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Debut in Berkshire County next stop for East Coast Snocross, Presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction
CHESHIRE, Conn. (Feb. 14, 2014) – Known for its scenic natural beauty and ample opportunities for sportsman, hikers and tourists, Berkshire County in western Massachusetts is almost as rural and pristine as parts of northern Vermont and New Hampshire.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22-23, this typically quiet region will roar to life, as East Coast Snocross (ECS) rolls into town for Round 8 of its 10-race 2014 schedule at “The Range” in North Adams just off Route 8.
Spectator gates will open at 10:30 a.m. each day with preliminary qualifying rounds already in progress. Pro racing will begin at 11:45, with Pro Open and Pro Lite finals slated for 3 p.m. Admission is $20 per day for adults, children age 7 and under will be admitted free with a paying adult. Pit passes valid through the weekend are available for an extra $10.
Leading the charge into North Adams are point leaders Danny Poirier, Jesse James Bonaduce, Steffanie Bell and Cody Paolella. Poirier, a three-time regional Pro champion (2004, 2009, 2012) from St. Theodore, Quebec, has won five finals in 11 starts this season. Bonaduce is enjoying a career-best season in Pro Lite, yet faces a challenge from Vermont-based Leo and Hunter Patenaude for the 2014 title.
Bell is on a roll in Pro women’s competition this season. The third-generation racer from Vermont now living in Maine is perhaps the fastest girl on snow in New England, but expect rivals like Nykea Williams, Janell Smith, Melanie Acker and Abigail Catlin to challenge her in North Adams.
Paolella is on top of the Sport class points after a stellar effort thus far. His rhythm, speed and consistency propel him to new heights each and every weekend. Other key players to watch in this class include Joe and Jake Bishop, Andrew Faulkner, James Obine, Chris Ingles and local favorite Bruce Gaspardi Jr.
For Gaspardi, a native of North Adams, the event at “The Range” is a rare treat and one he hopes his Team Southside Polaris riders can sweep.
“We’re very excited to finally have a race in our hometown, Gaspardi said. “We’ve been racing for over 20 years and haven’t had a race within an hour’s drive of Berkshire County in about a decade. The entire snowmobile and motorsports community in our area is anxious for this race. To be racing in front of friends and family for the first time is a big deal, and we hope this event will be around for years to come.”
This ECS event is hosted by MVP Promotions, formed by a trio of Berkshire county natives willing to bring this type of entertainment to Berkshire County. The energetic trio of Jamie Zdon, Peter Greenbush and Josh Little have assembled 39 local sponsors to support this inaugural event, led by the Greylock Federal Credit Union. ECS is anxious and excited about the debut of snocross in North Adams.
East Coast Snocross, presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction, is the eastern affiliate of International Series of Champions (ISOC), the national sanctioning body for snocross. ECS strives to maintain a healthy level of grass-roots snocross in the northeast, while cultivating new talent for tomorrow’s factory-backed Pro teams.
