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Snocross Races Return; Williamstown Man Rides for His Brother

East Coast Snocross returns to North Adams this weekend with bigger purses and more activities.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Chad Luczynski knows cold.

The former professional snowmobile racer and Winter X Games participant would rather see a forecast like last year's heading into this weekend's second annual East Coast Snocross event at its new course dubbed "The River's Edge" at The Range on Curran Highway.

"I'm kind of bumming," Luczynski said on Thursday. "Last year, it was 40, 50 degrees.

Not that he hasn't raced in temperatures in the 45-below zone before.

"[The cold] is a little bit of a problem. When you're racing, you tend to wear light gloves and light clothing so you can move around more."

But racing will keep him warm as he take to the track again this year in honor of his late brother, Matt Luczynski.

"I'm basically racing in the name of my brother," Luczynski said, noting that Matt won a bronze medal at the X Games.

But he does feel sorry for "the people who work the track and have to stand around all day in that stuff."

"That stuff" will include seasonal temperatures and snow on Saturday but a high of 8 with winds up to 35 mph on Sunday, the second of two full days of racing.

North Adams is the sixth of nine stops on the ECS circuit.

Gates open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday with finals contested each day shortly after 3:30 p.m. Admission is $15 per day for adults or $25 for a weekend pass. Children under 7 are admitted free with a paying adult. Pit passes for the weekend are an additional $10.

Points and prize money will be on the line in the Pro and Pro Lite divisions, and racing will include competition in the Sport, Women's, Junior and Trail classes as well as a 120cc program for children aged 6 to 10.

Some $2,000 has been added to the Pro and Pro Lite purses and pro riders will battle for an additional $600 per day ($300 to win, $200 for second and $100 for third), while Pro Lite racers will go ski­-to-­ski for an extra $400 ($200 to win, $125 for second and $75 for third). Organizers are sure this boost in purses will ignite plenty of intense competition in North Adams; on the other side, ticket prices were reduced to make the event more afford

The event was considered a rousing success last year but now, with new local ownership under Kurt Gagne of Clarksburg, organizers say it will be even better with a focus not only on challenging racing but on entertainment.

Both participation and spectators are expected to top last year's event — despite the  frigid cold. Organizers say better access for the crowds was considered when laying out the course. There will also be a warming tent and plenty of hot cocoa and beer, and local food vendors including Mingo's Sports Bar & Grill, to help beat the chill.

Industry and local vendors will also be represented, such as Carr Hardware and South Side Sales and Service, as well as booths for non-profits like Pop Cares. Lucky spectators may also get a chance to ride the course with one of the racers.

Spectator Information • Racer check-in 7-7:30 a.m. • Spectators gates open at 9 a.m.; finals conclude by 4 • $15 per adult each day, $25 weekend; children 7 & younger free; weekend pit passes $10 • Autograph sessions at 2 both days • No alcohol may be brought in to the site; food and beverages will be available. • Bring your snowmobile to participate; 120 cc sled rentals • More information: East Coast Snocross' Facebook page • Daily schedule

The pros may be fun to watch — and they bring in lots of fans — but the event will also offer local riders like Luczynski a chance to compete. They, too, are expected to bring their own cheering sections.

Luczynski won his share of purses in the eight years he competed on a sled in the winter and a four-wheeler in the summer.

He gave up that life about eight years ago, a decision that was driven by the danger that accompanies the excitement of racing.

"I was never seriously injured like everyone else [in the sport]," Luczynski said. "... It was a hard choice, and I definitely miss it every day."

Luczynski, who lives in Williamstown, was glad the ECS initiated an event last year, giving him the opportunity to get back on the course.

It also gave him a chance to race for Matt, also a retired professional snowmobiler, who died in November 2012 at age 28.

"Last year, I raced for him, and it turned out really good. My cousin set up a booth at the race, and we had T-shirts that we were were selling to support a scholarship in Matt's name. The announcer said a few words about him when I went out on the course."

And on that course, Chad Luczynski scored a third-place finish in Saturday's Plus 25 division, a fourth-place finish in the same division on Sunday and a second place in the 30 Stock Pro Am.

"I'm out there for the fun of it," he said. "I'm still competitive by nature, but I'm just out there for the fun of it and to honor my brother.

"I kind of want to make this an annual thing, to do a race every year for my brother. It's something  I needed to do personally.

"I needed that competitiveness back in my life. It's been a rough few years ... getting on the track, you kind of forget about everything else."

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.