The organizers of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt presented by La Capitale General Insurance announced on Monday that snowmobile drag racing competitions have been added on Friday, February 18 to its 2011 great annual winter motorsports classic’s program. The competition will start at 3:00 p.m. and conclude under the lights at 9:00 p.m. Admission is free for everyone passing through the Grand Prix’s turnstiles after 3:00 p.m. Besides the competition, several activities are planned for the evening with crowd entertainers, fireworks and bonfires. The Red Bull Winter Patio will be open to the public. Regulations for this year’s event will be based on the ISR rulebook. Six categories, from the 500 cc to the turbocharged snow sleds including the 1000 cc category, are schedule to compete in this year’s event. Each category will feature Stock and Open classes. The 660-foot long, four-lane snow-covered track will be located on the west side of the Yvon Duhamel racetrack complex near the big top.
Furthermore, the Grand Prix sealed its programming on the 0.8-km ice oval track with organizing body Supermoto Quebec for the return of the exciting 450 cc motocross studded class with feature races on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) class, introduced last year in Valcourt, will be on track on Saturday to run its finale on the famed Circuit Yvon Duhamel.
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This year, Valcourt is front and center
The 29th running of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt, scheduled to run from Friday, February 18, 2011 to Sunday, February 20, will of course feature loads of professional snocross and ice oval races. This year, Valcourt is front and centre as it is listed in no less than four professional snowmobile championship series racing schedules. In snocross, the Canadian SnoCross Racing Association (CSRA), which opened its season December 3rd at the Calabogie Peak Resort near Ottawa and will run its second round the weekend of January 15 in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec has entered Valcourt as the fifth race on its 2011 schedule. As for the Quebec-based Camoplast SMCX Series, the Grand Prix is fourth on its calendar. Moreover, since there are no races on the American ISOC Series the weekend of February 18, its top racers should be free to run in Valcourt.
In the ice oval race series, the Canadian Eastern Pro Tour will open its season January 22-23 in Manitowaning, Ontario, were Jacques Villeneuve will begin defending his title. However, the highlights of its season will be the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt. This year, Tommy Lipar Racing (TLR) has launched the TLR Cup, a six-race series of events selected from four different Northeastern professional snowmobile series. TLR is offering more than $50,000 in purses with $20,000 going to the Cup winner. Valcourt is the only Canadian date on the TLR schedule. The Cup series opened last weekend in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
More podium finishes for Quebec riders in ISOC
In Round 2 of the ISOC Amsoil Championship Snocross Series held in cold Fargo, North Dakota the weekend of December 10, Jennifer Paré of La Doré, Québec collected her second podium finish of the season. The 2010 Quebec Sno-Cross Camoplast SCMX Series champion finished second this time after winning the ISOC opener in Duluth, Minnesota in November. In the Pro Am Women Super Stock Class point standings, Paré holds second place with 87 points, two behind Fargo race winner Carly Davis of Alaska. Tim Tremblay of Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc claimed a podium in the Pro Open and in the Pro Super Stock with a pair of third place finishes to move from fifth in each class to third in the standings behind Tucker Hibbert of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. As for Tremblay’s teammate, Kaven Benoit of Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil, he finished 14th in Friday’s race in the Semi-Pro Super Stock Class, while Renaud Alexandre of Val d’Or claimed 10th place.
The next round of the ISOC Series will be held January 8, 2011 in Sandy, Utah. Tremblay and Benoit will be in Sandy for the ISOC race, while Jenn Paré will begin to defend her titles in the Sports Super Stock 600 and the Sports Stock 600 at the Sno-Cross Camoplast Series season opener in Plattsburgh, New York January 8, 2011.
Last Chance for the Pre-Christmas Special Trackside Suite Ticket Offer
The organizers of the Grand Prix are offering fans a pre-Christmas special. Until December 25, 2010 inclusively, anyone purchasing a three-day Trackside Suite Pass for the weekend of February 18-20 will pay only $80 per pass, taxes included, instead of the regular price of $116. To take advantage of this offer, fans must order by calling the ticket office at 1-450-532-3443 or toll-free at 1-866-532-7543. From the comfort of a heated suite, these passes offer an incredible view of all the action on Circuit Yvon Duhamel. To learn more about the weekend festivities, schedule and ticket packages, fans can visit www.grandprixvalcourt.com.
Event organizers have also scheduled a Saturday night concert featuring Quebec rock star Éric Lapointe on February 19 at 8:30 p.m. at the Valcourt Arena. Tickets are currently on sale at $25 each, taxes included and can be ordered by calling the Grand Prix ticket office at 450-532-3443 or at 1-866-532-7543.
