It’s official: USAC has chosen this race to be part of the 2011-2012 Cyclocross National Calendar on December 10! Come race on January 16 and get a leg up on next season’s competition.

Get ready for the coolest cyclocross race of the year at the Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, January 16, 2011.

We will be racing on a fun course that will start on the banked oval track, tear across the infield, navigate the tractor pull, shoot out under the grandstands to a huge swoopy descent of the grassy field outside the stadium, before riding back into the stadium, hitting the run up, and dropping back onto the track. It will be challenging mix of power and finesse, with a good rhythm of technical, speed, and recovery sections.

You can catch all the racing action from Talia Espresso’s Belgian Party Tent on top of the Winner’s Circle in the center of the stadium, and if the course gets sloppy you can hose down in the wheel pits on Pit Row, and take a shower in the Racer’s Lounge adjacent to the finish line.

The race is the day after the UCI Kingsport Cup, and it’s the MLK Holiday Weekend, so bring the family or your riding buds, stay in one of Wilkesboro’s great hotels, inns, or B&Bs, and spend Monday on the pavement enjoying Wilkesboro’s network of bike routes, or in the woods on the trails at the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, or just enjoying a casual day off amidst the splendor of the Carolina Foothills.

We are currently submitting our application to the UCI to be the last race before the World Championships in Louisville, so sign up now, and make sure you come out this year for what promises to be America’s next great cyclocross event.

Weather held out last night for a fast, dry night of racing. The Boone Cyclocross Superfan die-hards somehow recovered from the Hawksnest bacchanal on Sunday to come out in force to cheer on our racers. The results and updated Mini-Series standings are posted. Next Wednesday is your last chance for weeknight racing in the High Country until 2011. See you then.

Due to overwhelming demand, we will be extending the series by two more weeks. So clear your calendar for the evenings of Wednesdays November 3 and 10 because there will be cyclocross racing at the Boone Fairgrounds. Last night and the next two races will comprise a mini-series, with shwag and bragging rights for the top A and B men, women, and juniors. On that note, congrats to the following for winning the 2010 High Country Cyclocross Series:

B Race:
1) Bruce Stauffer (Cool Breeze/Trek Bicycle Store)
2) Robert Cool (Pirate Race Productions pb Alpha Facilities Solutions)
3) Sam Hutchins (Boone Velo)

Top Women Bs
11) Rip Nicholson (Pirate Race Productions pb Alpha Facilities Solutions)
13) Sirena Lundsford (Cycletherapy/City Loop Mafia)
31) Alison Forkner (Appalachian State Cycling Team)

Top Juniors:
37) Joe Wiswell (Pirate Race Productions pb Alpha Facilities Solutions)
46) Levi Marland (Boone Velo)

A Race:
1) Thatcher Hurt (Boone Velo)
2) Soni Dyer (Studio 7 Multisport)
3) Jeremiah Dyer (Cannondale-Champion Systems)

Top Women As
35) Rachel VanDenende (Boone Velo)
38) Ashley James (Kenda)
44) Alison Forkner (Appalachian State Cycling Team)

Full Standings and Week 8 results are posted

Second to last HCCX-Boone might have been the best yet. We had two solid fields despite most of the App State regulars skipping out to head home for vacation. The Lees-McRae posse filled in the gaps in the B field, with a bunch of guys fresh from Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals deciding to try out ‘cross and Ezra Mullen (Lees McRae Cycling) hefted some pretty large sandbags to the front of the B field, with trail advocate Paul Stahlschmidt (Boone Area Cyclists) and another ‘cross first-timer Paul Capua rounding out the podium. In the A’s, Jeremiah Dyer (Champion Systems-Cannondale) fought his way to the top of the podium ahead of teammate Alex Ryan, with Reid Beloni (Gary Fisher-Subaru) in third. Alison Forkner (Appalachian State Cycling) won the Women’s division in the Bs, and Joe Wiswell (Pirate Race Productions p/b Alpha Facilities Solutions) took the Junior win. In the contest for the overall title, Soni Dyer (Fiets Maan Racing) edged out Thatcher Hurt (Boone Velo Elite Squad) and is holding onto a precarious one point lead, with Jeremiah within striking distance 10 points back. Check out all the results and season standings here.

Next week is the last HCCX race this year, so clear your calendar. However, it’s not your last chance for cyclocross in the High Country: Hawksnest Crossfest is October 31, and the App State team is hosting a public race at the Fairgrounds as part of their Collegiate doubleheader on November 13. Our Main Event is on January 16, when the NCCX Series rolls into the Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway for the coolest race of the year.

Well that was awesome. We had 32 racers and a couple of dozen rowdy spectators come out and get to see the first “real” cyclocross race of the season, as a driving rain storm through the last couple laps of the B race and the first couple laps of the A race got the course nice and slick. The run up and the big off-camber kept everyone entertained as racers scrambled to stay upright, and local hero Thatcher Hurt (Boone Velo) pulled off his first W of his nascent pro career. All of the results and season standings are posted. I’m still seeing spots from all the camera flashes, and will get pictures up on the Facebook page as soon as I get them.

Don’t forget that this Saturday Alison Powers is hosting a Women’s Cyclocross Clinic at the Fairgrounds from 10 to 4. Registration is only $45 and includes lunch from Black Cat Burrito.

Awesome night of racing up in the High Country. Thanks to the devious schemes of Thatcher Hurt (Boone Velo) and the generous support of Boone Bike and Touring, we had a killer course under the lights which kept racers on their toes and kept the spectators entertained. The App State posse was out in force, getting ready for this weekend’s season opener and their march toward another national title, and we had a handful of folks trying ‘cross for the first time. Results are posted, see you next week.

Perfect ‘cross conditions for our last race at NWS: light rain let up for the race, making for pleasant temps and some nice slick conditions in the grass and on the tractor pull. The track, as always, proved incredibly tacky and safe. We had great turnout, with 20 in the As.

Appalachian State University showed their strength getting ready for nationals, with Matt Finn sniping Bruce Stauffer (Cool Breeze/Trek Bicycle Store) on the line in the Bs, just ahead of Rip Nicholson (Pirate Race Productions p/b Alpha Facilities Solutions); ASU team prez Rachel Vandende (Boone Velo) demonstrated a lot of strength lining up in the As for her first race of the season.

ASU alum Thatcher Hurt (Boone Velo Elite Squad) got one step closer to living the dream, leading a powerhouse troika with Jeremiah Dyer (Champion Systems/Cannondale) and Nathan Wyatt (Carolina Fatz) who dropped the A field on the first lap and never looked back. However, Bruce and Sonni Dyer (Fiets Maan Racing) still have commanding leads in the B and A category season standings.

We really appreciate everyone coming out and helping us break in the course for the Main Event on January 16. Based on your feedback and my diabolical visions, we will make further improvements to the course, to keep it fun, flowy, and very spectator friendly.

The next four weeks of HCCX we are at the Boone Fairgrounds with lighting provided by the cyclocross experts at Boone Bike and Touring

Week Three featured yet another stunning sunset, great racing, and temperatures more suitable to the last week of summer. We’ve got the course dialed in, and while we may have a few more tricks up our sleeve, this baby is ready for its debut at NCCX 12 on January 16. Wednesday the 29th will be your last chance to scope out the venue before we shift up to the Boone Fairgrounds for the month of October, so don’t miss out. We’ve got results posted and season standings updated. Look forward to seeing you all on Saturday at Beech Mountain for Three Peaks USA.

Results are posted and season standings are updated for another gorgeous night of racing. Only nine days to go until Three Peaks USA and we have limited space in our Women’s Clinic, so sign up. Good luck to everyone at the MSG season opener and/or Charm City Cross this weekend. We can compare notes next week at Talia’s.