Infineon Raceway Announces New Event for 2004
Cyclists and Runners, On Road and Off, Take Over
Infineon Raceway in 2004
SONOMA, Calif. The newest event on the Infineon
Raceway calendar for the 2004 season will showcase more of the picturesque
Sonoma Valley environment and less of the big engines and 300-mph speeds
that have defined the raceway over the past 36 years.
Infineon Raceway has partnered with Sea Otter Classic LLC to host the
California Outdoor Sports Championships. The event, which will grace the
Sonoma Valley May 15-16, will mark the first national cycling event at
Infineon Raceway in the facility's 36-year history.
The event will feature the best in world-class cycling, including: road
circuit racing, road criterium racing, mountain bike cross country, mountain
bike short track, and gravity disciplines featuring mountain cross, dual
slalom and pro BMX jumping. Running events will also be offered: a race
using the Infineon Raceway road course and an off-road trail run using the
same cross-country course as the mountain bike racers.
All mountain bike events will be nationally sanctioned by NORBA (National
Off-Road Bicycle Association), a subsidiary of USA Cycling, the cycling body
recognized by the United States Olympic Committee. Road racing will be
sanctioned by another subsidiary of USA Cycling, USCF (United States Cycling
Federation).
The California Outdoor Sports Championships will be one of eight national
series mountain bike events contested around the country in 2004, and one of
just three in California. The trail running events will be sanctioned by
AATRA (All American Trail Running Association).
"We have always felt that Infineon Raceway and the Sonoma Valley offered an
ideal venue for this kind of competition, but we needed the right partner to
put together a world class event. In the Sea Otter group, we have found that
partner and we are very excited about the potential for this event in 2004
and beyond," said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon
Raceway.
Frank Yohannan, president and CEO of Sea Otter Classic LLC, said: "Infineon
Raceway was the natural place for Sea Otter Classic to look to - and partner
with - as we grow beyond our solid 14-year foundation in Monterey. This
facility is outstanding and offers enthralling conditions for both on- and
off-road racing. I am very excited about the prospects. I would also like
to say that the staff at Infineon has been a joy to work with and we look
forward to sharing this new event with outdoor enthusiasts from around the
country."
Infineon Raceway will be transformed into a cycling and running paradise for
the festival in May, complete with scenic courses carved into the hillside
for road and off-road competitions.
Rick Sutton, chief operating officer of Sea Otter Classic LLC said:
"California has a long and illustrious history in both road and off-road
cycling and outdoor sport. Mount Tamalpais in Marin was the birthplace of
mountain biking. Greg LeMond, America's first Tour de France champion,
trained every spring in the hills around Santa Rosa. Just as the southeast
is the stronghold for NASCAR, California is a hotbed for both amateur and
professional cycling. And when it comes to running, Cal Berkeley and
Stanford have produced many champions over the years. With all of this
sporting history in the area, it makes perfect sense to locate a major
outdoor sports championship at a splendid venue such as Infineon Raceway."
The best part is, even though many of the nation's top riders are expected
to compete, the cycling is not limited to professionals. In addition to
professional categories for the serious cyclists (national and
international), there will be amateur divisions, so it's your chance to try
and tame both the dirt and asphalt courses at Infineon Raceway.
Event organizers expect nearly 3,000 competitors for the first-year event at
Infineon Raceway, competing in running, mountain bike, road racing and
gravity disciplines.
"Because of the vast amount of room at Infineon Raceway, we will
be able to create some of the most competitive courses you'll find. That
will also translate into great viewing for spectators," Sutton said.
To give the novice cycling fan a point of reference, below are explanations
of some of the different types of racing you'll see:
1. Road circuit racing: Cyclists will compete on the same 12-turn,
2.52-mile road course that is typically reserved for motor racing.
2. Mountain bike cross country: A four-to-five-mile loop will be
constructed using various parts of the property, including terraced
hillsides, the terrain around the go-kart track and the ridge lines heading
toward Novato. This will be a great spectator event.
3. Mountain bike short track: A one-half mile off-road circuit that
will feature 50-60 riders at a time. Sutton describes this as "roller derby
on mountain bikes." Very spectator friendly.
4. Mountain cross: This discipline features a 30-second downhill
thrill-ride on an acrobatic course complete with big jumps. It's best
described as supercross on bicycles.
In addition to the best in on- and off-road cycling and running, the weekend
will also include the Outdoor Expo. Fans can enjoy a family-type atmosphere
with the latest in cycling gear and many youth-related activities, but there
will also be elements designed to educate. These are hallmarks of Sea Otter
Classic LLC's way of "immersing" spectators into the world of cycling. There
will be a comprehensive sports curriculum based on fun that will include a
session designed to teach children the basics of riding safety and cycle
set-up.
For more information on the California Outdoor Sports Championships, please
visit www.infineonraceway.com.
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Company Information
About Sea Otter Classic LLC
Sea Otter Classic LLC specializes in promoting outdoor festival events. The
Company's premier property is Sea Otter Classic Sports Festival, held every
April at Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California. Having run for
14 years, the Sea Otter Classic is now the USA's largest cycling festival,
attracting some 10,000 entries, 50,000 spectators, and 200 journalists from
15 nations. For more information visit the company's website at
www.seaotterclassic.com <http://www.seaotterclassic.com/> .
About Infineon Raceway
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of
motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company owns and
operates the following premiere speedways: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol
Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor
Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir
merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiary, and
manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars through its
600 Racing subsidiary. The Company also owns Performance Racing Network
(PRN) which broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to more than 725
radio stations nationwide including XM Satellite and NASCAR.com. For more
information, visit the Company's website at www.gospeedway.com
