Kris Schamp
Hey everyone,
In case you didn't receive the email I sent out this morning, here are some updates ahead of the 10th edition of the Portland Short Track Series, which we hope to make another one for the books. Yesterday, I was out at PIR to check out the course and it is in great shape. And looking at the forecast for Monday (sunny with highs in the low 70s), we have some great summer weather lined up to kick off things!
This year, we made some tweaks to the race schedule in order to make the races even more enjoyable for everyone, with all Cat 2 and Cat 3 women racers and Juniors now racing in their own race heat at 5:55pm, while the Cat 2 and Cat 3 Adult Men (as well as the Singlespeed racers and Clydesdales) will race in the next two race heats. So, please, spread the word among your friends and help us get more people to discover the fun of short track racing.
Like last year, the series will run for 8 weeks - all the way through the last Monday of July - with a mid-series break in Monday June 30th, when we'll swap our weekly dose of short track madness for a full day of MTB XC race fun at the Six Hours of Mount Hood. After the break, we'll continue the fun with some special nights. Details will follow later, but for now mark already July 7th (10th Anniversary Celebration Night), July 14th (Summer Casual Race Outfit Contest), and July 28 (Series Grand Finale & Ultra Short Track Team Relay).
Here are a couple other updates:
1) Two more days to purchase a 2014 Series Pass (and 3.5 more days to to pre-register for Monday's race)!
Until end-of-day Thursday, you still have time to take advantage of our Series Pass Special and race all eight Short Track races for just $140 ($60 for juniors). Series pass holders will enjoy a weekly priority call-up at the start of their category - in the order they have registered - so hurry! New this year, you will be able to register online for single races through our sponsor Athletepath, who will also take tally our series standings. Online registration for each race will be open until Saturday at noon and is $10 for Juniors and $20 for everyone else. And if you miss the Saturday Noon deadline, you can still register at the races, though you will pay $5 extra. Day-of-race registration will open at 4:30pm. If you plan to register on site, make sure to bring cash or a check book, since we do NOT accept credit cards (though there is an ATM located at the PIR main entrance).
[ Series Pass online registration: http://www.portlandracing.com/series-pass-2014.html ]
[ first race registration: https://www.athletepath.com/portland-short-track-series/2014-06-02 ]
2) Please fill out our online Series Race Waiver & Accident Release Form.
Whether you plan to pre-register online or prefer to pay for your races on race day, please take a minute and fill out our online series waiver & accident release form. You need to do this only once and you will be all set for the whole series. It will save on paper, save you time at your first race (no need to hand-write a paper waiver), and it will make the race administration at our end much easier. Thanks!
[ online waiver: http://www.portlandracing.com/waiver.html ]
3) Pre-registered riders & race plates:
Like previous years, all racers will receive a unique, laminated series race plate, which you will receive at your first race and which you will re-use throughout the series (unless you change categories). If you have purchased a series pass or pre-registered online for Monday's race, all you need to do on Monday is pick up your race plate at the pre-registration desk (in front of the motocross race tower) and you're all good to go.
4) FREE weekly Short Track Clinics:
In good tradition, Ted Byram of Bike N Hike will host FREE weekly clinics for juniors and novice men racers, while Sorella Forte's Elite Women rider and bike coach Elaine Both will continue to teach her free women clinics (open to all women). The 1-hour clinics will be held from 4:30pm to 5:30pm on the short track race course and will include a guided bike-through of the course, various fun skill drills, and a ton of race tips from folks who not only know how to race hard but also how to race smart!
Meet-up for the clinics is in front of the bleachers next to the registration tent, but if you can't make it by 4:30pm, you're free to drop in on the clinics at any time. You don't have to register in advance for the clinics, but all participants need to fill out a series waiver.
5) The new-and-improved "Kiddie Short Track Series" - presented by Islabikes:
For the younger ones, our sponsor Islabikes will organize every week three FREE kiddie races. At 5:30pm, the "Cat 1 - Under 10" racers will do one full lap on the regular short track course. This race is restricted to expert kids who have the ability to race a more technical course, including the more moderate bumps on the motocross course (we'll skip any super-technical or steeper sections). At 5.35pm, the "Cat 3 - Under 6" kiddie racers will do a short, 2-minute flat loop. This race is for the very young ones. Trikes, training wheels and push-bikes are all allowed in this race, as well as helping parents, as long as they don't obstruct the racing kids. Right after the little ones have come in, the "Cat 2 - Under 8" racers will complete a longer, 5 minute race on a flat, grassy loop under the trees. To encourage kids to come out and race throughout the series, we will raffle off - at our final night - one Islabike in each category, among all kiddie racers who raced the series. So be
sure to sign your kids in every week at the Islabikes tent (under the trees, adjacent to the Kiddie course) for their chance to win and ride one of these quality children's bicycles. The more races your kids enter, the greater the chance of winning!
6) Sponsors, goodies and prizes galore!
We are thrilled to enjoy the continued support of all our fantastic sponsors:
- Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland's all-organic, bike-centric eco-brewpub and perennial Short Track Series title sponsor will throw in - each week - some much-coveted beer prizes (at least, for racers who are 21 and over). In addition, the Hopworks Bike Bar (located at 3947 N Williams Ave, just a couple minutes from PIR) will offer $2.50 beers to Short Track racers who drop by after the races and flash them their 2014 race plate. The HUB Bike Bar features a great outdoor patio and some tasty Happy Hour specials (from 9 to 11pm).
- Our bike shop sponsor Cyclepath will be at the series each night to provide free mechanical support and thanks to the support of Dave Killer's Bread, we'll continue to offer free post-race PB&J sandwiches.
- Starting at the second race - and all the way through our Series Grand Finale - we will raffle off each week a bunch of great prizes and goodies donated by our generous sponsors Yakima, Portland Design Works, Chris King, Showers Pass, Moots, Lumberyard, Nossa Familia Coffee, and various others. Please return the favor and support our sponsors with your business!
7) Six Hours of Mount Hood: Sunday is last day for early-bird discount.
On Sunday June 29, we will be heading up the mountain for the fifth edition of the Six Hours of Mount Hood. At last year's edition, we enjoyed beautiful weather and received rave reviews from racers, and we'll keep working on making this the most fun endurance bike race in Oregon, whether you come race solo or as a two-person team. Look forward to a more detailed update about this must-do MTB race in a couple weeks, but I already wanted to give a heads-up that you still have until end-of-day on Sunday to take advantage of our "early bird" registration offer!
[online registration 6 Hours: http://www.portlandracing.com/6hrs/registration.html]
8) Finally... some IMPORTANT safety tips.
On Monday nights between 6pm and 8pm there are ongoing road bike races on the PIR race track. If you are in a rush to get to the short track course, please use the wooden bridge to cross the track. If you prefer to cross through the main gate (where the road racers enter), we ask you to follow - at all times - the directions of the crossing marshals and use extreme caution when crossing the track. As a general rule, never cross the track when oncoming road racers are in sight. Also, if you come early to pre-ride and there are still cars or motorcycles using the track, you MUST use the bridge to cross the track. Finally, if you drive over to PIR, make sure to not leave any valuables visibly in your car or unlocked bikes on your bike racks.
That's it. Looking forward to seeing you all out at PIR on Monday to take a head start on the summer bike race season!
Cheers,
~Kris
Kris Schamp
Portland Racing