BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex Shifts into High Gear with a Full Year of National and Regional Racing and Spectator Events

High-profile national racing series and high-octane events and entertainment make western Pennsylvania's BeaveRun the place to be in 2003

January 27, 2003 (Big Beaver Borough, PA) - BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex, the country's fastest-growing, multi-use destination for motorsports enthusiasts, is gearing up for a year of electrifying racing, exciting training programs and memorable spectator events, hot on the heels of a successful 2002 inaugural season. The 400-acre facility's exceptional race tracks, world-class karting center and expansive Vehicle Dynamics Area opened last summer and, following ongoing improvements, are in top form to welcome enthusiasts on a year-round basis.

For 2003, national racing arrives at BeaveRun, including the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) North American Championship Pro Series and the popular CART Stars of Tomorrow karting series. Major new events on the 2003 BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex schedule also include the popular World Karting Association (WKA) Horstman Gold Cup Series, the country's oldest form of 4-cycle kart racing, and the important SCCA Northeast Division Championships. Today's most exciting production cars, including the new Porsche Cayenne piloted by Car & Driver's executive editor, Tony Swan, will be at BeaveRun when the Cannonball One Lap of America competitors pull in for the round-the-country race's final series of timed trials.

Special enthusiast events are also part of BeaveRun's first full season. For example, Hyperfest-a supercharged showcase for leading high-performance tuners and aftermarket companies-brings its fast and furious mix of sights and sounds to BeaveRun this spring, and the annual Oktoberfest celebration returns in autumn.

From Racing to Testing, BeaveRun's North Course Offers Serious Thrills

BeaveRun's Alan Wilson-designed 1.6-mile road race circuit, the North Course, saw serious racing and testing mileage during its first few months of operation in the latter part of 2002. Mazda's factory-sponsored pro race team and Team Lexus, as well as editorial testing crews from national magazines like Car & Driver and AutoWeek were just some of the pros who carved up the technical turns of the North Course. Regional SCCA racing and special enthusiast events also made BeaveRun's debut season an early success.

For 2003, BeaveRun adds national-level racing, an exciting line-up of acclaimed driving schools and a number of large-scale special events. SCCA racing-where all competitive roads lead to the prestigious Valvoline Runoffs-returns to BeaveRun in full force with both national and regional events, including the SCCA National Championship Pro Series, May 3-4, and the SCCA Steel Cities National, June 20-22. Driving schools, ranging from the Bertil Roos Racing School, August 11-17, to a unique Cannonball One Lap program that features dinner with Brock Yates, are also ongoing.

Special events that demand a high-performance racing facility include Hyperfest, a high-octane showcase of import sports and compact cars that will take over the entire BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex on May 17. The event, which draws several thousand spectators and participants, pays homage to the very latest in aftermarket tuning and technology and includes high-speed competition and spectacular exhibits.

Events that offer entertainment for the entire family are also a regular part of the BeaveRun schedule. Oktoberfest 2003, which returns for the second year September 27, gives area residents the opportunity to contribute charitably to the community-based McGuire Memorial Foundation while enjoying all of BeaveRun's facilities. Oktoberfest will also feature the inaugural Beaver County Family Super Cruise, a car cruise extravaganza coordinated by the Beaver County Tourism and Recreation Department.

America's Top Karting Pros Star at BeaveRun's Wilson Circuit in 2003

With the 2002 completion and opening of the world-class 8/10-mile Wilson Circuit, BeaveRun positioned itself to attract the country's top karting events. For 2003, the Wilson Circuit has already been designated as a WKA Master Track and has been selected as the track of choice for a number of WKA sanctioned karting events.

WKA will host the second race in the Ultramax Racing Speedway Pavement Series-Pro Kart Nationals at BeaveRun April 25-27. Racers from Maine to Florida will compete in this fast-growing national karting series. The CART Stars of Tomorrow Series, the country's top feeder series for the next generation of racing stars, brings its Eastern Region Nationals to BeaveRun on May 2-4. Spectators can "scout" the country's most talented drivers, many of whom go on to compete in CART, IRL, NASCAR and other national auto racing series. Capping off national-level kart racing is the Horstman Gold Cup Series Tomar Nationals on August 8-10. Established in the late '70s, this series features the oldest form of 4-cycle kart racing in the country and, with more than 400 entries expected, will be one of the largest karting events of the season.

BeaveRun's own BeaveRun Karting Series kicks off another season of regional karting rivalry on March 29. Competition is offered in every racing class, from kid karts to the 125cc shifter kart level. Drivers gain valuable track time and the racing experience needed to progress to higher levels of competition. Participants can find everything they need to get behind the wheel and race at BeaveRun's full-service rental shop, from helmets to a brand new fleet of Trackmagic karts.

Motorcycle Riding Schools and Racing Play Big Role at BeaveRun

BeaveRun's commitment to creating exceptional motorsports experiences isn't limited to cars and karts. For 2003, motorcycle enthusiasts will discover a greatly expanded range of racing and riding programs.

As part of its community and safety focus, BeaveRun is making a portion of its six-acre Vehicle Dynamics Area available to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT), at significantly reduced costs. Starting in April, PENNDOT will offer its Motorcycle Safety Program (MSP) at BeaveRun on a weekly basis. The state-funded course is free to participants, and is designed to educate riders of every skill level on the fundamentals of riding a motorcycle safely. For anyone who's ever felt the lure of the open road, there's no better program for learning defensive riding techniques-and new riders get the added bonus of receiving their motorcycle license immediately after completing the course.

The spirit of national competition arrives at BeaveRun courtesy of The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA), the largest vintage-racing motorcycle group in North America. BeaveRun will be one of 12 host tracks for AHRMA's 2003 Pro-Flo Historic Cup Roadrace Series. Scheduled for September 13-14, this popular series features vintage motorcycles from the 1920s to the mid-70s.

For licensed riders, a track-based program can be the ticket to better all-around motorcycling skills, and an opportunity to improve racing technique. Throughout 2003, a number of the country's best schools are offering riders the opportunity to sample BeaveRun's racing pavement and benefit from professional instruction. Team Pro-Motion, Reduc SBA and Northeast Sportbike Association (NESBA) return to BeaveRun with a combined total of 26 racing school and track days.

Precision and Control are Hallmarks of the BeaveRun Vehicle Dynamics Area

Major tire and automotive component companies, automotive manufacturers, race teams and corporate clients in search of team-building experiences were just some of the customers that took advantage of BeaveRun's exceptional combination of track and testing facilities during 2002. Skid pad, acceleration and component testing as well as teen driver training and adverse weather driving instruction proved no match for the ultra-tough six-acre swath of asphalt. For 2003, BeaveRun's VDA customers can also book newly available classroom space.

In addition to the return of the BeaveRun Teen Driving and Adverse Weather Driving Programs, the 2003 VDA schedule already includes a number of private product and new model introductions from leading auto manufacturers. However, true to BeaveRun's multi-use philosophy, the VDA is open and available to anyone with a need for controlled speed-or just plain fun. This area of BeaveRun is ideal for hosting employee events, dealer meetings or customer appreciation experiences.

In addition to numerous local autocross competitions, BeaveRun's VDA also welcomes SCCA Northeast Division Championship autocross July 12-13, and SCCA Auto X events. Participants will compete in timed events testing their skill and ability to navigate a perfectly laid out course. Points earned could lead racers to SCCA's autocross national event in Wichita, Kansas.

2003 BeaveRun Schedule as of 01.28.03.

About BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex

BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex (www.beaverun.com) is conveniently located in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, just 40 minutes north of Pittsburgh on Route 18. With I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) Exit 2 just two miles south of the 400-acre destination complex, and Pittsburgh Airport only 25 minutes away, driving and motorsports enthusiasts from around the country can take full advantage of BeaveRun's world-class, multi-use facilities. BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex encompasses some of the most scenic terrain in western Pennsylvania, and features premium facilities that create an unmatched experience for both amateur driving enthusiasts and professional racers.

Highlights at BeaveRun include the world-class 1.6-mile North Course road race course and the equally challenging 8/10-mile Wilson Circuit-home of the BeaveRun Karting Center. A third track, the 2.2-mile South Course is planned for completion in 2003/2004. Also open for public and private use are the superb testing and training facilities of the six-acre BeaveRun Vehicle Dynamics Center, home of the BeaveRun Vehicle Dynamics Academy.

BeaveRun is the home track of the BeaveRun MotorSports Club, an exclusive membership organization that offers private track and facilities access. Four-season member benefits include reserved private use of BeaveRun's two acclaimed racetracks, use of members-only lounges, members-only activities and VIP hospitality during major races and events.