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Championship snowmobile racing comes to Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in February

by jmaloni

Press release

Tue, Dec 4th 2012 07:00 am

More than 200 of the world's greatest snowmobilers to race in AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series during three action-packed days - Feb. 22-24

A new outdoor event is coming to Western New York this February on the grounds of Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel, and it will make spectators' hearts pump fast. More than 200 of the top snowmobile racers from North America and nearly a dozen countries worldwide will converge in Salamanca for the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, presented by Traxxas, from Feb. 22 to 24, 2013.

The racers will face off in a full-throttle, action-packed series of races that combine big-air jumps and competitive racing. Crews will turn 1 million gallons of water into snow over a football-field-sized plot of land at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel to create snowmobile tracks with wicked twists and turns, as well as ramps that will send vehicles flying dozens of feet into the air. The weekend is also one of eight nationally televised events on CBS Sports Network for the 2012-13 season.

Tickets for the event go on sale Monday, Dec. 3, at the Logo Shop inside Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel and online at www.isocracing.com. Ticket prices are $25 for Friday, $25 for Saturday, $15 for Sunday, or a value-priced $30 all-weekend pass. Admission is free for children ages 6 and younger.

Bleachers set up around the track can accommodate thousands of fans, and bright lights will illuminate the track during the evening hours on Friday and Saturday, when the main events take place and are taped for television. The atmosphere will be festive, including food, beverage, gear for purchase in the nearby Seneca Allegany Events Center, jumbo-sized video screens, autograph sessions and activities for the whole family - including the Traxxas Try Me Track, which allows fans to test remote-controlled trucks on a snow-covered course.

Carl Schubitzke, president and race director, International Series of Champions Racing, said New York state is a "hotbed" for snowmobile enthusiasts, and Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel is a perfect fit for races.

"We're looking to entertain and welcome people with open arms," he said. "The speeds and sounds are exhilarating. You definitely won't get this at home."

Approximately 50 practice, qualifying and final races will take place each of the three days, including 22 races during both the Friday and Saturday night main events. Amateur racing takes place in the afternoons, culminating in a major race on Sunday. As many as 15 vehicles will be on the track during a race, and individual races are broken down by age, gender and snowmobile type.

This is Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel's second big venture in the world of snowmobiling. In late October 2011, Seneca Gaming Corp. and the Seneca Nation of Indians provided a substantial sponsorship to Snow Bounders Inc., a local snowmobile association, for the construction and maintenance of a new 1.5-mile snowmobile trail that connects Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel to 90 miles of existing trails in nearby Allegany State Park. Snowmobiling is a $1 billion industry in New York, and there are nearly 17,000 registered snowmobiles in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties combined. Schubitzke is confident that the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series will be a further economic boon for the region.

"There's so much to do throughout the whole experience," he said. "It's highly entertaining, and there's never a dull moment. Most of all, I think attendees will be amazed at the speed and athleticism of the athletes. They make the twists, turns and jumps look effortless."

Visit www.SenecaCasinos.com for more information.

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