Our New Year’s resolution was to make 2011 another great year of racing for Southern California race fans. Even though we’re only halfway through January, we’ve already enjoyed intense racing.
Last weekend, we ran the re-scheduled Baja Cup Challenge and ITP 6-Hour Quad Endurance races, and both events were an absolute blast.
The Baja Cup Challenge enjoyed excellent weather on an exciting track, with trucks, buggies, and UTVs, as well as an array of talented off-road drivers all out in force, while the ITP 6-Hour Quad Endurance race saw great racing and a strong turnout of dedicated ATV racers. Expect to see some videos and photos up within the next few days from both events!
The next few weekends look to be just as exciting. The CMC Golden State Series rolls into town on January 16, accompanied by American Retrocross racing, which brings out some of the most prominent motorcycles from years past.
New this month is the first Glen Helen Ride Day, which we’re super excited about. The Ride Day is a brand new event we have planned for this year that takes place on the last Friday of each month. The Ride Day will consist of trail riding on specially designed trails laid out by legendary racer Gary Jones. The trails are clearly marked and range from beginner to expert, taking you throughout the vast Glen Helen facility. While most trails are easy to ride, Gary has also laid out plenty of double black diamond single-track trails for advanced riders.
We were with Gary as he set up a few of the trails. The views from the top of some of the ridge trails are spectacular!
Another neat thing about the Ride Days is that you can camp out – for free – in our large, level parking area, which is perfect for having a nice evening after the sun goes down. Why drive all the way out to the desert to ride when you can just head on out to Glen Helen and have a great time?
Looking further ahead, we’ve got a lot of unique events coming. March 26-27 will be the date of Dirt Fest 2011, a one-of-a-kind off-road event that includes trail riding, mud bogs, sand drags, and short course racing for quads, UTVs, and short wheelbase vehicles. Then on May 21-22, the thrill of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series comes to Glen Helen Raceway’s Lucas Oil Short Course for the first time of 2011.
Perhaps the biggest event of the year, though, is the Monster Energy USGP, which we’re hosting on the 14th and 15th of May. Some of the world’s best riders – champions such as Antonio Cairoli and Marvin Musquin – will compete head to head against each other as part of the FIM World Motocross Championships.
With these events, as well as local series such as REM and Vet X Racing, it’s no surprise that we’re excited about the 2011 season. Be sure to stay tuned – we hope to see you out here!
Glen Helen Raceway 