Snocross

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Snocross at the 2007 Winter X Games

Snocross (also snowcross) is a racing sport involving racing specialized high performance snowmobiles on an artificially-made tracks consisting of tight turns, banked corners, steep jumps and obstacles. Riders race at speed of up to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour).^[1] Jumps are up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall, so riders travel up to 130 feet (40 meters) before they touch the ground.^[1] According to the World Snowmobile Association which governs snocross, watercross, and hillcross racing, snocross is the most popular form of snowmobile racing.^[2]

Snocross was derived from the sport of motocross. The name is a contraction of the words "snowmobile" and "motocross". The sport uses a snowmobile instead of a motorcycle, and a snow/ice surface instead of dirt. The snow/ice surface which is either natural or man-made.^[3] Tracks are generally located in higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere since temperatures below freezing are required to maintain the frozen track surface. Motorcycle riders in motocross and supercross frequently compete in snocross in the winter.^[3]

Snocross became an event at the X Games in 1998.^[4] X Games is a popular gathering place for some snow-related sports in the United States. The course at the first snocross event at the X Games resembled a motocross course; it was significantly longer than courses are now. It had deeper holes and higher jumps that are now filled in with snow.^[4]

1 Equipment
2 Event
3 Major events
4 Snocross by region
5 Video games
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Equipment

The snowmobiles vary significantly depending on their class. Drivers are typically required to wear a helmet, gloves, goggles/eye protection, leather boots, shin guards, elbow pads, neck braces, knee guards, and upper body protection. Hearing protection is often required in non-stock classes. Sanctioning bodies require helmets and suits to have a significant bright orange section.^[5]

[edit] Event

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 Snocross Racing Association 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 competive 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)