MASS Stage Race and Festival Weekend POINTS PRIMER

Pay attention kids, we don't want to have to go over this again.
You'll be taking part in one, two, three, or four races over the three days. You can choose to do the bonus stage race and the XC. Or just the XC. Or just the bonus stages. Or just one of the bonus races. Or just the fun stuff. Or just beer. Or some combination that makes you happy. You can pre-reg for all these at www.bikereg.com

We'll be awarding the top finishers in all the races some prizes. Cash for experts other stuff for non experts. We'll also be awarding stuff for the fun events, but don't expect nuthin fancy for these - think box of cereal with perhaps a decoder ring inside if you're lucky.

MASS Points - We know this is a big concern so here is the scoop. The weekend has two batches of points available:

The big news for this year is that we're doing something a bit different with the points that we have in the past. Just like its always been, for the non-xc races in the stage race you will race as part of a combined field designated A or B in your appropriate ability/experience category.

What is different this year is that we are no longer awarding "bonus" points. The points this year that are awarded for the stage race (which is still the ITT/STXC/HC combo) are (the equivalent of) a fully dropable XC event. So, you don't just get extra points for showing up that another racer is unable to catch up to you no matter what.

However, what is also different this year is that we will be separating out every age group category in the stage race for MASS points. (Note that we will NOT be separating these groups for race day prizes or the overall awards - its a combo category for the stage events.)

This means that if you are the only person in your category to race the stage race events and you place LAST OVERALL in your stage race group you will receive FIRST PLACE MASS POINTS in your MASS category!! We can only do this because we are using the chip timing and the chips allow us to separate every individual racer into the appropriate bucket. It aint cheap, but its worth it!

So, you do the Betty's Tasty Buttons STXC, the Lupine Night TT, and the Your Name Here Hill Climb and you have a shot at full on first place MASS XC points in your category for those events. This is just one more reason you do not want to miss the visitPA.com MTB Stage Race and Festival Weekend!

Saturday's XC race will follow the standard MASS categorization of riders

The Sstage Race events (ITT, STXC, HC) will have the following categories:

Beginners:
  Beginner A (Sr. Men, Vets)
  Beginner B (Women, Master, Jrs)
Sports:
  Sport A (Sr, Vet, Clydesdale)
  Sport B (Women, Masters)
Elites:
  Pro/Expert A (Elite, Senior, Vets)
  Pro/Expert B (Women, Masters)

* Due to the nature of these events, we will not have separate age classes.
* These categories were determined based on comparisons of finish times from preceding race events and after long discussions of how to provide the best race situation for ALL participants in these bonus events.

To review:

· The stage race is a combination of the TT + XC + STXC + Hill Climb. MASS points will be broken out into individual categories as an equivalent to one MASS XC point structure. This means that although you may not win the Stage Race, if you are the first person in your MASS Category (say Beginner Vet for example) you will earn first place XC points for your category. Every MASS category will earn points equivalent to an XC race, even though the Stage Race is structured into groups of categories

· The XC race is a stand-alone race AS WELL AS part of the Stage Race. If you do the entire Stage Race, you will earn TWO Individual MASS XC point places - one for the actual XC race and one for the Stage Race. The Stage Race points will be droppable for your individual MASS series points.

· For each of the 3 bonus events, finishers in the six groups will receive a score.

· The scores for each bonus event are cumulative, therefore the more events you participate in the higher final score you can receive.

· You have nothing to lose by entering these Stage Race events and they provide you with a perfect opportunity to experience mtn bike events other than XC.

· There will also be merchandise prizes (beginner/sport) and cash (elite) for the top riders in each of these Stage Race events. NOTE: prizes will be awarded to Stage Race categories only, not individual MASS categories. BUT! the XC race will have prizes for each MASS category-since it is also a stand-alone event.

· Promoter reserves the right to combine starting categories, prize lists, etc.