Snowcross

Races start with the drivers forming a line abreast at the start line. The event begins with either a drop of a green flag by the starter or by the starter turning on a light. Like other sports derived from cross country running, the winner is often the rider who has the best holeshot.[6] The event may be stopped for a dangerous condition. The snowmobiles are lined up for the restart by their position in the race, with the drivers involved in the stoppage starting in the rear. The winner of the event is the rider who finishes first in the feature event.[5] Events attract over 10,000 spectators.[3]
Typically, a snocross event consists of a set number of qualifying races, heat races, and semi-finals, all leading up to the finals race for each contest cycle category. The final races is called the "Main Event".
[edit] Major events
Snowcross World Cup Finals at Lugnet Riksskid Stadium in Falun, Sweden
Northeast Snowcross Challenge at Malone Fairgrounds in Malone, New York, United States, on the first weekend in January
World Championship Snowmobile Derby at Eagle River, Wisconsin, United States on the third weekend in January. The snocross event complements the circle track championship event.
X Games at Aspen, Colorado, United States
[edit] Snocross by region
[edit] United States
The United States has a national sanctioning body called World PowerSports Association. The body sanctions eight points paying national races in 2007-2008. Two of these events are held in Canada. It hosts several non-points events, including an invitational ESPN Winter X Games event in Aspen, Colorado. It also hosts state and regional series in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.[7] Events are televised on ESPN2.[8]
Rock Maple Racing sanctions 14 events in the Northeastern United States. Mountain West Racing sanctions on eight events in northern Rocky Mountains states. There is a snowcross track in Waconda, Illinois. It is winter thunder challenge.
[edit] Canada
The Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (CSRA) hosts 5 national points paying events. It hosts five regional races, and several non-points in the United States in combination with the World PowerSports Association.[9]
[edit] Europe
The sport is popular in the Nordic countries, but its popularity is raising in former Sovjet as well as Iceland and in the Alps. There has been several manufacturers in earlier years, but Lynx -a subdivision of the Canadian company Bombardier, is the only producer left besides the big four; Yamaha, Polaris, Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo.
Racing is competed in several classes, but the most competitive ones are the ProStock and the ProOpen. Both are for maximum of 600 ccm and for adults of at least 16 years old. Winners of the Norwegian championship 2008 is Johan Ivvar Gaup and Jostei Biti (ProStock & Pro Open)
[edit] Video games
Polaris SnoCross - N64
Ski-doo X-team Racing - PC
Sno-Cross Extreme - PC
[edit] See also
Motocross
Snowmobile
[edit] References
^ a b 2007 Rock Maple Snocross Racing, January 26, 2007, Retrieved December 4, 2007
^ Skowhegan will play host to large snocross event; Portland Press Herald, February 6, 2004; Deirdre Fleming, Retrieved December 5, 2007
^ a b c WPSA SnoCross Duluth Results, November 27, 2007; Jeffrey Banks, Off-Road.com, Retrieved December 4, 2007
^ a b The Best North American Snowmobile Competitions; snowmobilingweb, June 4, 2007; Retrieved December 5, 2007
^ a b "Mountain West Racing 2008 Snocross rules" (PDF). http://www.mountainwestracing.com/08%20Rulebook%20website.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
^ Polaris shows 2003 440 ProX racer, Wade West; October 15, 2002, Retrieved December 4, 2007
^ Polaris Snocross Racers Are Focused on Thanksgiving Weekend Season Opener, November 5, 2007, Polaris Industries press release, Retrieved December 4, 2007
^ Nielson Enterprises SnoCross Grand Finale, Championship Snowmobile Racing, Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Retrieved December 4, 2007
^ 2008 Events Schedule for Canadian Snowcross Racing Association, Retrieved December 4, 2007
[edit] External links
World PowerSports Association (United States, Canada)
Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (Canada)
United States Cross Country Snowmobile Racing Association (United States)
Rock Maple Racing (United States)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snocross"