For the first time in four years, the sights and sounds of snowmobile racing return to New York's famed Tug Hill plateau, as East Coast Snocross (ECS) will contest Round 4 of its nine-race 2015 schedule on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, at the beautiful Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin.
Spectator gates open at 9 a.m. each day, with finals concluding shortly after 3:30 p.m. Admission is $15 per day for adults or $25 for a weekend pass. Children age 7 and under will be admitted free with a paying adult. Pit passes valid through the weekend are available for an extra $10.
Leading the charge into Turin is defending and four-time Pro Open champion Danny Poirier. The Quebec native has three wins in six starts aboard his Ingles Performance/Ski-doo as he strives for a fifth title. Ready to challenge Poirier for that crown is series newcomer Johan Dahlgren, of Sweden, who swept the Pro finals during Round 2 in Schaghticoke, New York.
Leading the charge in the talent-filled Pro Lite class will be riders like Matt Boron and red-hot rookie Cody Paolella. Boron swept both finals at the season opener, while Paolella notched his first victory in Schaghticoke. As in the premier Pro Open class, all three active sled builders (Arctic Cat, Ski-doo and Polaris) are well represented here with their latest factory race stockers.
Along with thrilling qualifying heats and finals in Pro and Pro Lite, fans can expect plenty of great racing in the Sport, Women, Junior, and Trail classes, as well. ECS has recently added 800cc trail sleds to its entry-level classes so more recreational riders can test the waters of snocross. Add a 120cc program for kids ages 6 to 10 on a smaller track, and you've got a weekend the entire family can enjoy.
The Tug Hill region is renowned for its ample snowfall. The location of the region in relation to Lake Ontario often creates ideal conditions for lake effect snow. Snow depths commonly reach five feet, and much deeper amounts are routine. The Tug Hill town of Barnes Corner owns the single-day New York State record snowfall of 54 inches set in January of 1976.
Snow Ridge offers 22 well-groomed trails on 130 skiable acres. With an average annual snowfall of over 230 inches, locals can enjoy the slopes both earlier and later than they could at many other resorts. Snow Ridge opened back in 1945, and has been putting smiles on the faces of skiers and riders for generations. To learn more, go to www.snowridge.com .
East Coast Snocross, presented by AMSOIL, Woody's Traction and FXR, is the eastern regional affiliate of ISOC, the national sanctioning body for snocross. ECS strives to maintain a healthy level of competition in grassroots snocross, while also cultivating new talent for tomorrow's factory-backed national teams.
For more information, please go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/East-Coast-Snocross, and follow us on Twitter @eastcoastsnox.
