DERRY, N.H. (Sept. 9, 2009) — As what turned out to be a rather soggy, much cooler than normal summer draws to a close, powersports enthusiasts around the northeast are beginning to shift their focus to snowmobiles.
While grass drag competition officially kicks off another year of racing, it’s snocross that captures everybody’s attention once the first frost and freeze advisories are issued. Those snocross racers and fans can now prepare for another exciting season, as Rock Maple Racing (RMR) has announced its 2009-10 event schedule.
There are eight events confirmed on the new schedule spread throughout New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Along with several returning host sites that have become racer and fan favorites, RMR will also debut at two new venues in 2009-10.
The new season kicks off on Dec. 12-13 at the historic Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg, New York. Located just outside beautiful Lake George, this new venue will provide an ideal site for snocross in this region. Hickory was founded by the Winbauer and Bates families, opening for the first time in 1946. With 18 trails, lots of snow and a friendly staff, the Hickory Ski Center is a wonderful addition to the RMR host family.
Round 2 on the 2009-10 campaign takes racers back to upstate New York, as they return to the Franklin County Fairgrounds on Jan. 9-10, 2010. Fans in the greater Malone area have supported RMR since its inaugural race in 2005, while racers look forward to a challenging track and enjoy performing in front of a large crowd.
For Pro and Semi-Pro teams, Round 3 takes them to a new site north of the border. On Jan. 16-17, RMR will join the Quebec-based SCM circuit in Mirabel for two days of tough competition. Quebec has produced some great riders in recent years (Simon Belzile and Dave Allard, among others), and this combination event should provide plenty of side-by-side battles.
While the site location for Jan. 23-24 is yet to be announced, all other race dates have been finalized. To kick off the month of February, RMR will join the International Series of Champions (ISOC) in Farmington, NY, at the Finger Lakes Gaming Center. This will be a points race for all teams.
Just one week later, RMR is excited to host New England’s first-ever National snocross event. On Feb. 13-14, the Amsoil Championship Snocross Series (ACSS) rolls into beautiful Rockingham Park in Salem, NH, for the New England Nationals. Rock Maple Racing sanctioned snocross events at ‘The Rock’ in years past, and everybody agrees — a national event should do very well there.
With the famed Grand Prix de Valcourt suspending operations in 2010, ISOC was looking for another site on its eastern swing. ISOC officials know that snocross is popular here in New England, and the group has wanted a race within its boundaries for some time.
“All of us at ISOC are very excited about bringing the ACSS to Rockingham Park,” said Director of Marketing/Communications Andy Groebner. “With its enclosed grandstand, ample room for vendors and fans plus proximity to large populations, we feel it will serve as the perfect site for an ISOC National. New England is full of dedicated snowmobilers and motorsports fans. We hope they’ll make plans now to attend this event and witness the world’s top riders battle for championship points and trophies.”
On Feb. 27-28, RMR will return to Ossipee, NH, for another round of competition at the old Mount Whittier ski hill. Fans in the greater Ossipee region are avid snowmobile enthusiasts, turning out in big numbers by car and on their sleds. This event has become a favorite among teams and officials, thanks to a festive atmosphere and excellent track configuration.
Another fun-filled season starts to wind down on Mar. 6-7, as RMR travels to Vermont’s scenic Northeast Kingdom. The Orleans County Fairgrounds in Barton is another favorite among teams, offering ample room to choose good lines and perform in front of a big crowd. They love their snowmobiles and racing in general across northern Vermont, reflected by the strong turnout RMR has enjoyed in recent visits to Barton.
And on March 27-28, RMR will close out its 18th consecutive season of racing at the beautiful Peek ‘N Peak Ski Resort in Findley Lake, New York. Known for its fan amenities and exciting track, Peek ‘N Peak is an ideal site to conclude another season of snocross. Fans in this part of New York love this kind of high-flying action, and RMR is proud to deliver the goods.
“We feel like we’ve got a great mix of familiar places and new venues for our race teams,” says RMR president Tara Saxton. “There is quite a buzz building over New England’s first ISOC National event at Rockingham Park. We enjoyed big crowds and great racing when we went there a few years ago, and this event should pack the place. Our stand-along schedule is strong, as well, with new venues and return visits to great sites like Malone, Barton and Ossipee. We look forward to another exciting season of snocross throughout the northeast.”
With a fine mix of familiar venues, new host sites and two combination events with ISOC, northeastern snocross teams have reasons for excitement this fall. A competition preview with details on riders to watch in Pro and Semi-Pro will be released in the coming weeks.
For more information or to learn more about Rock Maple Racing, please visit us on the Web at www.rockmaple.com.