A great mix of familiar sites and new venues will host sanctioned snowmobile racing throughout the northeast, as officials at East Coast Snocross (ECS) announce their 2016 event schedule.
As it did in 2014, the circuit will begin its new season with a Hillcross event on January 16-17 at a site to be announced shortly. Hillcross is an exciting form of sled racing and has been popular here in New England for several years. ECS will close out its 2016 campaign with Hillcross on Apr. 9-10.
“I think we have an exciting season of racing ahead here in the northeast,” series owner Kurt Gagne said. “From our showcase events like Salamanca and Valcourt, to our own stand-alone races, I feel the schedule looks pretty solid. Add the excitement of visiting new markets with nice facilities, and it has the potential to expand our overall reach. I’m hoping for a big year for our series and teams.”
The 2016 snocross season will kick off on January 23-24 at the Clinton County Fairgrounds in Plattsburgh, New York. The Champlain Valley is full of snowmobile riders and race fans, a fact that was proven when snocross debuted in Plattsburgh a few years ago. Round 2 will see a return to historic Bass Park in Bangor, Maine, on Jan. 30-31. The debut of ECS in the Queen City last winter was a big hit, and we look forward to our return to the Pine Tree State.
Round 3 will take place alongside the ISOC national stars on February 5-6 in Salamanca, NY. The Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel serves as the ideal host for ISOC’s Eastern Nationals, and ECS is proud to be part of this huge event once again in 2016. On February 12-14, ECS Pro, Pro Lite and Sport class riders will contest their Round 4 at the prestigious Grand Prix de Valcourt, in Valcourt, Quebec. This is one of North America’s premier snowmobile races, and ECS is honored to a small part of the show.
For Round 5, teams will travel to beautiful southern Vermont as the series visits a new venue in historic Bennington on Feb. 27-28. Here in New England, sanctioned snocross can trace its roots to southern Vermont. Having a race in this part of the state will expose our sport to new fans. It’s one of three exciting new market areas the series will visit in 2016.
To kick off the month of March, teams will travel west to contest Round 6 at another new venue. On March 5-6, snocross will debut at the famed Canandaigua Speedway in Canandaigua, NY. Central New York is the heart of racing country, and this event should draw hoards of eager fans. To grow this sport, we have to visit nice venues in highly-populated areas – like central New York.
Round 7 will complete the trifecta of new race sites when teams invade the Mount Southington Ski Area in Southington, Connecticut, on Mar. 19-20. This will be a series first for ECS, as the Constitution State has never played host to sanctioned snocross in the past. Yet Mount Southington offers everything our teams and fans need for a successful debut in this part of southern New England. It’s a wonderful opportunity for ECS. To learn more, go to www.mountsouthington.com.
The eighth and final round of snocross action for 2016 will again take place at the beautiful Peek ‘N Peak Resort & Spa in Findley Lake, New York, on Saturday and Sunday, April 2-3. The facility and great snow conditions at Peek ‘N Peak make it an ideal place for the season finale. After a long, grueling season, it will be nice to return to such friendly confines to crown our new champions.
East Coast Snocross, presented by Woody’s Traction, AMSOIL and FXR, is the premiere sanctioning body for snowmobile racing in the northeastern United States. ECS maintains a regional circuit intended to keep grass-roots snocross racing healthy in this part of the country, while also cultivating new talent for tomorrow’s factory-backed Pro teams.
For more information, please go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com. Keep up with the latest news on our Facebook page, and follow us all season on Twitter at www.twitter.com/eastcoastsnox.
Photos by Josh Sullivan/Papperazzi Imaging & Films
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