Viva la France!

Paris, France ~ There are more than 197 kilometers of bike paths in the city limits of Paris. This past weekend, that number was extended inside the Palais Omnisport for the 22nd running of the Bercy Supercross.

The annual event pits 12 of the top American riders against 12 French riders and 12 riders from the "Rest of the World" (ROTW), for both patriotic pride and a huge purse.

While Team Honda's newest addition, Andrew Short, was crowned this year's King of Bercy by winning all three nights, Team AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda was not left out of the mix.

On Friday night, Billy Laninovich returned from injury for a fourth place finish. Laninovich had missed most of the AMA Motocross series after he suffered a torn ACL at the Houston supercross race in February. On Saturday night, newcomers Joaquim Rodrigues and Tommy Hahn pushed their CRF250F's to seventh and eighth place finishes, respectively. Finally on Sunday, Hahn moved up to fifth place to finish with 24 points and a fifth place overall finish.

Team USA won the Bercy Supercross event. Team France finished in second followed by Team Rest of the World.

Sittin' on Snow

Duluth, Minn. ~ In northern Minnesota, it's not uncommon to see a large amount of snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. In 1991, more than 30" fell before Halloween. Mother Nature, however, has a curious sense of humor, and this year that seems to be the case. With only one week left until the AMSOIL Duluth National Snocross at Spirit Mountain, temperatures are ranging into the 50's and there is no snow on the ground.

Except, of course, for a few hundred square feet outside the ski chalet at Spirit Mountain. Overnight temperatures last week allowed the ski resort to use their six snow-making machines, or guns, to produce a base for the track. While rain and the warm weather have melted some of the man-made snow, there is hope on the horizon. Weekend temps are expected to drop below freezing, and some snow could be mixed in.

The AMSOIL Duluth National is the first race of the World Snowmobile Association's snocross season. All of the top racers and teams will compete, including Team AMSOIL, which is led by riders DJ Eckstrom and Carl Schubitzke. More than 40,000 fans will walk through the gates on Thanksgiving weekend, snow permitting, of course.

Open Water

Superior, Wis. ~ Turkey day is almost upon us, and that means naps in front of the television set. But not all of the holiday viewing should be limited to pro football. Next Wednesday, when you are getting ready for the relatives and the cranberry sauce, take time to watch the AMSOIL/ Blackhawk/Rinker powerboat team on The Outdoor Channel. Terry Rinker will be serving up a top five finish from the St. Louis race this past summer. Rinker, the 2003 Champ Boat Series Champion, finished the 2004 season third overall. The race begins at 9 p.m. eastern on The Outdoor Channel.

Picture Of The Week

Chandler, Ariz. ~ AMSOIL sponsored monster truck driver Doug Noelke and his crew may have had some suspension work on their hands after this landing recently in Chandler. Noelke took the Big Dawg truck to the semi-finals before losing to Bigfoot. Big Dawg finished third in the eight-truck field.