"Staging the "Open House Day" at Valcourt will enable us to reach the general public and invite everyone to access the site free of charge and discover the beauty of the sport of snowmobile racing," said Donald Lemay, President of the Grand Prix of Valcourt presented by La Capitale General Insurance."This is an important occasion for us. We wish to attract new fans to Valcourt and also reward our faithful fans with an additional day of on-track activity. Aside from having the opportunity to see the world’s best snowmobile riders in action on the oval racetrack or on the snocross course located in the infield of Circuit Yvon Duhamel, attendees will be able to walk through the paddocks and talk to, and even have photo ops with the riders and their crews. We hope this day will be a memorable one for all and we wish them a great time in Valcourt."
On Thursday’s "Open House Day", the J. Armand Bombardier Museum invites everyone to an autograph session starting at 3:30 p.m. Several riders have already agreed to sit in for the occasion. They include 21-year old Nick Van Strydonk, the two-time defending Grand Prix of Valcourt champion who was crowned the 2012 World Champion at Eagle River in his home state of Wisconsin two weeks ago, and Canadian oval track superstars Bryan Bewcyk and Travis MacDonald of Winnipeg, (Manitoba). Also confirmed for the date are snocross riders Derek Ellis of Clayton, Idaho and Corey Watkinson of Port Carling, Ontario. Three Quebec stars will also be on hand to greet fans: Matt Morin, the 2011 East Coast Snocross champion and Dany Poirier, the runner up to Morin in both ECS Pro classes, as well as Jenny Paré who won the Women’s Class in the 2012 World Championship at Eagle River. More drivers are expected to participate in the autograph session. With the Grand Prix open door policy, everyone is invited to visit the museum for free.
At the press conference it was also announced that fans would have the opportunity to be right in the middle of the action in Valcourt. Furthermore, The Eastern Pro Tour Ice Oval Series will introduce two new classes to the Valcourt crowd, including the Outlaw 600. This Xtreme sled must have a full roll cage located to the left side of the tunnel with a single rubber track and three skis. This machine is not as glued to the track as regular sleds, making it a high drift sled. Truly the machine of the future.
« We are also happy to announce that fans can be right in the middle of the action in Valcourt with access to a grandstand located in the infield of Circuit Yvon Duhamel. From this location, they can watch snowmobile, ATV and motorcycle ice races, as well as the snocross action right up close,"said Marc-Antoine Lemay, director of programming at the Grand Prix of Valcourt."For only five dollars a day, fans will have the opportunity to access a prime viewing location right in the middle of the track. Because of space limitations, the number of seats available is of course, restricted."
Several riders were on hand at the press conference. Three-time Eastern Pro Tour champion Jacques Villeneuve was there to field questions from the media, as well as rising star Nick Lagoy from Morrisonville, New York. Snocross rider Donovan Asselin and three-time Valcourt motorcycle winner Dominic Beaulac were in attendance and invited fans to come en-masse to cheer them on. The Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt is the only major event to feature five different types of racing activities in the course of a single weekend of competition and includes a freestyle snowboard competition to top it off.
The state of the track
With only 16 days left until the first green flag is waved to launch the 30th running of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo of Valcourt, officials were upbeat regarding track conditions. The ice oval track has been completed and 90% of the snow required for the snocross layout is already done. Only a few hours of the snowmaking machine are still required to complete the job before the snowcat enters into action to compact and groom the track prior to final testing.
Aside from the "Open House Day", three full days of all-out snocross competition, snowmobile, motorcycle, and ATV oval ice racing await extreme race fans. The action gets underway at 9 a.m. on Friday February 17. Drag racing under the lights program will start at 3:00 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by a high-speed drag racing competition. Admission is free for everyone passing through the Grand Prix turnstiles after 3:00 p.m. The Saturday Tow-In Snowboard Big Air, an extreme version of mountain snowboarding, will surely please Xtreme sports fans. Admission is $10 per person after 3:00 p.m., except for spectators holding valid Grand Prix admission tickets. Everyone is invited.
Tickets are still available but in limited quantities
Tickets are still available for fans wishing to attend for the 30th running of the Grand Prix de Valcourt and see the best snowmobile racers in the world compete for top honours on the renowned Circuit Yvon Duhamel. To order Trackside Suite passes, which offer an incredible view of all the action in the comfort of a heated building, or general admission tickets, fans must call
Located only 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Sherbrooke, Québec, Valcourt is 90 minutes away from Montréal and approximately two and a half hours from Plattsburg, New York, Burlington or Montpelier, Vermont. The track’s civic address is 917, Route 22 in Maricourt.
