CHESHIRE, Conn. (Dec. 28, 2011) — Officials at East Coast Snocross (ECS) are working behind the scenes to put together The Second Annual ECS Challenge, a special high-purse race for riders in the Pro and Pro-Lite Divisions during the upcoming event at Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh, NY on January 14 & 15, 2012. The ECS Challenge II ($5,000 Purse) will be a non-points, open format race with two rounds of qualifying on Saturday and the big event scheduled on Sunday. This event is intended to pit rising stars against seasoned veterans in an exciting “Dash for Cash” style race. It will not only add excitement to a full weekend of snocross, but also offer any participating sponsor a chance to connect directly to thousands of consumers with disposable income. Becoming the title or presenting sponsor of this event guarantees strong branding. The inaugural ECS challenge last year paid $3000.00 to Mathieu Morin for First Place, $1000 to Jake Scott for the top Semi-Pro finisher, plus prizes to 2nd and 3rd place finishers. Officials are contacting the three active snowmobile manufacturers (Arctic Cat, Ski-doo and Polaris) to gain support again from them in the way of a $1,000 cash bonus to the rider who wins on their respective brand. Already signed up as sponsors this year are Malibu Boats, Liquor & Wine Warehouse of Plattsburgh NY and Liquid Force Wakeboards. Since the ECS Challenge II is scheduled during an off-weekend for the International Series of Champions (ISOC) National Circuit, ECS officials are inviting any national team or riders to participate. In the past, several national riders like TJ Gulla, Darrin Mees and Brett Bender would return to their eastern roots on a weekend off to battle the regional stars. It creates a friendly rivalry that makes for exciting on-track battles. With a high purse, it is hoped that a few national riders take the bait. As high-profile riders in a regional race, the presence of national and Canadian stars would ensure big exposure for their sponsors and brand of sled in the densely-populated northeastern market. Similar to the famed Woody’s Challenge held in Malone, NY, this ECS Challenge II will add drama and excitement to a weekend already packed with high-stakes action. Round 2 on the nine-race 2011-12 ECS schedule is set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan 14-15, at the Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh NY. The City of Plattsburgh is located on northwestern shore of Lake Champlain in northeast New York State, roughly 20 miles south of the Canadian border. The event will feature a number of teams from the Quebec-based SCM series in combination race weekend. East Coast Snocross, presented by Woody’s Traction and AMSOIL, is the sanctioning body for snowmobile racing in the northeastern United States. ECS maintains a regional circuit intended to keep grass-roots snocross racing healthy in this part of the snowbelt, while also cultivating new talent for tomorrow’s factory-backed Pro teams. For more information, go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com.