reason was the lack of track side parking. Another was that is was that pit parking was stretched out over a long distance. And there were others that the GNCC Racing Nation has come to accept it and adjust to. Some folks have rented condos and pit right out their door on race days. Others just stake an area close to the track and deal with it that way.
When the Snowshoe GNCC was first conceived, a lot of these issues were known and expected. But at the same time realizing that this rough chunk of West Virginia coal was just a diamond in the rough. And yes there have been and will be growing pains along the way, but each obstacle only adds to the mystique of what this race is so rapidly becoming, "America's Toughest Race!"
It well known that the birthplace of GNCC is only a few mountains away in Davis, WV. And though the race is worlds different than the Blackwater was some 25 plus years ago, it is quickly becoming as popular on its own level. With its unique starting style, the field is seemingly opened up to just about anyone winning. The Motorcycle USA Snowshoe GNCC is one of the more if not the most challenging and the longest courses on the GNCC schedule. And it should be as it is also the richest race on the GNCC schedule with a $50,000.00 purse for the weekend.
Photo By: Jason Hooper
The podium celebration takes place back in the village as well.
Who can ever forget Josh Strang squaring off a deer that happened across the trail at the wrong time for both. (I sure hope that doesn't happen again, that is the bike someone will win!) Or last year for the ATVs Brian Wolfe an XC2 Pro Am class rider taking the over all last year and the $10,000.00 1st place prize from guys like Chris Borich, Adam McGill, Taylor Kiser and Bill Ballance. Or, David Knight after being released from his BMW racing contract in last years World Enduro Championship only a few days before the race and showed up on a self bought and paid for Kawasaki and won the $10,000.00.
Speaking of Knighter, I spoke to some folks today that told me that they heard that both Knighter and Juha Salminen were going to be here this weekend. Now how much validity there is to the story to me is unknown. The one thing I do know is that if they do, it will be another one of the races that will go down in history for a lot of folks in future bench racing sessions.
According to Lt. Trail Boss Buren Hamrick, and I quote, "This is gonna be the one they write home to Momma about!" He added, "It's Happening!!" In Buren terms that means it is going to be a good one. He told me that he and Trail Boss Jeff Russell have been clearing new trail and that the Quad track and the Bike tracks are all but two completely separate tracks. There are only a few small sections that will be used on both days.
I know the next thing on folks minds is; "How long is this year's track?" The answer that I got is; as it stands now, the afternoon quads course is about 21 miles or so. Approximately 10 miles one side and 11 on the other. Morning ATVs will run around an 11 mile course and the youth track will be somewhere around 4 to 5 miles in length.
As far as bikes go; I was told around 23 to 24 miles for the afternoon bikes and around 13 for morning. The youth race will be 5 to 7 miles in length. And note also that it is just about "All different and new stuff!"
How new and different? The answer is completely new and different for the morning racers. This year the course will be run on the west side of the mountain. Jeff Russell said it is a little steeper to get over and back up, but the riding is "pristine" on that side of the mountain. That will be like going to a whole new venue for the morning racers.
Photo By: David Scearce
When things go right, Thad DuVall hauls at Snowshoe. Could this be the site of his breakthrough ride?
Anyone that has ever looked at a Can AM Outlander or Renegade or DS 450 ATV and said, "I would love to ride one of those!" will have your chance this weekend. The Can Am Demo team will be here with another opportunity to try it. They say "the ride says it all" so find out for yourself. The demo will be located at the bottom of the mountain at the base next to the ski lift. You can ride down and check them out yourself. Before you head down, don't forget to stop by the Can Am Zone next the ski lift on the top of the hill and sign up for an 800cc Outlander that we will give away at the end of the season. Contest Entry is free of charge make sure the whole family signs up.
Jason Raines is also here teaching in the GNCC University and will be offering Yamaha bike demo rides. We will have more details on race day, so listen up and take advantage of the opportunity.
As we head into the last round before the break I wanted to bring to attention the 3 riders who are running 8 for 8 this season. This is even more special right now because of how deep the talent field is in all the classes this year.
ATV AM
Clifton Beasley U2
Cheyanne Shadron Women Novice 15+
Youth Bike
Triston Landrum 85cc (7-11)
I got this message from LP at TireBalls reminding us of the Youth Tireball Giveaway.: The next Tire Ball give away we are going to give a set of rear
Tireballs for a youth quad rider and a youth bike rider and Pirelli has offered to match our give away to the youth bike class. So we will be giving away a rear set of Tireballs and a Pirelli tire to one lucky kid at Snowshoe.
Don't forget to get your tickets for the Josh Strang Suzuki Bike Giveaway to help Riderdown.org. If you cannot make it to the event to purchase tickets, go to www.riderdown.org ; website and you have as good a chance as anyone and you help out a good cause.
GNCC Youth Rider Cody Gerhard will wrap up the "Hugs for Cheyanne" Pro Jersey fundraiser. Stop by and sign up to win one of many favorite Pro GNCC jerseys and help out a good cause. The booth will locate near registration on vendor row. Don't forget you can also help out by purchasing your photos online at www.racedaypix.com. ; David has made it out to a couple of events lately and has those pictures posted and many others to view online.
One other note about Snowshoe is that Motorcycle USA will have some great nighttime activities with Karaoke and more. Check it out! Make sure you tune your FM radio in to listen to the announcements all day.
We will have two stations to follow. The starts will be broadcasted on only the one frequency and the rest of the race should be able to be heard on either channel. Listen for announcements for the exact frequencies.
Lastly, do not forget to get your ticket to help out RiderDown.org and possibly win that bike. Details online at www.riderdown.org or stop by rider registration for information or to purchase a ticket.
Well a big weekend lies ahead and I have got to go help get this place ready for what may come.
Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!!
Photo By: Jason Hooper
Rugged terrain awaits the field.
Thanks, Jason. This will be my first trip to Snowshoe Mountain Resort and I've heard lots of great things about this event, so I am really excited about it. While doing an interview for Cycle News with Tim Cotter, promoting the GNCC University, Tim gave me some insight on how the GNCC University (which is going on right now) got started. He gave some details about the resorted that got me pumped up about seeing racing action in such a different type of venue. Here is an excerpt from that interview:
Shan: Tell us about how the idea for this GNCC University came about.
Tim: When we moved into Snowshoe Mountain Resort, we realized we were someplace special. It is absolutely a special place. You are racing at near 5000 feet in altitude, they've got 10,000 acres of wilderness, and they can sleep 12,000 people. So it is absolutely spectacular. They have a village with upscale restaurants, and bars, and shopping. They have several pools that go with the lodging. There's a Starbucks within 200 feet of the starting line. There is a skeet range and a 40-acre lake you can relax on. There are miles of hiking trails and the ski lifts are open while we are racing underneath them. So this is a place your whole family can enjoy.
So when you think about schools, there are not very many places where you can go learn to race GNCC. There are a few people doing schools, but they don't have the facilities. So when I saw Snowshoe Mountain Resort Ð it was a round of the GNCC series - I thought it was such a special place that we needed to do something to build that round up. With the food and lodging available, it made sense to do something, so the idea was to have this school, GNCC University.
Shan: What was the next step?
Tim: We put an e-mail out to all the teams asking them if they would want to participate by sending an instructor. Yamaha was really the only one that jumped up and said they wanted to do it. In the meantime, Snowshoe Mountain Resort liked the idea because their job is to put heads in beds. So we saw this as an opportunity to help Snowshoe Resort and the get the word out about GNCC so we started GNCC University.
I might add that Yamaha has been a big part of this event, and they believe in off-road racing. They are also very respectful of the fact that the GNCC series is sponsored by Can-Am. The title sponsor for the GNCC University is Motorcycle USA, and they will have free t-shirts for every rider, plus every rider will get a gift of some sort from Moose.
That's all for me, see ya at Snowshoe!
That's it from all of us. Have a good weekend on the mountain!
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