Kris Schamp
For those of you who didn't receive the email I sent out earlier today, a quick heads-up that we are just a couple days away from the start of the sixth edition of the Portland Short Track Series.
http://www.portlandracing.com
I hope you are as excited as we are about spending the next 7 Monday nights racing bikes on dirt, cheering on fellow racers, and having a great time!
Here are a couple other updates I like to pass along, ahead of next Monday's kick-off race:
1) Today is the last day to pre-register online for Monday's race!
We are past the deadline for buying series passes, but like last year, we offer online registration for single races. Each week - until end-of-day Friday - you can register online for the next upcoming race, at the same rate as last year ($10 for Cat 3 & Juniors, $15 for all other categories). If you miss the Friday deadline, you can still register at the races, but you will pay $5 more. So, be smart and pre-register today!
http://www.portlandracing.com/registration.html
IMPORTANT: All races will start on time. Please schedule enough time to get to PIR, get all your stuff together, ride your bike from the parking lot to the infield, and get registered. If you plan to pay for your race on Monday, we recommend you arrive at PIR at least 1 hour before the start of your race, because the registration lines on our first day of racing always tend to be pretty long. Day-of-race registration will open at 4:30am, so come early to avoid the lines. And make sure to bring cash or a check book. We do NOT accept credit cards, although there is an ATM outside the PIR track (across the main race tower).
2) Please fill out our online Series Race Waiver & Accident Release Form!
Whether you pre-register online or plan to pay for your races on race day, please take a minute and fill out our online series waiver & accident release form:
http://www.portlandracing.com/short-track-waiver-2010.php
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 racer administration at our end much easier. Thanks in advance for your cooperation!
3) Pre-registered riders & Race Plates:
Like previous years, all racers will receive a special series race plate, which you will receive at your first race. These are the only race plates that will be honored by our officials. If you have pre-registered online or purchased a series pass, all you need to do on Monday is pick up your race plate at our separate pre-registration desk (in front of the race tower) and you're all good to go.
4) FREE Clinics:
This year, Elaine Bothe from the Sorella Forte team will host FREE "clinic" for novice women riders, which will include a bike-through of the course and a ton of race tips along the way. The clinics will be held from 5pm to 5:45pm on the race course. Meet-up is at the bleachers on the right of the registration tent. You don't have to register in advance for the clinics, but you need to fill out and sign a series waiver. If you plan to race the first race of the evening (Cat 3 & juniors) and want to attend the clinics, we strongly recommend you pre-register online or come early (4:30pm). Starting on July 5, Northwest Trail Alliance will host free, weekly short track clinics for junior racers (age 8 through 14). The junior clinics will start at 4pm and run through 5:30pm. More details soon.
5) Sponsors, Goodies and Prizes, Oh My!
We are thrilled to enjoy the continued support of a host of sponsors.
- Hopworks Urban Brewing, Portland's all-organic, bike-centric eco-brewpub continues to support the series as our title sponsor and every week they will throw in some much-coveted beer prizes (only for racer 21 and over).
- Moots, builder of fine hand-crafted titanium bikes and bike components, has stepped up this year as a new sponsor of the series and every week, we will raffle off a special "Moots prize" among all our racers (including some very sweet titanium seatposts!).
- Our other generous series sponsors Bike N Hike, Yakima, Cyclepath, Portland Design Works and Nossa Familia Coffee will be throwing in more great prizes, which we'll raffle off throughout the series and at our grand raffle at the very end of the series.
- The friendly folks at Chris King have again volunteered to provide free mechanical support to our racers and will serve up lemonade to racers and spectators alike. And they will again be throwing in some real cool bling for us to raffle off.
- Like in previous years, racers will also enjoy free post-race PB&J sandwiches, courtesy of St Honore Bakery. And Larabar and Hammer will sweeten the deal with their ultra-yummy energy bars and recovery drink.
6) Wanted: volunteers:
I am still looking for a couple hands to help out with registration, lap counting and course marshaling between 6pm and 8pm. If you are available and like to help out, just shoot me an e-mail. If you help out for 3 or more 30' shifts, you get to race for free!
7) 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, midway across the finish straigthaway of the road track. If you prefer to cross through the main gate (where the road racers enter), you should at all time obey the directions of the crossing marshals and use extreme caution when crossing! As a general rule, never cross the track when oncoming racers are in sight.
That's it. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an e-mail. I am looking forward to seeing you on Monday!
~Kris
Kris Schamp
Portland Racing
kris@portlandracing.com