Kris Schamp
Hello, everyone!
We are just a couple days away from kicking off the 2018 "Portland Short Track Series -- presented by Hopworks Urban Brewery", so time for some final updates:
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1) Only two days left to purchase your 2018 Series Pass and save time and $$ on race days!
You still have until end-of-day Saturday to purchase your 2018 Series Pass online (at http://obra.org/events/26056/register) and race all eight Short Track races for $150 (same price as the past 3 years) or just $60 for juniors!
Series pass holders will enjoy a weekly priority call-up at the start of their category and get their names entered in our free weekly raffle, even on nights that you are not racing! Once you have registered for the series, all you have to do is swing by our info desk at your first night of racing (or tonight at the Hopworks Bike Bar), pick up your race plate, and you will be all set for the rest of the series!... so, no need to check-in every week with registration, just head over to the start line and race!
Here is the updated call-up list for our first night of racing, with the 150+ racers who already purchased a series pass: https://portlandracing.com/callup-list-20180604
Note: you can also register for individual races through OBRA (http://obra.org/schedule/2018/calendar#june) or register for your race on Monday (from 4:30pm until 15' before the start of each race heat -- you can pay with credit card, cash or check), but to make things easier for our registration crew and keep the lines at registration in check, we strongly encourage people to register online.
In addition, only racers who have pre-registered (and who will have a pre-assigned race plate) will show on the race sheets that our perennial short track announcer Luciano Bailey will be using on Monday to identify and call out racers during their race!
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2) Join us tonight at Hopworks Bike Bar for our Series Kick-off Social & Race Plate Pickup!
We are thrilled to enjoy the continued support of Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland's all-organic, bike-centric, eco-brewpub. Tonight, we'll be out on the patio of the Hopworks Bike Bar (on N Williams Ave) from 4 to 8pm, where you can come pick up your series plate, register on-site for the series (or just for the first race), socialize with fellow racers and volunteers, and take advantage of the first "HUB short track special" of the season. And the first 30 racers to come pick up their plate will receive a very cool Portland Short Track (or Hopworks Ferocious Citrus IPA) pint glass.
More details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1151666424973020/
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3) FREE weekly Short Track Clinics:
Each night of the series, we will host two FREE clinics where novice and intermediate racers (including junior racers) will be able to hone their short track skills and familiarize themselves with the course. We'll have separate clinics for Men and Women, lead by Wenzel Coaching instructors (and elite short track racers) Elaine Bothe and Andrew Coe.
The 1-hour clinics will be held from 5 to 6pm 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 at 5:00pm across from the registration area and main bleachers (at the picnic table and fountain under the trees ), but you are welcome to "drop in" any time while the clinics are ongoing. You don't have to register in advance for the clinics, but all participants need to fill out a series waiver.
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4) FREE "Kids Short Track" Races:
For the little/younger ones, we will organize every week three FREE kids races, which will start at 6pm. The "Cat 1 Kids" 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. The "Cat 3 Kids" kiddie racers will do a short, 2-minute flat loop on the grassy area under the trees. This race is for the very young ones (only 6 and under). 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 finished their race, the "Cat 2 Kids" racers will complete a longer, 5 minute race on the same loop under the trees.
To encourage kids to come out and race throughout the series, we will raffle off an Islabike kids bike among all kiddie racers who raced the series. The winner will be drawn at our final night of racing and the more races your kids enter, the greater their chance of winning!
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5) Race plates:
All racers will receive a unique, laminated series race plate, which you will re-use throughout the series. Make sure to bring your plate back each week! If you change categories, you will have get a new plate for that category. Series pass holders and riders who pre-registered online for the first race can pick up their pre-assigned plate at tonight's Series Kick-Off Social or on Monday at the info desk, in front of the motocross tower. Also, a friendly reminder to correctly attach your race plate to your handlebars, using 3 pipe-cleaners (which you will receive with your plate) and your plate in front of any brake/shifter cables (so our lap counters can easily read your number). Thanks!
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That's it. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an e-mail. Looking forward to seeing you all on Monday at PIR (or tonight at the HUB Bike Bar) to kick off the 2018 Short Track season in style!
Cheers,
~Kris
Portland Racing
https://portlandracing.com
PS: Here are some other important Portland Racing race dates to mark on your calendar:
Mon 06/18 - "School's Out. Summer's Here!" Junior & Newbie Night
Mon 06/23 - Breadwinner Wheelie Night
Sun 07/01 - Six Hours of Mt Hood (at Mt Hood Skibowl) -- register today through OBRA at
Mon 07/02 - NO Short Track this week!
Mon 07/9 - Casual Summer Race Outfit Contest
Mon 07/23 - "Pedal to the Metal!" Holeshot Night
Mon 07/30 - Series Grand Finale & Ultra STXC Team Relay