America’s fastest growing sport is joining one of America’s oldest entertainment traditions.  The New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show, Inc., in conjunction with SpectaSport LLC, has announced that the 2009 New Jersey State Fair will feature two days of cyclocross racing on next year’s opening weekend, Friday Night July 31 and Saturday August 1.  Fireworks will immediately follow Friday Night’s racing. 

The event will take place in the same floodlit arena as the Fair’s concerts, tractor pulls and demolition derbies.  In addition to Supercross-style arena cyclocross racing for all classes, the event will also host a mountain bike trials competition and between race entertainment in the form of unicycle jousting.  Ken Getchell of SpectaSport says the course will incorporate another fair favorite, “There is a demo derby the day after the bike races, so we’re planning to get in the spirit by incorporating a run-up over a car on the cyclocross track.  And of course, the trials guys are wide-eyed at the possibility of hucking onto a car, so we’ll probably have to get a couple of vehicles for them to destroy for the weekend.  But even with all this new generation ‘edge’, bike racing also has an old-time appeal that is very attractive in a fair context.”

Getchell says that the event will also serve a serious purpose.  “We’re going to be exposing a lot of mainstream Americans to bike racing for the first time.  I know from my own riding that drivers are more cognizant of cyclists in areas that have big races.  Once ordinary people have been entertained by bike races, they’re more likely to identify with us on the road rather than just perceiving cyclists merely as inanimate objects that are slowing them down.  Previous test events at the Fair showed that ordinary, non-athletic Americans will watch the races, if you present them properly.  This time, we’re pulling out all the stops to pack the people in.  Anybody who has ever watched a stock car race will have no problem understanding cyclocross, which has the highest speeds of any competition at the Fair.  The Trials competition, that will run parallel to the races, has X-Games appeal.  And, if that isn’t enough, we also have our secret weapon.  After all, who isn’t intrigued by Unicycle Jousting?”  

The New Jersey State Fair, “Where Farm meets Fun”, is a 10 day event that draws roughly a quarter of a million people from all over the Northeastern United States, and beyond, to Sussex County in northwest New Jersey.  The Fair, which can trace its roots back to 1821, features one of the largest horse shows in the east, agricultural events and education, farm animal exhibits, petting zoo, a large carnival with midway rides, crafters and artists (including chainsaw sculptors), motorsports events, concerts and, of course, Fair Food.

The 2009 New Jersey State Fair SpectaCross will take place on July 31 and August 1, just one week prior to the nearby Tour de New York stage race.  There is a wide array of sponsorship opportunities available -- for as little as one hundred dollars ($100).  Interested parties should contact Ken Getchell of SpectaSport LLC (Conshohocken Pennsylvania) at KenG@SpectaSport.com, or phone 610-397-1950.