In the 20-year history of sanctioned snocross racing here in New England, the Granite State of New Hampshire has played host to some of the sport’s best shows.
Thanks to a dedicated snow-making effort during this nearly snowless winter, that wonderful tradition continues, as East Coast Snocross (ECS) gets set for Round 4 this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 11-12, in beautiful Boscawen, New Hampshire. The event, presented by Banks Chevrolet and billed as the New England Sledfest, is being held on a large piece of land just off Exit 17 off Interstate 93.
Spectator gates open at 10 a.m., with early qualifying rounds already in progress. Admission is $15 per day for adults, $5 for children ages 7-12, under age 7 admitted free with a paying adult. Pit passes valid through the entire weekend will be available for an extra $10 for fans who want an up-close look at the teams. As an added bonus, fans can enjoy radar runs, snowmobile demonstration rides and other industry-related activities.
This weekend’s ECS-sanctioned event will also feature high-flying entertainment from the Maine-based Rave-X Outer Limits Sledstyle team. Freestyle jumps, stunts and gravity-defying tricks compliment a weekend of snocross quite nicely, and the lads from Rave-X will leave you breathless.
Leading the charge into Boscawen are talented athletes Danny Poirier, Kenny Murphy, and Leo Patenaude. Poirier, of St. Theodore, Quebec, is a two-time Pro champion on the former RMR circuit (2004, 2009) and currently leads the 2012 point standings in both Pro Stock and Pro Open with three races completed. Murphy, of Constantia, NY, is leading the Pro Lite standings in Saturday competition, while super-fast rookie Patenaude is turning plenty of heads as he sits atop the Sunday points. Always on the throttle, these three athletes are exciting to watch as they battle ski-to-ski and bar-to bar for top honors.
Along with some great racing from the Pro and Pro Lite divisions, a typical weekend of ECS competition also includes plenty of exciting grass-roots action from the Sport, Women and Junior divisions. This is where most of the family-oriented riders are found, spending quality time together each week while also fueling their "need for speed" in a safe, on-track environment.
This weekend’s races are hosted by the Town Line Trail Dusters of Boscawen. The club maintains a trail system of nearly 70 miles, encompassing an area that includes parts of Concord, Penacook, Boscawen, Webster and Franklin. The club was established way back in 1973 to promote the fun of family snowmobiling in a safe manner.
East Coast Snocross, presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction, is the 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 snowbelt, while also cultivating new talent for tomorrow’s factory-backed Pro teams.
For more information, go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com.
