PokerCross at SpectaCross Cyclocross Race
New Jersey State Fair Adds Revolution Wheelworks World Final of POKERcross to Packed Weekend of ‘Cross Racing
February 11, 2010; Conshohocken, PA, USA: The folks behind the August 6-7 “New Jersey State Fair SpectaCross” spend a lot of time thinking outside the box, and they’ve done it again. The opening day of this year’s event will feature a brand-new event following the traditional Friday night sprints: The Revolution Wheelworks World Final (and Beginning) of Poker Cross. “We wanted to add a second bonus event to the Friday night program that riders could enter at no extra cost,” says Ken Getchell of SpectaSport, the promoters of the event. “At the same time, we knew that some racers just wouldn’t be able to get off of work soon enough to compete in their sprint, so we wanted a fun race where competitors of all abilities had a chance to win. What we came up with is a giant poker run in the mud. And, thanks to Revolution Wheelworks, it’s going to have the biggest prize of the weekend.” Andy Rose, co-owner of Revolution Wheelworks, confirmed that his company will be providing a set of alloy Revolution Wheelworks cyclocross wheels for the winner-take-all event.
The format of the 45 minute “race” will see, as Getchell puts it, “a ridiculous human swarm” of upwards of 150 riders under the lights on the short, muddy SpectaCross course located mostly within the Fair’s 5,000-seat Miller Lite Outdoor Entertainment Arena that also hosts demo derbies, lawn mower races and tractor pulls during the run of the Fair. With riders receiving a poker card at the end of every lap, the idea is that faster riders will be able to complete more laps, get more cards and increase their odds of scoring the winning hand. But since it takes only five cards to make a hand, even the slowest of novice riders have a chance of winning. Getchell even promises to produce specially made SpectaCross poker cards just for the event.
Poker runs are not new idea. They’re a popular event for motorcycle clubs, and Getchell admits to being heavily influenced by the powerboat poker run scene, a scene that even has a sanctioning body and an international tour for full-on off-shore racing boats. “When I first read about off-shore poker runs about 15 years ago, my jaw dropped. It was just such a goofball idea that people would build million-dollar racing boats just to go on poker runs. It got so popular that some of the big off-shore races were even converted to poker runs. I’ve wanted to put on a poker run for bicycles ever since.”
A featured attraction at the New Jersey State Fair, SpectaCross’ reputation of being a unique and fun event surely won’t be diminished by the sight of 150 ‘cross racers (some, no doubt, wearing “alternative” clothing) weaving through a muddy three-minute course, set next to a monster truck and lined with big neon worms, all in search of the Queen of Hearts. SpectaCross already has a reputation for great racing and being a fun and well-run event. Now there’s even a chance to get lucky.
For more information on the Revolution Wheelworks World Final (and Beginning) of Poker Cross at this year’s New Jersey State Fair SpectaCross, see www.SpectaSport.com.
