Endurocross

This "new" type of racing looks like it could really catch on. If anyone goes please post your impression. The arena may be too small for this type of event. I went to a Supercross race at the MGM Grand in Vegas a few years ago and it was way too small for a Supercross race. Interesting though and the buffet at the MGM wasn't bad for a buffet.

I saw somewhere, that Anders Eriksson shall participate.

I was trying to talk the Wife into spending Turkey Day in Las Vegas, but no I hope OLN or Speed Channel tape it for TV because it looks awsome!

Kraig

Did any of you see the schedule of races? They can't be more than a couple of minutes each. The heat races are 10 minutes apart.
The main as being 10-15 minutes long. I was really excited about seeing them, but for the amount of actual racing, it seemed not worth it to me.
Enduro Cross Shedule

I hadn't heard of EnduroCross until viewing this topic.. After looking at the video I have to go and check it out.. Bizarre but cool.
DEz

Canucks

Fry,

Its really cool that we will have Perrett and Giroux representing us friendly Canadians. Too bad would couldn't have some of the Albertan wrecking crew there like Party, Thomas, Moose or Julian. Those guys all have the credentials and have jumped in their vans and headed to Vegas many times before.

I'd actually like to see one of those guys lay a spanking on either of the two Canucks that are going. A little in-country competition never hurts! :twisted:

Fry,
I detect that you are aprehensive about the effect of endurocross on the future of off-road racing. If it stays like arena cross and just keeps forks in shape when it is snowing outside, I'm all for it.

I started racing at age 16 because back then you had to have a drivers license to ride enduros because you rode on the street for part of the race. When I started to do ISDE qualifiers, we still had the timed drag race (acceleration) special test. When I first got on a motcross track, doubles and triples were non-existant.

Sometime while I was in college (during the late '80's), enduros started disappearing and hare scrambles started popping up all over. What used to be 75 to 150 miles of unique riding, including pavement, gravel roads, trails, grass tracks, gravel pits soon became 2 laps of 30 mile loops, and then many laps on 6 mile courses. The trails degraded from natural single track to whooped out trails that fit quads. The ISDE format enduros also started waning as land access decreased and promoters started looking at the "easy money" of HS type racing. Funny, now that HS has become popular, insurers have noted the high level of claims at races and insurance is atrocious and has made putting on HS races a risky venture if low turnout occurs.

We all know that MX went from cool tracks with swooping turns and rolling jumps on natural terrain to manmade tight turns with doubles and triples, resulting in ending bike riding for many injured individuals, and of course skyrocking gate fees to pay for insurance.

BTW, I'm did not start riding when Indians, Harleys, and BSA were considered the state of art off-road machines, I am only bumping up on the big 4-oh soon.

I had the good fortune of getting to see this incredible event in Vegas this past weekend. I've been to a lot of motorsport races, but this ranks among the top in terms of entertainment value. Picture the gnarliest enduro obstacles placed back-to-back, interpreted with natural and man-made materials (ag tires, telephone poles, logs, huge boulders and a duck pond), run like a Supercross event.

The course was really tough. Everyone had problems in different sections. Someone would lead for a lap, then fall or get hung up on the rocks and get passed. These were all world class off road riders and, frankly, it was really cool to see them struggle like I do when I ride much easier terrain!

The competitors were allowed one viewing lap only before having to qualify. They actually had to shorten the main event from 15 laps to 8 due to the riders exhaustion.

You can see some pictures of the course here:

http://ktmtalk.com/index.php?showtopic=83922

Here is the website for the promoter:

http://www.endurocrossusa.com/

Ryan Hughes set the fast qualifying time, nearly won his heat and wone the main for a $10,000 purse. David Pearson looked awesome, Geoff Aaron was just amazing to watch and Ty Davis was fast.

I really hope this catches on in the States. It was an fantastic event and is one I'll definitely be attending next year.

Canucks?

Ryan Hughes?! I was shocked that Ryno pulled off the win. I have a ton of respect for Ryno...the guy has the kind of guts and determination that is hard to come by. I just didn't think he would have had a chance against the off-road heros that were at this event.

KenR,

Did you happen to notice how the 2 Canadians were doing...Guy Perrett and Guy Giroux? I am interested to know how they made out. Obviously there results were not that great, but I wanted to hear from someone like you that was actually there if they were struggling or just slow, etc.

Cheers

Marc

Both rode well. Everybody struggled a lot and I think it came down to endurance of body more than anything else.

I tried to follow Guy Perrett's progress a little closer (I like the guy I saw in an off road video somewhere...wild man) and he is clearly a strong rider. He didn't have any major hang ups that I can recall, or at least not any more than anyone else. The course was just brutal and took its toll.

I too was suprised by Ryno's win. Like you, I admire his motocross/supercross skills but I really didn't think he could hang with the offroad guys endurance wise on this kind of course. My money was on David Pearson, who ended up tiring near the end and falling back. Ryan rode fast and hard the whole night with very few errors.

There are some nice pictures at www.racerxill.com Wish I could have been there, hope somebody taped it for TV or DVD.

Kraig