Track Racing Returns to New England
Monday, July 07, 2003

At yesterday’s Downtown Northampton Criterium for Equal Access, the Northampton Cycling Club announced the return of track racing to New England. Yes, you heard right- the velodrome is coming to town.

The Northampton Cycling Club has reached an agreement with John VandeVelde to take over the ownership and management of the Vandedrome, a portable 170 meter velodrome. The track has been in storage for the past few years, and we will be replacing the surface and refurbishing the track prior to it’s planned debut in the Spring of 2004. We are currently in negotiations with the City of Northampton, and the Three County Fairgrounds (located in downtown Northampton) to secure a long term home for the track. Our immediate plan is for an outdoor installation, with an eye to an indoor facility in the future.

This is by far the biggest project the NCC has undertaken, and it will take the effort of lots of people. Involvement in the track is by no means limited to NCC members, so if you’d like to lend a hand, just let us know and we’ll be happy to put you to work. We are also in need of financial support for this project. The track needs quite a bit of work before it is rideable, and to help us make this a reality we are announcing the start of an "adopt-a-board" program for the track. With a tax deductible donation of $100 or more, you can ‘adopt’ a new board for the surface of the track. The names (or company names, club names, etc) of those adopting boards will be appear on a panel overlooking the track when it opens for riding next spring. We are happy to announce that our first board has already been adopted by the Frisco Cycling Club, the club behind the Superdrome in Frisco, Texas.

In the upcoming months the NCC will be holding a series of benefit auctions on the internet where you can bid on jerseys and other memorabilia from a wide variety of cyclists, teams and cycling companies. Among the first items offered up will be autographed cycling jerseys from both reigning USPRO champions, Kevin Monohan of 7-UP Maxxis, and Mark McCormack of Saturn. There will be also be sponsorship opportunities announced this fall for companies or individuals wishing to get involved with the rebirth of track racing in New England.

So keep an eye out for updates, we’ll be posting new developments as we get the track up and running. A full press release and a list of FAQ’s about the track will be up within the next few weeks at www.northamptoncyclingclub.org. And you will soon be able to donate money or participate in the adopt-a-board program at www.BikeReg.com, the nations premier on line registration service.

So enjoy the rest of your Holiday weekend, and we’ll see you on the track soon!
JD Bilodeau

photos by Jonathan McElvery, Jack Milton, and BikeReg.com