2023 Maxxis Eastern States Cup Season Preview 2

Racers ready ... Beep! The countdown to the 2023 Northeast race season has begun! In less than two months, the first racer of the year will be on course. In its 14th season, the Maxxis Eastern States Cup presented by Kate’s Real Food is charging into another year with more than 20 races at a dozen venues spread across the Northeast from Pennsylvania to Maine. The Maxxis Eastern States Cup exists to ensure the future of gravity mountain bike racing on the East Coast, and the series is recognized for its professionalism, high level of competition, and emphasis on fun. In addition to the release of the 2023 schedule, we've got lots of news on the sponsorship front, so let's get into it. 

Exciting news! Oakley, the globally renowned brand that has dominated the market for decades, has joined the ESC family. Originating from motocross and BMX, Oakley has now established itself as a leader in mountain bike, offering goggles, glasses, and apparel.

Oakley Takes the Lead as Title Sponsor of Maxxis ESC's "Oakley Showdown" Weekends! Leading sports brand Oakley is proud to announce its sponsorship of the highly-anticipated "Oakley Showdown" weekends, featuring Enduro and DH races held simultaneously at the biggest resorts on the Maxxis ESC schedule. As the title sponsor, Oakley will award the top racers high-end prizes for competing in both Enduro and Downhill races on the same day at these events.

Introducing the Oakley Showdown Bonus, a new feature of Maxxis ESC that will award all Enduro and DH racers at Oakley Showdowns with 110% Stan's Enduro and/or Intense DH series points. In addition to this, Maxxis ESC racers can also look forward to the Oakley DH Speed Zone, where the fastest downhill racers in each class will be rewarded with some amazing Oakley gear.

Oakley's support of the Maxxis ESC series and its exciting events is a testament to its commitment to the sports industry and the athletes who participate in them. 

Maxxis returns as the title sponsor of the ESC series. Maxxis tires have been the industry leader in the MTB world for years, and their commitment to grassroots racing is unsurpassed. Since its founding over 50 years ago, Maxxis has been dedicated to making tires that riders can trust for quality and performance. Maxxis Minions and High Rollers have been ubiquitous on ESC race bikes for years, the Shorty is the go to tire on our not infrequent mud fests, and Greg Minnaar's signature Assegai and Troy Brosnan's signature Dissector are gaining traction with the downhill crowd. As usual, you can expect many rubber rewards at our podium ceremonies.

Kate's Real Food again presents the Maxxis ESC series. Started in Jackson Hole by skier and mountain biker Kate Schade, Kate’s Real Food produces delicious organic energy bars with clean whole food ingredients. Kate’sReal Food will again be the title sponsor for the beginner-oriented Kate's Enduro Lite Class, the Kate’s Kids Class, and the Kates's Cash program. The fees for Kate's Kids Class will be reduced, and a full pre-registration refund will be provided to those who pre-register to volunteer as course marshals on race day. 
"Kate's Real Food is thrilled to be going into our 3rd season as the "Presenter" of the Maxxis Eastern States Cup race series. The Maxxis ESC has continually set the bar for mountain bike racing by creating a very approachable series that is great for avid racers, beginners just dipping their toes, and even the youngest of riders. Kate's bars are loaded with protein and complex carbs and are only sweetened with the finest organic honey, making them a top notch fuel source for big days out on the bike. The best race series in the East and the best organic energy bars on the market, how could it get any better?!"
Jimmy Christensen, VP of Sales – East

Stan's NoTubes continues its years-long support of Northeast MTB racing and is again on board as the title sponsor for our hugely popular Stan's Enduro series.
"The decision to partner with the Eastern States Cup was an easy one. High quality racing, fantastic venues, and camping with friends - what's not to like? Stan's is proud to support one of the premier gravity series in North America."
Gunnar Bergey, Stan's Marketing Director

Motorex, the Swiss family-owned company specializing in the development, production, and marketing of lubricants, has been working with the Maxxis ESC for years. Their products have proven hugely popular. This year Motorex will again be the title sponsor for our eBike Enduro Series. 
"Racing season is upon us soon, and we are just as excited to start our 7th season sponsoring the Eastern States Cup as we were the first. The ESC crew puts on an excellent series that continues to offer competitive racing in the Northeast. When you attend one of the events you can see the “family” that the ESC has created, and we feel fortunate to be a part of it. As in past seasons, we look forward to getting feedback from the riders on how our products perform under racing conditions. Good luck to those competing this season, we look forward to seeing you!"
TJ Blackman, US Motorex Bike Line Manager

Intense Cycles returns as the title sponsor for the Intense Downhill race series. This year, an exciting new feature is being introduced to all downhill events for pro and expert racers. Seeding runs will be offered at 3 pm on Saturday afternoons of race weekends. It's a great way to get in a hot lap and get a sense of how you stack up ahead of race day. Intense has one of the longest and most illustrious histories in mountain biking, with its roots deeply embedded in racing – a genuinely iconic mountain-biking brand since 1993. The Maxxis ESC is one of a handful of race series that will participate in the Intense Cycles Podium Payback Program. This promotion pays additional cash to the top five men and women pros and awards the top five amateurs Intense Store Credits. To qualify for these additional payouts, you must race an Intense bike and register online. 

Of all the racing constituencies that George Ulmer and the Maxxis ESC team serve, none is more important than the youngest racers. That focus on youth is clearly working with huge participation numbers in those classes. For example, over 100 racers under 15 took to the course at the Killington and Powder Ridge Showdowns last season. The Kates Kids 12-and-under classes are back this year and due to the huge participation numbers we're adding four new youth classes this season. There will now be 14-and-under youth classes in both downhill and enduro, a 16-and-under boys class in enduro, and a 16-and-under Expert class in downhill.

Speaking of kids, GT Bikes has been a huge supporter of the Maxxis ESC youngsters, and their GT Junior competition returns this year. The GT Junior boy and the GT Junior girl with the most 2023 ESC GT Junior’s Series points at the end of the year will each win “$1000 GT BUCKS”!

Other Maxxis ESC race-within-a-race promotions and incentives return for 2023. You may need a personal assistant to keep track of everything, but we aim to please with a plethora of products:

Flat Tire Defender Super Stage
All enduro racers are automatically entered into the Flat Tire Defender Super Stage competition. A Flat Tire Defender foam tire insert will be awarded to the fastest male and female amateur on the Flat Tire Defender Super Stage.

KÜAT Racks  Last Call
An exciting addition last season that is returning for another year is the Küat Last Call. It works like this: At every Maxxis ESC stop, we will draw one plate number from the weekend's registered racers and they will win a Küat Hitch Rack. The hitch for the Hitch rack is: you've got to be present to win!

Enduro Climbers Challenge
All enduro racers are automatically entered into the Enduro Climber’s Challenge competition. A dropper seat post will be awarded to the fastest Amateur on a preselected climbing transfer. The timed transfer does not count in the overall race time.

The British-based photo and results Web site Roots and Rain continues to be the place to find photos of racers, results, series standings, and some deep dive statistics for those who like to nerd out after their runs. Speaking of results, Live DH timing and, new this season, Enduro timing will be available online during races. This season, the Maxxis ESC has streamlined the registration process offering electronic waivers for pre-registered racers, resulting in less paperwork on race weekends. Registration for all events will be available on the Maxxis ESC website 30 days before each event.

Now let's get into the goods, race venues, and dates for the coming season. Many of our popular tracks are back on the docket, but there are some returning favorites as well as some tweaks of note. 

The Maxxis ESC Intense Cycles DH Series will culminate with finals at Killington, Vermont on Oct 15. The Killington track has seen a lot of changes over the years and the racing experience just keeps getting better. As a bonus, Vermont's legendary fall foliage should be peaking on race weekend. A racer's top eight results will determine the Maxxis ESC Intense DH Series champion, with the finals delivering a 125% series points bonus.

Thunder Mountain in the Berkshires of Massachusetts will again play host to the Maxxis ESC Stan’s No Tubes Enduro Series finals on Oct 29. A racer's top ten results will determine the enduro series champion, with the finals delivering a 125% series points bonus.

After hosting two years of Maxxis ESC Enduro World Series qualifiers, the big mountain of Sugarloaf in central Maine is back for another round of downhill and enduro racing. The tracks at the Loaf were highly praised by EWS racers last year, and the region's unique vibe has made this weekend a must-race destination for Maxxis ESC competitors.

Night racing returns this season, but things have shifted north to the popular Arrowhead venue in New Hampshire for this year's Outbound Lighting Night Enduro. Outbound Lighting, is backing this unique event. Discounts and rentals of Outbound Lighting will be available as the races start after dark. Top finishers using Outbound Lighting lights will be awarded additional prizes. This event will be held on a Saturday night and should make for unforgettable racing.
“Lots of people ride at night, not many ride full tilt on rough trails. Bringing a pro-level Enduro event into the night will make for a crazy experience for everyone! The reaction to the launch of our new Evo DH Package has been unreal, and we are thrilled that customers are seeing the benefits of optimized beam patterns for technical trail riding. The Eastern States Cup has been putting on killer events for years. As a tiny company, we are super pumped to help create such a unique part of the series.” - Tom Danger Place Product Development/Testing/Stoke Manage at Outbound Lighting

After a multi-year hiatus, racing returns this season to the venerable slopes of Southern Vermont's Mount Snow for the first time since 2018. One of the original crucibles in the development of downhill racing, Mount Snow always delivers a unique racing experience for the DH crowd.

Another returning favorite is Burke Mountain in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. The mountain hosted an Enduro World Series event last summer but has not had the ESC crew on board since holding a Maxxis ESC EWS qualifier in 2019.

Connecticut's Powder Ridge only stepped onto the racing scene a few years ago, but it has earned accolades from racers and become a mainstay on the Maxxis ESC schedule and will host three weekends of Maxxis ESC DH and enduro racing this season.

Another highlight this season will be the Stan's Enduro in historic Woodstock, Vermont, in early October. Last year was the Maxxis ESC's inaugural visit to the area, and many racers stated it was their favorite enduro ever. 

 2023 Maxxis ESC Race Classes

Stan’s Enduro Classes
MOTOREX EBIKE
KATES KIDS 12U
KATES ENDURO LITE
YOUTH 14U 
GT JUNIOR GIRLS 18U
GT JUNIOR BOYS 16U 
20U
21-29
30-39
40-49
50+
AMATEUR WOMEN
PRO WOMEN
PRO MEN

Intense Downhill Classes
KATES KIDS 12U 
YOUTH 14U
GT JUNIORS BOYS 16U 
GT JUNIORS GIRLS 18U 
AMATEUR 18U
AMATEUR 19-29 
AMATEUR 30-39 
AMATEUR 40-49 
MASTERS 50+
SINGLE CROWN OPEN
EXPERT 16U 
EXPERT 18U 
EXPERT 19-29 
EXPERT 30-39 
EXPERT 40+ 
AMATEUR  WOMEN 
PRO/EXPERT WOMEN 
PRO MEN 

Here is the full schedule for the coming season:

Maxxis ESC Intense Cycles DH Series
April 30 Powder Ridge, CT
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
July 30 Mount Snow, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 8 Powder Ridge, CT
Oct 15 Killington, VT Series Finals

Maxxis ESC Stan’s No Tubes ENDURO Series
May 21 Powder Ridge, CT
June 4 Glen Park, PA
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 8 Arrowhead, NH – Outbound Night Enduro
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
Aug 6 Burke, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain
Sept 10 Arrowhead, NH
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 1 Woodstock, VT
Oct 29 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals

Maxxis ESC Oakley Showdown Series
June 18 Jiminy Peak, MA
June 25 Killington, VT
July 23 Sugarbush, VT
Aug 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Aug 27 Blue Mountain, PA
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals

Maxxis ESC Motorex EBike Enduro Series
May 21 Powder Ridge, CT
June 4 Glen Park, PA
July 8 Arrowhead, NH – Outbound Night Enduro
August 20 Sugarloaf, ME
Sept 10 Arrowhead, NH
Sept 17 Thunder Mountain, MA
Oct 1 Woodstock, VT
Oct 29 Thunder Mountain, MA Series Finals

Oakley Showdown Bonus– All Showdown DH and Enduro events carry 110% Maxxis ESC Series Points
Series Finals Bonus – All Series Finals events carry 125% Maxxis ESC Series Points
Maxxis ESC Intense Cycles DH Series – Top 8 races by Maxxis ESC Series Points earned
Maxxis ESC Stan’s No Tubes ENDURO Series – Top 10 races by Maxxis ESC Series Points earned
Maxxis ESC Oakley Showdown Series – Top 6 races by Maxxis ESC Series Points earned
Maxxis ESC Motorex EBike Enduro Series – Top 6 races by Maxxis ESC Series Points earned