The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling features a great race course, thousands of excited fans, top level participation with over $32,000 in cash, merchandise prizes and primes for a single day event and a commitment to helping charities and the local community.
The USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) race on Sunday, May 4th, will once again attract the nation’s top international and domestic athletes to the beautiful Pacific Coast community of Dana Point California. The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is recognized as one-of the largest participant 1-day criteriums in the United States and with projected temperatures for the Sunday May 4th event to be a perfect sunny and warm 74 degrees, this year’s 2014 race is expected to equal or exceed previous editions of the prestigious event.
This year’s 8th Annual DPGP Featuring the John Johnson Pro NCC Classic is gearing-up to be one of the most competitive to date, confirmed athletes and teams for the NCC DPGP include; current 2014 NCC point’s leader Carlos Azate Escobar leading his Pro-Continental Team UntitedHealthcare, second place in NCC points, Isaac Howe of Champion System – Stans NoTubes and Pro-Continental Team Novo Nordisk with the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team. Expected to compete will be the 2013 DPGP Champion Shane Kline with his SmartStop Pro Cycling team and past DPGP and US Pro Crit Champion Rahsaan Bahati. The pro men will be vying for over $17,500 in total cash purse and primes plus other great merchandise that promises to be one of the highlights of the National Criterium Calendar and Southern California racing scene.
Live Streaming
Cyclingnews.com will stream live the John Johnson Pro NCC Classic beginning at 4:00 pm PST (7pm EST).
Sterling BMW of Newport Beach California will once again provide the Official DPGP BMW Pace Car throughout the day with live action video from the front of the peloton.
Dave Towle, the voice of American bicycle racing will again be announcing the action in the booth and will be joined by Dana Point hometown hero, Olympic Champion and Bicycling Hall of Fame Inductee, Steve Hegg along with Roger Worthington, Founder of the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, organizers of the DPGP.
The Worthy Idiot Pounder Prize
The NCC Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is Southern California’s Bicycle Racing Party, new for this year;
WIPP-it Good! – “The Worthy Idiot Pounder Prize” with WIPP jersey, compliments of Hot Shoppe Designs and a winner take-all, $1000 cash from Worthy Brewing Company awarded in the 35+, 45+ and John Johnson Pro NCC Classic events to the competitor that demonstrates ability, assertiveness and the ambitious directive to ensure the race remains compelling. Roger Worthington, Worthy Brewing founder wants to reward an athlete with an aggressive racing nature or as he puts-it, “the most hopped-up racer” with a prize equal to their race performance, voted by Dave Towle, Steve Hegg and Roger himself. The additional WIPP prize is separate from the $1000 cash race purse and DPGP winners jersey that extends to 10 places deep in the 35+ and 45+, and 20 deep in the Pro NCC event at $15,000. The additional WIPP Jersey and $1000 Prize extends to – (1) one deep only in each of these races.
The Dana Point Grand Prix will have plenty of refreshments and food for a beautiful warm sunny day, something for the whole family; the 1st Turn Sierra Nevada Experience featuring an excellent selection of beer from one of the nation’s leaders in craft brewing, with food, music and ringside viewing of the action alongside the fence at turn #1, and our 5th Marine beer garden on the finishing straightaway with both Sierra Nevada and Karl Strauss beer. If you like great beer, food, warm sunny weather, beautiful scenery and top racing action, you’ll love the DPGP and all proceeds benefit charity.
FREE Kids Events
There will be FREE Kids Events with a safety interactive course compliments of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and local Team SOS at the Boys & Girls Club Kids Zone situated within the interior of the DPGP race with; demonstrations, displays, face painting and great food and of course, our highly anticipated Kids Fun Rides with FREE goody bags, t-shirts and surprises. Every child receives a cool participation medal after negotiating the same great race course as the Pro’s!
Fan Zone Expo
The Dana Point Grand Prix will feature the Fan Zone Expo again, catch the race action with our expo vendor participants as they display great products and services with free giveaways alongside the race course with ample viewing of the racing action, you won’t miss a thing.
Dana Point Mayor Pro Tem Steven Weinberg of the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation and DPGP Founder encourages all athletes, families and friends to come to Dana Point this weekend to enjoy the beautiful weather and racing action, “this is the one race where you can bring your family and friends and get the total Southern California race experience; the scenic harbor, awesome restaurants, award winning hotels and beaches and top level competition on the downtown streets of beautiful Dana Point and the iconic Pacific Coast Highway”.
Scenic Course
The DPGP six turn L-shaped 8/10 mile criterium course will wind through pristine neighborhoods overlooking the beautiful Dana Point Harbor and will again finish at Town Center on PCH. The race course offers ample areas to view and cheer our nation’s top cycling athletes with amateur racing set to begin at 7:00 am culminating with the nationally recognized John Johnson Pro NCC Classic race at 4:10 pm.
DPGP Executive Director Russell Ames said, “The DPGP is American criterium racing at its finest because of the countless hours of dedicated community volunteers and organizations, the Dana Point City Staff and the support of great sponsors and participants. We’ll have huge crowds, plenty of free kids activities, exciting racing action, and most importantly — a chance to give-back to the community by contributing to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley and the 5th Marine Regiment Support Group”.
For more information on the Dana Point Grand Prix visit danapointgrandprix.com.
Photo © Christy Nicholson / EchelonDesignPhoto.com
